AT 52-YEARS-OLD, Lily is possibly the oldest pony in Britain and lives at the Quality of Life Sanctuary near Holsworthy.
Debbie De Ste Croix formed the sanctuary in 1985 and relocated to Devon from Jersey when she needed more land to house the animals.
Seven years ago a new farrier at the sanctuary was asked to trim Lily's feet and instantly recognised her. He confirmed her age at 45-years-old, which makes her approximately 52-years-old now.
Lily arrived at the sanctuary in 1997 after suffering a stroke from falling upside down in a ditch. Debbie nursed her back to health and she has remained at the Sanctuary ever since.
Debbie is a qualified Ethologist and is loyal to keeping the horses at the sanctuary in a natural way. They adopt an open barn system which allows grazing on roughly 47 acres. Diets consist of natural fodder such as grass hedges hay and Horsehage products. Lily has a winter diet of veteran Horsehage and Mollichaff which she thrives on. The only intervention is regular feet trimming and worming.
The Sanctuary has over 300 animals in residence from horses to ferrets and is very much family run with some outside help from near and far. They also take in wild animals which they rehabilitate and release, but have had to cap the in-take of animals for now as funds are gradually running out.
Currently the sanctuary raises funds by animal sponsorship and other fund raising activities such as car boot sales.
On July 16 Debbie plans to hike up Ben Nevis to help pay for the next hay bill. However, they are looking at other ways to find the £30,000 a year needed to ensure the animals' husbandry needs are taken care of and are working closely with the Gesar Foundation; a charity set up by Kelsang Pawo a nomadic monk who tries to free children from tormented lives anywhere in the world.
By collaborating with Gesar the sanctuary can offer a place for children to visit and learn about nature, domestic and farm animals, forestry activities and the sanctuary's eco system.
If you wish to sponsor Debbie's hike up Ben Nevis, sponsor one of the animals or donate any unwanted items of tack, please visit the Sanctuary website at http://www.gesarfoundation.org">www.gesarfoundation.org.