# South west people (the traveller guy with the horse around devon



## jhoward (23 February 2015)

Hi all john the traveller recently lost his old boy, artical below. 

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....anded-Exeter/story-26057657-detail/story.html

PLEASE DO NOT DONATE TO THE PAGE IN THE COMMENTS.

3000 has been raised for john, and i have been in contact with some people that can find him the right horse, this should be with us sunday or monday next week. 
He wants to replace his old boys harness too as he doesnt wish to use the same harness on a new horse, im hoping we can get a harness too out of the morning, if not i shall go on ebay. 

now the bigger problem and why im posting this, john built himself a wagon, it is four walls made of wood, he done so it was light for the old boy (who was 28) to pull, he would now like to go back to a larger wagon that has a few bits in it and ideally a bed. I need help,. 

we either need to raise more money, which im guessing is the first issue. but i need to find a wagon and i need some help,  ive looked on the internet, and the gypsy wagons are either to big, or way to pricey so I thought id post on here and hope through contacts something may turn up. 

ive got a car that can tow and will hopefully find a flatbed trailer to transport said wagon, so it can be anywhere in the uk, and i will pay the fuel myself to collect it. 

the option would be to build something for him but again not something i can do, and john himself is 78 and unable to to.. 

i went to see the him yesterday id had a picture of his horse printed and framed for him, and took him a bottle of whisky. I didnt really plan to get so involved, but people were offering unsuitable horses and he was getting a bit over whelmed with it all, i have contacts in the gypsy community and felt it would be the best place to source a cob... so here I am.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (23 February 2015)

So sorry he's lost Gildor, but the poor old boy was needing to move on to Rainbow Bridge as he'd looked very old and infirm for some time; and I'm glad that John had the courage and integrity to make that awful decision for him. Any of us who've been there will know all too well what that's like. 

The problem with his situation is that he was/is stuck on a major roundabout near to Exeter City and couldn't (obviously) move on because he hasn't got a horse.............

Dammit, I would have let him have "Bonkers"!!! - would have got the bleddi thing off my hands!!! LOL hee hee.

But seriously, what often happens in a situation like this is that there isn't a lack of help, because people are incredibly generous, but sometimes it is the "wrong" help, if such a thing is possible. So bless you Hunni for offering to help the guy in a situation like this because the last thing that's needed is a horse that (god help us) isn't used to being between the shafts and/or being a solo horse and being tethered up. 

I'm sure John is feeling very vulnerable, and overwhelmed, at the moment; especially so as he's such a private individual. Let's hope that things work out for him eventually.


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## jhoward (23 February 2015)

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:



			So sorry he's lost Gildor, but the poor old boy was needing to move on to Rainbow Bridge as he'd looked very old and infirm for some time; and I'm glad that John had the courage and integrity to make that awful decision for him. Any of us who've been there will know all too well what that's like. 

The problem with his situation is that he was/is stuck on a major roundabout near to Exeter City and couldn't (obviously) move on because he hasn't got a horse.............

Dammit, I would have let him have "Bonkers"!!! - would have got the bleddi thing off my hands!!! LOL hee hee.

But seriously, what often happens in a situation like this is that there isn't a lack of help, because people are incredibly generous, but sometimes it is the "wrong" help, if such a thing is possible. So bless you Hunni for offering to help the guy in a situation like this because the last thing that's needed is a horse that (god help us) isn't used to being between the shafts and/or being a solo horse and being tethered up. 

I'm sure John is feeling very vulnerable, and overwhelmed, at the moment; especially so as he's such a private individual. Let's hope that things work out for him eventually.
		
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yes that was the problem he was having, generous offers of horses but he knows he needs someting 100% steady, able to teather and thats used to pulling. he also knows everyhorse will have something about them not so perfect. 

it was then I decided to go and see the gypsys I used to work for. 

the overall offers of help and money raised have been amazing, john is so sad at losing gildor, but he also knew it was his time and the old lad had served john as a friend and more. 

im just hoping i can find a wagon john is old and id personally like him to have his last years on the road as warm and dry as possible.


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## Exploding Chestnuts (23 February 2015)

I would think someone will have a half completed "project" in a barn somewhere. Finding it and getting it completed is another matter. 
Good luck with the task. 
I watched the video interview, and he seems such a nice chap.


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## jhoward (23 February 2015)

Bonkers2 said:



			I would think someone will have a half completed "project" in a barn somewhere. Finding it and getting it completed is another matter. 
Good luck with the task. 
I watched the video interview, and he seems such a nice chap.
		
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thats kind of what im hoping for, largely due to funds, ive found one online, but it was a couple of months ago it was advertised. 

my fella has said i can use his car that has a tow bar... will then need to find a flat bed trailer, and im hoping my boss will dontate the fuel (ive a company fuel card) if its up country. ive also contacted hho news desk to see if hey will run a story and a plea for such a wagon... were not expecting it free but as you say its finding the ******.


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## jhoward (23 February 2015)

RE donations. a close friend of johns has been in contact with the guy that has set up the fund. (in the link below) the cash takes 7 days to clear and with whats been rasied so far he is bringing down to john on saturday this week. so if you wish to donate please do, the opinion is its johns money and what he does with it is up to him..

however hes set aside 2500 for a horse. (i will know more about this tomorrow when i go to pay a deposit) he wants a new harness, nothing fancy but will need to be leather due to being out in the wet etc. anything else raised will go on a wagon.

there has just been a short bit on the news about him which can be seen in a bit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b052gb3w

http://www.gofundme.com/muc7os


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## Exploding Chestnuts (23 February 2015)

jhoward said:



			RE donations. a close friend of johns has been in contact with the guy that has set up the fund. (in the link below) the cash takes 7 days to clear and with whats been rasied so far he is bringing down to john on saturday this week. so if you wish to donate please do, the opinion is its johns money and what he does with it is up to him..

however hes set aside 2500 for a horse. (i will know more about this tomorrow when i go to pay a deposit) he wants a new harness, nothing fancy but will need to be leather due to being out in the wet etc. anything else raised will go on a wagon.

there has just been a short bit on the news about him which can be seen in a bit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b052gb3w

http://www.gofundme.com/muc7os

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Not sure about leather, these days there are very good harnesses [about £6oo new and £300 second hand.] which are much easier to look after. They are used in competiton and are very strong.


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## jhoward (23 February 2015)

Bonkers2 said:



			Not sure about leather, these days there are very good harnesses [about £6oo new and £300 second hand.] which are much easier to look after. They are used in competiton and are very strong.
		
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like the zilco? ive seen a couple about but very pricey. were waiting till the horse arrives before buying just as were not sure whats going to turn up so cant be sure on siziings.


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## Exploding Chestnuts (23 February 2015)

http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/harness.php 
near to bottom of the page 1
The Tedex is a good harness, this one is pretty cheap cos its got a few scratches, and sometimes the complete harness is not a perfect fit, this one has extras.
I would avoid ones that are leather and fit  "14 to 17 hh" horses, they just don't!


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## jhoward (23 February 2015)

Bonkers2 said:



http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/harness.php 
near to bottom of the page
The Tedex is a good harness, this one is pretty cheap cos its got a few scratches, and sometimes the complete harness is not a perfect fit, this one has extras.
I would avoid ones that are leather and fit  "14 to 17 hh" horses, they just don't!
		
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thanks ive already got that one saved, no I no about the harnesses hence waiting for the horse to arrive, it might be 14hh it might be 15hh... i have no clue getting one to fit the job and not too young was the wish list (weve asked for a bit older as weve considered johns age and what will happen to the horse john had a place for gilbour to go at i think WHW the same will go for the new horse but he doesnt want something that will get rehomed loads or anything worked to hard. )


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## Bosworth (16 March 2015)

JHoward, can you find out whats happening with John. I saw he had hitched his new horse up to is new caravan last Tuesday and I saw him trying to get the horse to move, which it clearly didnt want to. He was standing directly in front with his hands on either side of the bit and trying to pull him. and hour and a half later I went past him again and he had someone helping him, horse unhitched and caravan moved about 10 yards. 

He has not moved since, and appears to be getting low on grazing. can the new horse be driven, is anyone helping him? He is a bit stuck as the caravan was actually delivered onto the roundabout instead of onto a quieter road. He has to cross the busy roundabout with what appears to be a bit of an inexperienced horse.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (16 March 2015)

^^^^ Oh dear..............  

Hoping he and new horse are OK...


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## Bosworth (19 March 2015)

Now its getting worse............... the roundabout is now being worked on, there are roadworks around it and the caravan is almost penned in by a trench that has been dug and cones around that part of the roundabout


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## HashRouge (19 March 2015)

Does he have anyone to help him? Is he still having trouble with the new horse?


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## Bosworth (19 March 2015)

Ive not seen anyone with him, i pass him about 8 times a day and seen no one with him at all, and the horse has not been hitched up at all for more than 10 days. Was hoping someone on here knew about the horse and was prepared to help.


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## Spreebok (21 March 2015)

I've heard something going around that someone has stolen half of his harness??


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (21 March 2015)

There's something on FB about his horse's harness being pinched; apparently someone's took half of the harness not all of it?? Which is going to make it totally useless to them. Scumbags, what FFS is wrong with people.


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## Bosworth (22 March 2015)

just seen that he has had half his harness stolen but that was only thursday, He has been stuck now for nearly 2 weeks.


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## Beausmate (25 March 2015)

OH went up that way yesterday and said that both horse and wagon are off the roundabout.


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## jhoward (25 March 2015)

Beausmate said:



			OH went up that way yesterday and said that both horse and wagon are off the roundabout.
		
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indeed,  but hes not gone far. if oh wanted to see him?

bosworth I will pop down and see him on my way to work tonight see how he is getting on.

it is true his harness was stolen but that has been replaced now.


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## Bosworth (25 March 2015)

thanks J howard, this started well before his tack was stolen. Hes moved onto the Ide roadside about 500 yards from the roundabout. I hope hes ok. I did worry when the roadworks started round him.


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## jhoward (25 March 2015)

he wasnt home will try again tomorrow


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## jhoward (28 March 2015)

seen john and neddy today,  1st of all his horse is a HE not a she LOL. as we walked across to see him it was lovely to see neddy whickering for john, hes not had to many issues as it happens but did say  he walked to fast, he can sit up on the wagon but he prefures to walk. any way all is good hes off tomorrow!


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## NoCollection (28 March 2015)

Saw the wagon all packed up ready to move and John putting the harness onto the horse as I drove past this morning. But then this afternoon I saw that they had only moved 100 yards, just a little nearer the roundabout again. The roadworks are finished.


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## Bosworth (31 March 2015)

Hes on the Dawlish Road, just outside Exminster


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## Spreebok (31 March 2015)

Bosworth said:



			Hes on the Dawlish Road, just outside Exminster 

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Oh that's cracking news


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## Spot_the_Risk (31 March 2015)

Noticed he had gone when I went past Ide earlier today.  Also seen on FB today of a stables being robbed at Ide, something going on.


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