Summer 2013

World Horse Welfare

On the trail of Europe's horse meat

News

Do you need to breed?

Celebrating 85 years of helping horses Meet our Rehomed

Horse of the Year!

The horse crisis deepens

New approaches for working horses

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Welcome from the

Chief Executive

More than 7,000 horses identified as being at risk of needing our help, 40% increase in horses taken into our centres so far this year, rehoming down 32% - these are worrying figures and there's no denying that it's been a difficult start to the year. However, with your support, we are doing all we can to meet the challenge. I hope that as well as the messages of warning in this magazine, you'll take heart and inspiration from some of the achievements your support makes possible.We quite simply could not do what we do without you, and whether

you have donated to an appeal, volunteered, or run your own event, we are very grateful for your support. You'll find several ways to continue helping us throughout this edition, such as our Adopt a Horse (or donkey!) Scheme (page 5), new membership options (page 24), sponsoring a Tree in Tribute (page 19), or our new online Happy Horses Raffle (page 24). With rehoming more vital than ever, I also hope that you'll join me in

giving a big round of applause to a pony named Shadow, featured on page 10, who has become our first ever Rehomed Horse of the Year. I'm sure you'll agree that Shadow is a fitting ambassador to represent over 1,500 World Horse Welfare horses and ponies, from vital companions to competition winners, that are bringing great joy to families across the UK. And it's not just by rehoming or donating that you can help. The

UK Horse Crisis may seem a million miles away from the choices of responsible horse owners, but we've launched our Need to Breed? initiative to try and encourage people to think before breeding in these uncertain times, and I hope you'll share this message with others.Thank you, and welcome to our summer magazine!

Contact usAnne Colvin House Snetterton Norfolk NR16 2LR UKe: info@worldhorsewelfare.org w: www.worldhorsewelfare.orgPhone: +44 (0)1953 498682Fax: +44 (0)1953 498373UK Welfare: +44 (0)8000 480 180Merchandise: +44 (0)1953 497239Membership: +44 (0)1953 497270

PresidentHRH The Princess RoyalVice Presidents The Hon Gerald Maitland-Carew Christopher Hall Sir Peter O’SullevanChairman Barry Johnson MRCVSChief Executive Roly Owers MRCVS Registered charity no: 206658 and SC038384

Cover: World Horse Welfare Shadow, our Rehomed Horse of the Year 2013, with his rehomer Sophie. Read more on page 11.

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In this issueWELCOME2-4 Welcome and

News in pictures.

HORSE CRISIS5-7 Shocking new welfare

figures and our first TV appeal.

NEED TO BREED?8-9 The new initiative to

ask owners if they really Need to Breed?

REHOMING10-11 Meet our first Rehomed

Horse of the Year!

CAMPAIGNS12-15 CCTV petition, Europe

update and horse passports.

INTERNATIONAL16-18 New approaches to

working horse welfare.

SUPPORTERS19-23 Upcoming events

and your fundraising photos.

MEMBERSHIP & RAFFLE24 Take part today!

We create our magazine in-house and it is printed on paper that has been produced using pulp from sustainable forestry, ensuring it is kind to the environment while keeping costs to a minimum.

We hope you enjoy hearing about the work your support makes possible, and if you ever have any questions or suggestions we would love you to write to us or email charlottejones@worldhorsewelfare.org

News in pictures...

1. Clifton Promise and Jock Paget succesfully negotiate the World Horse Welfare Footbridge on their way to winning the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. We were at the event to raise awareness for our work, see safety improvements to fences made by British Eventing, and show our support for the responsible use of horses in sport. It was lovely to see so many supporters visiting our stand, including those who won tickets through our Facebook Fan Page competition, which we hope to run again in the future!

2. A horse benefitting from our affiliate's project in Cape Town. Read more international news on page 16.

3. Two horses tied to the wheels of cars, parked next to a busy road on a London driveway. Thanks to a concerned caller alerting us on the Welfare Line, our Field Officer Nick White was able to resolve the situation quickly.

4. Mary King drops into our stand at Burnham Market International Horse Trials to sign our CCTV petition. Read more about the petition on page 14.

5. Roly inspects the new soft-core fences at Aintree ahead of the Grand National meeting in April. We were very pleased that all the horses and riders returned safely, but believe there is still a need for the number of runners to be reduced.

6. A group of eight Thoroughbred horses arrive at our Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

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You'll see symbols like this one throughout the newsletter, which you can scan with your smart phone's QR code scanner app to be taken to videos and other content. Scan this one now to sign up for our monthly email newsletter!

You can also find any of our videos on our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/horsecharity - and don't forget to find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @horsecharity

@rolyowers

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7. Olympic medal winning eventer and World Horse Welfare supporter Ian Stark took on some of the ponies from our Dallas round-up in Scotland, and you can scan the symbol or visit www.youtube.com/horsecharity to watch our new video about their progress. The horses were part of our largest-ever preventative welfare operation in 2011, where we helped to round-up, microchip and castrate more than 90 horses that were breeding unchecked on an area of land that could not support them.

8. World Horse Welfare Yogie says hello to our President, HRH The Princess Royal, before being presented to her rehomer at our Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in June. A special reception allowed HRH and members of the community to view the plans for the new and desperately needed facilities that are planned for the centre, and we look forward to updating you on these later in the year. Scan the symbol or visit www.youtube.com/horsecharity to watch a video from the day.

9. World Horse Welfare Digger and Spencer greet guests during the Members' day at Belwade Farm in May. Spencer, the farm's former Adoption Horse, has now completed his rehabilitation and as this magazine went to print he was preparing to go on to our rehoming scheme. Digger has recently returned to the farm from the Household Cavalry for assessment, owing to some potential health problems which may affect his training. It will take a while for the results of the full assessment to be known, but in the meantime, he certainly seems to be enjoying life back at Belwade Farm and is as big a character as ever! Find out more about our Adopt a Horse scheme overleaf, and membership on page 24.

10. World Horse Welfare Penny is retiring from her almost 12-year service with the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery later this year. Field Officer Nick White is pictured paying her a visit during a Chairman's Circle event at the Troop's new Woolwich barracks and training ground in March. Events for this year include a visit to see Frankel at stud, and you can find out more at www.worldhorsewelfare.org/The-Chairmans-Circle

11. World Horse Welfare farriery instructor Tom Burch advises students in Cambodia. Our project in the country, which was launched last year, continues to go from strength to strength.

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Whisky is a three-year-old skewbald donkey who came into our Belwade Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre as a welfare case this February. He arrived with two shetland ponies: Vinnie and Bella. When Whisky arrived the

Belwade team's first priority was to check him over - he had overgrown feet, rain scald, a lice infestation and was extremely underweight. He was also unhandled and nervous, so farm staff had to build his confidence in order to begin his treatment and help him to gain condition.

Since their arrival the trio are doing really well. Whisky comes into the yard regularly to work on his handling, as well as being groomed and led around the yard so that he can begin to adjust to life on the farm. Whisky is full of character and has even been picked as Belwade Farm’s new Adoption Horse (or donkey, should we say!).

The farm’s former adoption horse Spencer

has completed his rehabilitation, and at the time of going to print was nearly ready to go onto our online rehoming pages.

Whisky, Vinnie and Bella are just three of the increasing number of horses, donkeys, ponies and mules that have needed to come into our centres in recent months. You can read more about the horse crisis in the following pages.

Whisky

ADOPT ME! Adopt Whisky or one of our three other Adoption Horses to support and follow their progress back to health and a new life. Adopters receive:

• A pack that includes: a film on DVD; a board-backed colour photo; pin badge; notebook; and recent updates written by the grooms and centre manager.

• Four exclusive updates each year that give a unique insight into your adopted horse's progress, with notes and photographs from the team at the farm.

• The chance to visit their adopted horse during centre open days.

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WHISKY BEFORE OUR CARE

MEETING FANS

WHISKY TODAY

www.worldhorsewelfare.org/adopt

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The horse crisis deepens

Chris Williamson, the Field Officer who investigated the case, describes what he found:

“These horses were living on a dumpsite; there was rubbish, bits of scrap metal, derelict vehicles, cranes and nails sticking out everywhere I turned. When I found a mare and her foal locked inside a container, I just couldn’t believe it. They had obviously been in there for quite some time; they were covered in faeces and the debris that had been dumped there.

One of the ponies was lagging behind; he was really struggling to put his foot to the floor – there was something drastically wrong. On closer inspection we found that the poor thing had a large nail embedded in his foot. If it had not been removed we would have lost him. We took action as

necessary and removed all of the horses and ponies from

the site and into the care of World Horse Welfare. If we hadn’t got there in time - there would have been fatalities.”

We've launched our first ever TV appeal to rally support and raise funds to help us face the growing horse crisis. The ‘How could anyone?’ appeal encourages more people to support our work at a crucial time, and tells the story of Herbie and his friends, who we rescued from a life of misery. All twenty can finally look towards a happy future thanks to the work that you help make possible. Please call 01953 497239, scan this icon, or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/appeals to see the film and support the appeal.

Last October multiple charities warned the public and the government that a horse crisis was looming with 6,000 equines at risk. After a tough winter we now know that this number has risen to 7,000 in just six months.We’ve also seen an increase in the number of reports

about fly-grazed horses and ‘multiple’ cases that need help, where more than 100 horses can be found in one group, often due to indiscriminate breeding.We already have 320 horses in our direct care and

continue to see a stark increase in the number of equines coming into our four Rescue and Rehoming Centres. With funds and space limited, help is needed from all sides in order for us to continue to deal with the rising number of cases that are coming into the farms every single week. Already this year we've seen...

HERBIE WHEN HE WAS FOUND

40% increase in The number of horses We'Ve rescued.

32% decrease in The number of horses rehomed from us.

of The 85 exTra horses ThaT We'Ve Taken in already This year, 38 are prosecuTion cases, meaning ThaT We cannoT aTTempT To rehome Them unTil The case has a solid VerdicT. someTimes This can Take years.

an addiTional 66 concerns inVesTigaTed in conjuncTion WiTh oTher organisaTions.

577 Welfare concerns inVesTigaTed by our field officers: 22% more Than during The same period lasT year.

HERBIE AFTER OUR CARE

Alana Chapman, Field Officer"I've certainly seen an increase in landowners finding dumped and abandoned horses on their land. As the winter has been so long and cold, there's been a big rise in the number of horses in poor condition being reported."

Rachel Andrews, Field Officer"It has been an incredibly busy few months and unfortunately I have had to bring a significant number of horses and ponies into our centres as part of prosecution cases or as extremely serious welfare concerns. I feel that the equine crisis we have all been dreading has definitely arrived and the very cold, drawn out winter has only exacerbated the problems faced by horse owners."

THE NAIL IN HERBIE'S FOOT

There haVe already been fiVe foals born aT our cenTres This year To mares ThaT haVe come inTo our care pregnanT.

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breeding, it is important not to underestimate the contribution of individuals – those people who perhaps breed because they have a much-loved mare, because they want the experience of producing a youngster, or to give an out-of-work mare a role. Whilst having a foal may be very appealing, do any of these reasons really justify bringing yet another horse into an already crowded country, particularly when no one can genuinely guarantee a horse a secure home for life?Breeding a foal can be a wonderfully rewarding

experience. However, it is important to consider all the potential pitfalls before making the decision, and whether there may be a better option.

If you or anyone you know is thinking about producing a foal, please stop and think. Do you really need to breed? We've produced a leaflet outlining some of the key points

for consideration, which we hope you will read and share with anyone you know who is thinking of breeding. It includes some basic costs, and points for extra thought. We've also launched the initiative with a short animated

video, designed to spread the word, and we hope you'll watch and share it with others.Watch the video and download or request a leaflet today at

www.worldhorsewelfare.org/needtobreed or call 01953 497232. Thank you.

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NEED

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Whilst many of us hope and intend to keep our horses forever, life doesn’t always turn out as we expect. No matter how hard you try or how many plans you make, there is always the chance that you could find yourself unable to keep the horse you’ve had since it was born.Although money is not the primary factor many owners

worry about when finding a new home for their horse, horses are the same as anything else in that the more there are, the less money they sell for. When horses are readily available for little money, this often leads unscrupulous people to take advantage of the situation. The greater the number of horses in the UK, the harder it is to find them all safe, loving homes. Sadly, in the UK there are now thousands more horses

than there are good homes. Prices have dropped to desperately low levels, and many horses are being abandoned or neglected. Every day we are asked to take in horses that owners

are unable to keep, or which did not turn out the way their breeder expected. With so many neglected horses

in urgent need of our help, we are rarely able to offer these owners anything more than advice. It simply isn’t possible for us to take in all of these horses.

Undoubtedly there are a number of different groups contributing to the breeding of horses in the UK. Unfortunately, this makes it all too easy for each group to blame the others and take no responsibility, and therefore no action, themselves. It is vital that every group acknowledges their contribution to the problem and takes steps to rectify it.It is very easy to think that people who only breed a small

number of foals, perhaps as few as one a year, or even one in their lifetime, are having very little impact. This just isn’t the case. With thousands of people all doing the same, this adds up to a huge number of extra horses every year.Whilst all sectors should take steps to reduce their

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Number of horses bred per respondant

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Collectively, twice as many foals are

produced by people who will only breed 1 to 5 foals

in total, than by people who will breed over

100 each.

Every horse born increases

the chance of neglect: either to that horse

directly at some stage in its life, or by indirectly

shunting another horse into an awful

situation.

Whilst all sectors should take steps to

reduce their breeding, it is important not to

underestimate the impact of your

own choices.

Your choices as a horse owner can

make a real difference, not only to reduce the

amount of neglect, but also to make it easier for horses to find good, safe homes

in the future.

Do you need to breed?Our Rescue and Rehoming Centres face a challenging "two-for-one" scenario when a mare they take in is pregnant. There have been five foals born at our centres this year already. But it's not just the extra, immediate demands that these foals - the fallout of indiscriminate breeding - place upon our resources that has an impact on our ability to face the growing horse crisis.

We take in about 200 neglected horses every year, every single one of which started life somewhere. While the choices of responsible horse owners can seem far removed from the terrible cases we deal with on a daily basis, we've launched our Need to Breed? initiative to spread the word about the impact that breeding just one foal can have.

Sadly, in the UK there are now thousands more horses than there are good homes.

It is very easy to think that people who only breed a small number of foals, perhaps as few as one a year, or even one in their lifetime, are having very little impact. This just isn't the case.

We've produced a leaflet outlining some of the key points for consideration, which we hope you will read and share with anyone you know who is thinking of breeding.

If you or anyone you know is thinking about

producing a foal, please stop and think. Read our

leaflet and watch and share the Need to Breed? video

today - Thank you!

Need to breed?

Need to breed?

Need to breed?

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Everyone should have a Shadow!

Meet our first Rehomed Horse of the YearRehoming is a vital part of our work and we aim to find each horse or pony that comes into our care a home. Our horses can go on to fulfil a number of roles, from providing invaluable companionship to achieving top-level competitive careers. Sadly, despite a lot of hard work and

the fantastic efforts of supporters and the media during Rehome a Horse Month in April, rehoming figures for 2013 are 32% down on the same time in 2012 - a depressing trend that we, and the horses waiting at our centres for loving new homes, want to see reversed!As part of Rehome a Horse Month

we decided to up the ante and launch a competition to find our very first Rehomed Horse of the Year. We thought this would be a great way to highlight just how wonderful our rehomed horses can be. As the letters and emails started to pour in, it began to dawn on us that we were facing an impossible

task. With over 1,500 horses out in homes, we knew that there were some inspiring stories out there, but were

overwhelmed by just how much these horses meant to their rehomers. Many of the entries made us laugh out loud, and some moved us to tears. We would like to say a massive thank you to all who took part – we look forward to sharing more of your stories in the future!Only after much deliberation were

we finally able to pick a winner, and we're sure you'll agree

that World Horse Welfare Shadow is a very deserving Rehomed Horse of the Year 2013. From when we first

Find out more about rehoming at www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming

read the entry, right through the judging process, the bond between Shadow and his rehomer Sophie really stood out. Shetland cross Shadow came into our care in 1994, and since then has done a sterling job bringing the joy of riding to several young rehomers. In 2007 Shadow was rehomed by

Arlene Greene for her then

11 year-old daughter Sophie. Now 27, he is still playing a valuable role in the Greene household as a companion to their other horses, and is even teaching Sophie's niece and nephew to ride! Here is the entry with which Sophie, now 17,

convinced us that her much-loved Shadow deserved to be our Rehomed Horse of the Year:

I first met Shadow at Glenda Spooner Farm. After wishing for a pony of my own I was incredibly excited to be visiting the centre. I remember him whinnying to me as I said hello to him for the first time!

Although I had been handling and was used to being around ponies, I was still very shy and slightly nervous when it came to riding Shadow, but the staff were reassuring and made our visit a fantastic experience. I groomed him, rode him in the school and we took him out for a hack. It was wonderful to spend time together to see if we suited each other: I felt so safe on him and truly felt Shadow was the right pony for me.

After a few weeks I was thrilled to hear we could rehome Shadow and he would be on the yard very soon! In the few months that passed I knew I had made the right decision. He was everything I had dreamed for in a pony: quiet, kind, gentle, and a brilliant confidence giver!

I rode him for a few years, starting off with mum leading me around the school then advancing to riding bareback around the woods on my own, whilst walking our dog and going on picnics. Then all too soon it sadly became clear that I had grown out of him and could no longer ride him, but it didn't end there! We still have him and now he is teaching little ones in our family to ride, spreading the confidence. He also acts as a ‘babysitter’ for my mum’s thoroughbreds, and we still go on those walks and picnics around the woods. I now have a Quarter Horse on loan. She's very forward going and we do a lot of things - things I could never have imagined myself being so confident doing were it not for my rehomed pony!

Despite experiencing very tough times during his life, Shadow has continued to be an honest and genuine pony, truly deserving to be Rehomed Horse of the Year. I would strongly advise anyone looking for a horse or pony to take a good look at those in need of a home at World Horse Welfare. I couldn't believe I would find a

pony so perfect, but there he was, a little gem just waiting for a home!

I cannot praise the World Horse Welfare team enough for finding me my perfect pony and I’ll be forever grateful for what Shadow has done for me. He is a huge part of the family, my first pony, a great companion, a happy hacker, but above all my dear little friend. Everyone should have a Shadow!

He was everything I had dreamed for in a pony: quiet, kind, gentle, and a brilliant confidence giver!

I cannot praise the World Horse Welfare team enough for finding me my perfect pony and I’ll be forever grateful for what Shadow has done for me.

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WELFARE

Fighting for simpler equine identification

As gruesome and upsetting as the storm around horse meat is, it has however focused the spotlight on the trade in horses of low market value, and the flaws in the UK’s horse passport system. In February World Horse Welfare took part in an urgent meeting called by Secretary of State Owen Paterson where it was agreed that Defra needed to radically overhaul the system for equine identification and restrict unnecessary movements of the UK’s most vulnerable horses.

Following on from this meeting, in March the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare conducted surveys of every group involved in the passport system. As a leading member of the sector council, World Horse Welfare conducted the survey of horse owners- thank you to everyone who took part.

Almost 3,000 horse owners, 100 local authority enforcement agents, 600 veterinary surgeons, 54 Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) and two abattoirs shared their understanding of and experiences of the regulations. The results revealed a dramatic lack of confidence and worrying shortcomings in most parts of the system meant to safeguard the human food chain.

In May, the sector council presented the survey findings to Defra officials and Environment Minister Lord de

Mauley, and options for an improved system will be discussed and consulted on. The sector is also helping Defra prepare for changes that will be required under the European Commission’s Five Point Plan (a series of actions the Commission is taking in light of the horse meat scandal, covering everything from labelling to passports) to address issues raised by the horse meat scandal. The plan will require Member States to maintain their own central database and reduce the number of PIOs, of which the UK currently has an unwieldy 75+.

Roly Owers says: “The (survey) results are incontrovertible evidence that most parts of the system have failed to some degree. More importantly, the findings clearly show what we need going forward: a simple system for identifying equines that is easy-to-understand, comply with and enforce, and inspires public confidence...We have long been making the case for a rejuvenated central equine database and fewer PIOs, so we welcome the direction given by the European Commission. The challenge now is to create a system that works and the sector is working with Defra to try to achieve this.”

We will continue to work with Defra along with the sector council on these proposals and update you in the future. If you have specific points you would like to raise about passports, please do let us know atinfo@worldhorsewelfare.org

You’ll find a ‘Checklist for Equine Health’ included in this magazine, which we developed along with equine veterinary specialists, other welfare charities, and Defra. It was launched at this year’s National Equine Forum and is aimed at cutting through the reams of advice currently available and setting out clearly the practical essentials of good horse care including nutrition, safety, vaccination, parasite control, disease prevention and transport.

Roly Owers, our Chief Executive and Chair of the Equine

Disease Coalition, which produced the checklist, says: “There has never been so much information out there on horse management, but it can be so difficult to know what to trust or whether you are covering all the bases. This simple guide, on one sheet of paper, can help guide your horse management routines,” You can download further copies of the checklist on our

website: www.worldhorsewelfare.org/disease

The survey results demonstrated a catalogue of misunderstanding, patchy compliance, lack of enforcement and a struggling system without controls or consequences.

More than 80% said they did not believe the system fulfilled its purposes.

No group surveyed appears to fully understand the rules, even in their own areas of responsibility.

Weak enforcement was cited as a key reason why the passport system did not fulfil its purposes. Many local authorities admitted to not enforcing the regulations at all and often they had been given a lower priority in light of restricted resources.

Veterinarians pointed to the impracticalities of the current system which require them to check every horse’s passport before any medication is given when in as many as 50% of cases the owners or keepers do not have a valid passport available.

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When asked for a passport how often do owners either fail to provide a passport or provide a passport

that you don’t believe complies with the Regulation?

Less than 5% of

the time

5% - 20%of the time

20% - 50% of the time

More than 50% of the time

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Do you think that the passport system fulfills its purposes?

YES13%

NO87%

Thanks to our fantastic supporters, our petition calling for compulsory CCTV in British slaughterhouses that take horses has reached over 36,000 signatures! We launched the petition in response to appalling and illegal horse abuse at a Cheshire abattoir, shown in a Sky News investigation in January. We were asked to review the footage by Sky, which showed a catalogue of breaches of the law. Thank you so much to everyone who has signed the petition, shared it

with others, and gathered signatures on our behalf. At the time of going to print we were preparing to hand the petition over to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and we look forward to updating you soon! Find out more about the petition and our other campaigns at www.worldhorsewelfare.org/campaigns

campaigning for change

The campaigns team has been as busy as ever since the last newsletter, ensuring that horse welfare stays on the agenda in the UK and Europe.

In April, we met EU Commissioner Borg to discuss the welfare of horses transported long-distance across Europe to slaughter. During this meeting the Commissioner stated that he hoped to act on the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (calling for a short journey limit for horses transported to slaughter), but did not give a timescale for action. Unfortunately since then the repeated message coming from the Commission has been that no new legislation is planned: we cannot accept this while horses continue to suffer.The team has been busy representing the voice of horses

at a number of animal transport conferences, making sure that their needs are not forgotten. It is crucial that the case for horses is made at these events. One horse subjected to long-distance transportation to slaughter would be one too many – we need to make sure that this message gets across.We will never stop campaigning for an end to these

journeys, but if we can ensure that horses are given water and are not transported unless they are fit to travel, we will be able to improve conditions within the limitations of the current, flawed Regulation until new legislation

becomes a reality. Work has begun on guidance documents aimed at enabling those involved in the trade to better meet the needs of horses being transported. In the short-term this will help to ease the suffering of horses undergoing long-distance transportation to slaughter, while we continue to work for change in the long-term. We will continue

to need your help to press for an end to this cruel trade. Please sign up to receive our email updates to make sure you receive all the latest news about how you can help: www.worldhorsewelfare.org/enews

CCTV petition update

Keeping horse welfare on the agenda

Demystifying biosecurity for horses

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Sunday 17th February: It’s 1:30 in the morning and we’ve just arrived at one of Poland’s largest horse markets. Poland is currently the main exporter of horses for slaughter in the EU and the vast majority of these exported horses endure a gruelling 1,300 mile journey to southern Italy before they’re slaughtered. For some horses that journey begins here, at the market.Despite the early hour the site is bustling with activity.

There are already horses present with more arriving all the time. Although the temperature during the night drops as low as -8°C, many horses are so stressed by their journey to the market - more often than not in unsuitable vehicles - that they arrive dripping with sweat, even after travelling comparatively short distances (it seems odd to refer to a two-hour journey as short, but compared to the 24-hour journeys we’re used to seeing, it is just that).These horses clearly need to drink so they can replace

the fluid they’ve lost, but although water is available at the market, I don’t see a single horse receive any in the eight hours I spend there. By 6am some are so desperately thirsty that they lick the sides of the vehicles in an attempt to find any moisture they can. Yet I know these horses will have few, if any, opportunities to quench their thirst between now and their eventual arrival at the slaughterhouse.

Instead, they’ll become increasingly dehydrated until their bodies are unable to function properly. When water is available they’ll fight viciously with one another to reach it. Simple changes could make a huge difference to the welfare of these horses, and this is why World Horse Welfare is currently working on the production of guidelines to improve the provision of water at every stage of the horses’ journey. Tuesday February 19th: We begin our long drive across Europe; following some of the route the horses destined for Italy will take. Our start point is an assembly centre, where the horses are brought together prior to export. I’m pleased that a Lithuanian vehicle we’d seen the previous day at the market is present. Hopefully, this means the horses will have received some rest, water and food, but we're not able to look around the assembly centre to see this for ourselves. Building up the relationships that enable us to access

these facilities, and that are so crucial to bringing about welfare improvements, takes time and patience. I’m confident that in the near future we will have succeeded in building such a relationship with staff at this assembly centre, and I’m very aware that this will only be possible thanks to the wonderful generosity of our supporters whose donations, no matter what the size, make it possible for us to undertake these vital trips throughout the year.

Thursday February 21st: We’ve arrived at a control post in Hungary. Control posts are the places where horses are unloaded for 24 hours rest, food and water after 24 hours of transport, as required by the legislation - though, sadly, we know that a huge number of transporters just don’t stop. Some control posts, such as this one, also have facilities that allow transporters to provide water and food for the horses whilst they are on the vehicle, during stops that are legally required every eight hours.At 4pm a consignment of horses arrives for one of these

water and feed stops. However, we’re horrified (but sadly not surprised) to see that the horses are provided with no water at all and just a handful of hay each before recommencing their journey. Remembering the horses at the market, I wonder how long it’s been since these poor horses have had the chance to drink.

Looking at the horses on the vehicle I notice a youngster who is covered with sweat and has a swollen, bleeding wound to his eye. The journey has clearly already been extremely stressful and traumatic for this youngster, and he’s not even half-way through yet. Frustratingly, horse meat consumers may be blissfully

unaware that the meat they eat is the product of such suffering. Currently, horse meat can be labelled

This February World Horse Welfare Campaigns Officer Hannah Westen travelled to Poland and Hungary, accompanied by The Daily Telegraph, to record conditions for horses at market and under transportation. The trip was part of our ongoing investigations that are gathering evidence to support our campaign to end the long-distance transportation of horses across Europe to slaughter.

Investigating Europe's horse meat as a product of the country in which the horse was slaughtered, regardless of whether that horse travelled for days across Europe beforehand. For this reason, we’re not only campaigning for a significantly reduced, and finite, journey time, but also for improved labelling that includes country of origin information so that consumers can make an informed choice.Every trip like this one that I take reinforces my certainty

that something must be done to help these horses, and I am so grateful to the continued support of people across the world. Our campaign could not have achieved the milestones it has, or continue, without it.

There is still much more to be done. The recent horse meat scandal has emphasised the need to raise awareness of the suffering that lies behind much of the horse meat that’s produced. This is something you can play a big part in, by spreading the word amongst your friends, family and colleagues – please pass on this newsletter, share our posts on Facebook, or retweet us on Twitter.Thank you.

We are the leading organisation keeping this issue on the agenda of legislators within the European Commission. You can support our investigations and help us to lobby for short, finite journey times and improved welfare provisions with a donation to our Miles of Pain Appeal. Please call 01953 497239 or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/milesofpain

Frustratingly, horse meat consumers may be blissfully unaware that the meat they eat is the product of such suffering.

These horses clearly need to drink so they can replace the fluid they’ve lost, but although water is available at the market, I don’t see a single horse receive any in the eight hours I spend there.

Hannah Westen, Campaigns Officer

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Q. Why are you expanding the projects?

When we visited countries where working horses, donkeys or mules played a vital economic role, it was obvious that the main issues affecting their welfare resulted from wounds caused by bad saddles or harnessing, or lameness caused by inadequate foot care. The logical solution to improve their lives in the long-term was to train local people in saddle and harness making and in farriery. The generosity of our supporters made it possible to

design and deliver groundbreaking courses run by a mix of UK based farriers and saddlers and local trainers, creating a pool of good quality service providers who can help working horses in their communities. The students we trained show greatly improved knowledge and skill in their particular craft, and there is clear evidence that their attitude and behaviour towards horses has improved. In many individual cases, the relief brought by better footcare and saddlery to working horses, who were suffering terribly, has transformed their lives.We wanted to build on this success by evolving what we

did in these countries to impact on more horse owners, and, importantly, more horses. We noticed that in some cases the students were not getting enough opportunities to apply their improved knowledge and skills. Horse owners either did not know about the advantages of the improved services, could not be convinced to use them, or could not afford them – meaning our students were not always being made use of to help the horses that were no doubt in need of their attention.

To address this we’re now moving our projects beyond training saddlers and farriers to include working closely with these horse owners and users. We tested this in a pilot project, set-up in Nicaragua, where we're using a community based approach to inform the horse owners on horse handling, and the importance of good farriery and saddlery, to a horse’s wellbeing. This community work is run alongside the training of service providers, which now includes not only farriers, saddlers and harness makers, but also shoe makers, cart makers, feed suppliers and veterinarians.

Q. What results have you seen?

The Nicaragua project has been running for just over a year now, and we're confident that that the idea of working through both the owners and the service providers is having a real impact.

Owners have shown an enthusiasm for caring for their horses in a better manner and, vitally, have been buying the improved products and making use of the services that the providers we're training can now offer.

Q. how are you rolling out this approach

across the other projects?

We have carried out a review of all of our projects and are looking to phase in the new community approach as and when our commitments allow. During the assessment process we've been particularly seeking to identify horse owner and user behaviour that causes welfare issues in particular communities, and tailor specific ways to bring about changes. This often involves finding local organisations to partner with, which have good access to the communities that we are targeting. These include community groups, local development organisations, international organisations, other animal welfare organisations, sports federations, and local and national governments.

With around 100 million working equines in the world, we know it's important to work with others if we are to bring about significant change. For example, in Cambodia, we are now working with a local organisation called the Cambodia Pony Welfare Organisation (CPWO) to improve the way that owners manage their working ponies. This

is linked to work by our charity, in partnership with FEI Solidarity, to improve the skills of those who look after horses used in sport in the country. Our Cambodia project has a number of facets, including

working to build the capability and reach of the CPWO as an institution, as this will of course help the continued welfare improvements for working ponies in the region. This part of the project is being jointly funded by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

Q. What do you think the future holds

for World horse Welfare’s international

programme?

There are many millions of working horses powering economies across the world, and we have to be realistic about what can be done to improve their situation within the limitations of the role they play as hard-working animals in often impoverished, difficult environments. The vast majority of owners and users who we will be working with are at the lower end of the socio-economic ladder, and are often marginalised; there is little scope for them to change their behaviour without having significant support.

This means our charity must continually strive to provide this support, expanding the reach and effectiveness of our international work, in our efforts to work for a world where every horse is treated with respect, compassion, and understanding. We want, with your help, to increase the number of horses we affect, both by widening the reach of our present projects and by starting new projects in more countries. Currently we are running projects in Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, Lesotho, Mexico, Nicaragua, Senegal and South Africa, and we are

assessing potential projects in Haiti and Costa Rica. In the past we concentrated on the number of people

that were trained by our projects, and the number of training days completed. We think it’s an important step in our approach overseas that the emphasis will now be placed on documenting the number of horses that are reached by our interventions, and how much we have helped them. I would like to say thank you to our supporters for making this work possible, and I look forward to sharing more from our International programme with you in the future.

Horse owners either did not know about the advantages of the improved services, could not be convinced to use them, or could not afford them.

With around 100 million working equines in the world, we know it's important to work with others if we are to bring about significant change.

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting the 7th International Colloquium on Working Equids at the Royal Holloway, University of London on 1-3 July 2014.Since 1991, the International Colloquium on Working

Equids has been an important forum for discussing key health, welfare and productivity issues in relation to working horses, donkeys and mules.The colloquium is held every four years and hosted

by leading animal welfare organisations, including the Donkey Sanctuary, SPANA, WSPA and the Brooke, who hosted the last colloquium in 2010.Next year we will take the lead and will address the

question: “How do we demonstrate the importance of working equid welfare to human livelihoods?”Our Head of Programme Development, Karen

O’Malley, says: “This colloquium will provide an excellent opportunity to learn from one another and share best practice to benefit working equids worldwide.” Find out more at

www.worldhorsewelfare.org/colloquium

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The 7th International Colloquium

Since our foundation in 1927, World Horse Welfare has helped many thousands of working horses in over 30 countries. We continue to build on these efforts, and today our international projects are run in eight countries across three continents - with some amazing results. Since early last year we’ve been expanding these projects to make sure we improve the welfare of as many horses as possible. We asked our Director of International, Liam Maguire, to tell us about what’s been happening:

New approaches for working horses

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Anne Bartholomew bought her horse Pepito when she was living in France, and, despite the difficulties they experienced early on in their relationship, they eventually became the best of friends. When Pepito sadly died last year after twenty five years in Anne’s care, she chose to remember him by sponsoring a Tree in Tribute at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, Norfolk. She says: “Pepito was my first horse. I bought him

when I lived in France and he caused so much trouble at the various yards I kept him at. When I first had him he had me off once a week, but I persevered, and with regular schooling he became much better. He was an Anglo-Arab and he taught me so much.“Then we both moved to Suffolk and he was

much happier being turned out in a field rather than kept stabled. He loved ponies and towards the end of his life fell in love with another gelding!“Then he began to lose a lot of weight and my vet put

him on medication and we thought he was beginning to respond to this treatment. But sadly he lost the use of his hind legs: he was 31 years old. “Pepito loved standing under trees and I wanted to

create a tribute to him which would also help other horses less fortunate than he was."Anne began supporting our work in 1994 and has left her

current horse, Ivor, to us in her Will to safeguard his future care should he outlive her.

Sponsoring a Tree in Tribute at one of our Rescue and Rehoming Centres is a wonderful way to celebrate an important event in your life, or to remember the life of a loved one. We will also be giving our supporters the opportunity to create an online space where their family and friends can share photos and memories that celebrate the life of a loved one, when we launch our online Tribute Funds later this year. The income we raise from these funds will help to

support our work with horses in the UK and around the world. Find out more about sponsoring a Tribute Gift, or leaving your horse to us in your Will, by visiting www.worldhorsewelfare.org/lastinggifts

Thank you from Senegal

In January this year I wrote to supporters to update

them on our project in Senegal and to ask for funds. The appeal had a fantastic response, raising an amazing £95,000. Working horses

in Senegal lead demanding, exhausting

lives, made worse by the wounds and injuries

they suffer through inadequate shoeing, harnesses and nutrition. Six one-hour workshops run by World Horse Welfare can equip one working horse owner with all of the fundamental skills needed to properly care for a horse: horse handling, grooming and daily checks, equine first aid, equine nutrition, harness care and fitting, and footcare and shoeing principles. It costs £24 to provide a complete training course for an owner, so the funds raised will go a long way towards these efforts. Thanks to the generosity of supporters the Senegal

project, now entering its fourth year, continues to go from strength to strength. We have established Community Based Equine Advisors in five separate

communities where we work. They are a local go-to person who receives extra training, and acts as a first point of contact for all the horse owners in their community. Looking into the future we hope to expand the project to reach new communities further south in the country, and we look forward to updating you soon. It was particularly inspiring for the team to read all the

messages of support that kind supporters sent in with their donations. I see the successes of our International programme for myself on a regular basis, so want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported the appeal, and all those who continue to make the work we do with horses possible.

Last autumn veterinary student Katy Butler travelled to our project in Nicaragua to investigate an illness affecting the working horses in the community where we work. Her trip was funded by our Bursary Scheme, which aims to promote a greater understanding of equine welfare issues amongst the vets and farriers of tomorrow. Read her account below, and find out more about the scheme at www.worldhorsewelfare.org/bursaries

The two weeks I spent in Nicaragua enriched my veterinary education and inspired me in my career as a practising vet to continue to help animals less fortunate than ours here in the UK.The purpose of my trip was to investigate reports of

severe hoof separation and mouth lesions in the working horses there. Affected horses were suffering considerable lameness, but were often still in full work - a major welfare concern. With no information available on the problem, there were few recommendations that World Horse Welfare could make to prevent it from occurring. Local myth claimed that the lesions were caused by

a local species of spider biting or urinating on the area, and owners used an application of hot gasoline as a remedy. It was evident that spiders were unlikely to be the cause of the problem and possibly it could be the result of either an infectious disease called

Vesicular Stomatitis or a toxic plant that is a member of the mimosa family. Working alongside the charity’s veterinary clinics, the veterinary team and I gathered as much information about the problem as we could and tried to dispel the ‘spider bite myth’. In total, 280 horse owners were interviewed, with results

suggesting that the cause was more likely to be an infectious disease. Although no concrete conclusions were made from this

research, it set the ball rolling for further investigation and provided a good basis for more research to be conducted. It has also sparked the question among the local people that the problem could be caused by something other than the spider, which hopefully will make them reconsider some of their treatment techniques and encourage them to seek advice from the charity.

researching 'spider bite' in nicaragua

A good friend remembered: Pepito de Cruye, 1981 – 2012 Stuart Russell, Programme Officer

Scottish Challenge Rides – If you want all the thrills and challenge of an overseas trip without the need for the long-haul travel, how about the majesty of the remote Scottish Highlands? We have limited places left to join us this year on the Great Glen Way, 8-13 September, or for the more challenging Across to Ross Ride, 15-22 September. These fundraising rides offer riding through amazing scenery. Call 01953 497210 or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/riding-events

Belwade Farm Aboyne, Aberdeenshire. Open all year Wednesday to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.

Penny Farm Blackpool, Lancashire. Open every Wednesday, weekend and Bank Holiday from 11am to 4pm.

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Horses preparing to meet the visitors at Belwade’s Family Fun Day on 26th May.

Hall Farm Snetterton, Norfolk. Open all year on Wednesdays, weekends and Bank Holidays, from 10am to 4pm.

Unaffiliated dressage competitions, first Saturday of each month. A great way for young and/or inexperienced horses or riders to get some competition experience without any pressure.

Here to Help mornings, every Sunday. The chance to find out more about rehoming and get answers to any questions you may have!

Clear round showjumping events, second Saturday of each month. Do come along if you and your horse would like to have some fun and practise in a relaxed environment.

Glenda Spooner Farm Somerton, Somerset. Open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2pm until 4pm.

Horse Power – Sunday 1st September. Join us for an action-packed day of spectacular demonstrations and interactive fun for all the family. Find out more and buy tickets at www.worldhorsewelfare.org/events

New activity trails launched. Come and explore the farm, choosing from two fun routes – Dale’s Dawdle and the full Dale's Trail.

Royal Parks Half Marathon - Sunday 6th October. We are lucky to have some places in this wonderful event, which is one of the most scenic city runs in the world. The beautiful 13.1 mile autumnal route travels through four of London’s magnificent Royal Parks, and past some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. If you would like to join our team for this event please call 01953 497210 or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Running-Events

Woodland Pleasure Ride – Sunday 25th August 2013Following the success of our two rides in 2012, we are thrilled to announce our next Pleasure Ride taking place in beautiful private forest land at Cranwich near Thetford in Norfolk, by kind permission of the Forestry Commission. Our now annual event offers a fantastic off-road ride through private land, with a goody bag and rosette for all participants. There are fully marshalled routes of 5 and 12 miles and a photographer will be with us on the day. Call 01953 497210 or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/riding-events to find out more.

FUNDRAISE FARTHER AFIELD - 2014 Challenge Rides announced! Colorado Cowboy Challenge - 20th-27th September 2014. Calling all cowboys and cowgirls! Our overseas fundraising Challenge Ride is heading off to Colorado for a week's true ranching experience - hope you can join us.

Battlefield Centenary Ride - Autumn 2014 (dates to be confirmed). Follow in the hoofprints of the brave horses and men of the First World War. This ride through Northern France and Belgium will be steeped in history, and coincides with the Centenary of the start of WW1. To register your interest for either of these rides please call 01953 497210 or go to www.worldhorsewelfare.org/riding-events

The June Members' day at Glenda Spooner Farm.

Family Fun Days, every Wednesday in August. With a wide variety of games and competitions on offer, as well as the chance to meet our friendly horses, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy!

Annual Open Day, Saturday 7th September. Join us for an action-packed open day, with displays, fun activities, fairground rides, entertainers, archery, classic cars, and donkey rides. World Horse Welfare Penny will also be ceremonially returned to us on her retirement from service in the King's Troop.

Horseman's Sunday, Sunday 29th September. The annual Blessing of the Horse Service will take place at 12 noon, with turnout classes preceding the service. Schoolchildren meeting some

residents at Hall Farm in June.

Hall Farm

Penny Farm

Glenda Spooner Farm

Belwade Farm

New café receiving rave reviews - Pop in and find out why for yourself!

Tiggy with foal Ralph at Penny Farm.

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Nuph Clarke, Dede Wilson, Jan Jacquelin and Dawn Asaddar, who did a sterling job volunteering at The Sydney Arms event, pose for a photo with our Director of Fundraising John Blake. The event raised over £1000.

Julie Evans raised £543 for us by running in the Brighton Marathon. Fantastic!

Supporters in ACTION

Our supporters not only provide the kind donations that allow us to continue our work, they also inspire us! Here are just a few photos - sorry we're not able to feature you all. We love to hear about your fundraising efforts, innovative ways you are spreading the word about our campaigns, or how you are getting on with your rehomed World Horse Welfare horse or pony! Send your fundraising news to jenniefewell@worldhorsewelfare.org and your horse updates to rehoming@worldhorsewelfare.org

Please remember to send your photo in as large a format as possible, as many files are simpy too small to feature here - thank you!

The Ayr County Show event also included a musical ride, choreographed by Ian Stark and introduced by Claire Balding. Taking part were World Horse Welfare Finn with rehomer Stephanie Sturrock; World Horse Welfare Little Rock with rehomer Jade Sturrock, World Horse Welfare Twiggy with rehomer Olivia Burns; Lesley Burns with Stoak Muskateer; Glen, ridden by Wendy Bell, and Dorland ridden by Shelley Johnstone.

World Horse Welfare Piper and World Horse Welfare Shuna took part in the Ayr County Show parade with their rehomer Emma.

World Horse Welfare Whizz (left) with rehomer Barbara, and World Horse Welfare Baron, ridden by Lorraine. They were taking part in a special parade of rehomed horses at Ayr County Show, to promote our work. This was just one of the successful events organised by our new and active volunteer committees in Scotland.

Kate sent us this lovely picture of World Horse Welfare Florence, who she rehomed recently from Hall Farm.

Models pose at a fundraising fashion show at The Sydney Arms pub, Chelsea, in May. Outfits were courtesy of occasion boutique La Belle Femme, milliner Lizzie Hughes provided striking head pieces, and footwear designer Kaylie Simmone showcased a selection of bespoke heels.

Sarah Thompson raised £1,461 for us by running in the London Marathon. Well done Sarah!

Caroline Cox sent us this photo of World Horse Welfare Minx, who she rehomed from Glenda Spooner Farm in 2011 for her daughter Trinity.

Our Vice President Sir Peter O'Sullevan presents a cheque for £270,000 to the six charities that benefit from the Sir Peter O'Sullevan trust. We received a £47,000 share, a donation that will go a significant way towards our work with horses in need.

Kacy Coutts, aged seven, helps out at Belwade Farm's Family Fun Day on 26th May. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended and to all of our volunteers.

Every

ticket you buy supports

our work and gives you another chance to win!

New online HAPPY HORSES Raffle!

www.worldhorsewelfareraffle.org

Our new online raffle is a fun way to help horses, ponies, donkeys and mules around the world – and you could win our first prize of £8,000 cash or a new Kia Picanto! Every £1 ticket you buy supports our vital work and gives you another chance to win a fabulous prize – including a trip to Paris, a Samsung Galaxy Tablet or big cash prizes. So the more tickets you buy, the better chance you have of becoming a winner!

The benefits of being a member...

World Horse Welfare is an Appointed Representative of South Essex Insurance Brokers Ltd. who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Underwritten by International Insurance Company of Hannover Ltd and Millstream Underwriting Ltd. Terms, Conditions and Territorial Limits apply. Please see www.worldhorsewelfare.org for details.

We offer three types of membership. Take a look and choose which one is right for you!

Membership of World Horse Welfare makes a great gift for anyone who loves horses.

ChampionMembershipIf you do not require insurance cover right now, you can still enjoy all the other benefits of membership.

• Invitation to Members’ days at our farms and other special events• World Horse Welfare newsletter three times a year• Personalised address labels• Exclusive Members’ lapel badge• Free expert advice

*Recreational horse riding excluding business activities – see Terms and Conditions on our website.

Junior ChampionPlus• All the benefits of a Champion Plus Membership for anyone under 21 years... was £52 now only £40 per year!

ChampionPlus• Public Liability Insurance to the value of £10 million* for any horse you own or look after and ride, regardless of age • Personal Accident Insurance up to £15,000*

• Discounts on market leading SEIB insurance policies for horseboxes and trailers – see our website for more information• FREE expert equestrian advice and helpline• A personalised welcome pack with lapel badge and car sticker• World Horse Welfare colour newsletters packed with interesting equine articles three times a year• Fantastic behind the scenes Members’ days at one of our four Rescue and Rehoming Centres

for just £52

a year

for just £40

a year

Family members can

enjoy the benefits of ChampionPlus membership at

reduced rates - call 01953 497270

for details

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