Skyrian Horse Conservation Programme
The Skyrian horse is a protected species – only 261 breed-standard horses remain world-wide.
Two horses live on the Island of Patmos in our care.
The Skyrian Horse
The small-bodied species of the Skyrian horse is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. It is native to Greece, and in ancient times lived throughout the country, but now is only found in the wild on the island of Skyros, Greece. They stand around 110 cm high and they are of one solid colour: bay, brown, or chestnut, with occasional stars/snips.
These small, intelligent horses have a kind and playful character. They are intuitive and quick to learn, show patience and have a lovely willingness to please.
Their size means they are perfect for work with children. Their nature also makes them ideal for equine-assisted therapeutic healing.
They bring a rare opportunity in our fast-paced world to stop ,slow down, embrace play, and admire and enjoy their natural beauty, while reconnecting us to the natural world.
A relationship with horses teaches us many things: patience, persistence, responsibility, and firmness, balanced with kindness and boundaries.
Conservation Programme
As part of our Conservation Programme, we are focussed on:
- Feeding, caring for, and training our horses
- Delivering learning programmes, for children and adults
- Ensuring their numbers increase through introduction of a breeding programme
All of these activities have costs. Please help us!
Ways you can help save the Skyrian Horse from extinction
Can you help us Feed and Care for our horses and teach the Children?
Sponsor a Skyrian Horse – by providing Feed & Care for a week – €95
Sponsor a Skyrian Horse – by providing Feed & Care for a month – €415
Develop New Educational Programme for Schools – €750
Sponsor a Skyrian horse – by providing Feed & Care for six months: – €2,490
Sponsor a Skyrian horse – by providing Feed & Care for a year €4,980
All donations are hugely appreciated and are recorded in our Book of Thanksgiving, kept in our Library.
We have created some special acknowledgements for donors at certain levels of contribution.
- Donations of €50 or more will be acknowledged by a certificate of recognition.
- Donations of €95 or more will be acknowledged by a frame-able photo of Apollonius and Icarus
- Donations of €415 or more will in addition be acknowledged by a frame-able art print of the Tree of Life
- Donations of €1,000 or more will in addition be acknowledged by a plant or tree in our Gardens, bearing a plaque with your name.
- Donors of €2,490 or more will in addition be welcome off season with a partner as guests at Villa Patinos & Suites for a week – plus the invitation to spend a half a day exploring the old paths of Patmos with Apollonius, Icarus and local guides.
- Donors of €4,980 or more will in addition …… become our angels!
Feeding & Care
To Feed & Water our two Skyrian Horses for a year costs – €3360
To Feed, Water & provide Care for our two Skyrian Horses for a year costs – €9960
Children’s Education
To provide a school visit with our horses costs a minimum of €175
A School Learning session of two hours with our horses takes our training team five hours of preparation, participation & follow-up.
