News Meet some horses you are helping

Transcription

1 World Horse Welfare News Meet some horses you are helping Summer 2012 Olympics 2012: Focusing on our equine athletes Your campaigning making a difference

2 In this issue Special 85th Anniversary Raffle! 2 CONTENTS WELCOME 2-3 Welcome and News in Pictures NEWS 4-7 Headlines from the UK and overseas OLYMPIC LEGACY 8-9 How we are focusing on our equine athletes for London 2012 HORSES WE ARE HELPING Just some of the horses we have helped in recent months with your support IN THE FIELD An Islay rescue and more from the frontline of our UK work CAMPAIGNING Our latest Field Investigation and an exciting campaign update OUR FINANCES A breakdown of our finances and a word from our new Chairman REHOMING & FARMS Rehome a Horse Month update and all the latest from our four farms FUNDRAISING Members' Days, supporter fundraising and more Cover: World Horse Welfare Peppa at Hall Farm with her new foal World Horse Welfare Olympic Flame, who was named by our followers on Social Media this summer. We hope you will enter our 85th Anniversary Raffle for a chance to win our first prize of 7,500, second prize of 1,500 or third prize of 1,000! The draw date is the 21st December this year, so you could win one of these great cash prizes in time for Christmas. Every ticket sold means we can help more horses and ponies here in the UK and around the world. Entering the raffle really is a great way of helping horses and you get a chance to win a great cash prize too. If your tickets are not enclosed or you would like to order more please call: Welcome from the chief executive We know you'll agree that horses play an invaluable role in society today, bringing countless economic, cultural and social benefits to people everywhere. We are working for a world where each horse is treated with respect, compassion and understanding, and we hope 2012 is shining a deserved spotlight on their importance worldwide. This has already been a exciting year: in sport, the London 2012 Olympic Games will mark 100 years of equestrianism in the Olympic competition, and you can read about how we have worked with the FEI to ensure the highest welfare standards are met for the horses taking part. We are continuing to celebrate our own 85th anniversary. We launched our celebrations earlier this year with a special reception at Buckingham Palace, but, while we look back on what we have achieved with our supporters since 1927, we sadly continue to face more and more challenges. Read case studies on pages of just some of the horses we have been working with recently thanks to your support. We hope their stories will encourage you to continue being there for the growing number of horses in need. As well as our UK work, we continue to impact on horses worldwide through our international programmes, which have just expanded into Cambodia thanks to a grant from the FEI. We also continue to see improvements for the horses transported long-distance across Europe to slaughter. Numbers have reduced to 65,000 annually thanks to your campaigning. This is still 65,000 too many, and you can read more about this reduction, including a report from our latest field investigation, on pages Thank you as always for all you do to help horses. Roly Owers Chief executive Contact us Anne Colvin House Snetterton Norfolk NR16 2LR UK info@worldhorsewelfare.org website: org Phone: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) UK Welfare: +44 (0) Merchandise: +44 (0) Membership: +44 (0) st prize 7,500 2nd prize 1,500 3rd prize 1,000 President HRH The Princess Royal Vice Presidents The Hon Gerald Maitland-Carew Christopher Hall OBE Sir Peter O Sullevan Chairman Barry Johnson MRCVS Chief Executive Roly Owers MRCVS Registered charity no: and SC News in pictures Our Trustee Jane Holderness-Roddam, the first woman to represent Britain in eventing at the Olympics Games, carrying the Olympic torch in Gloucestershire in May. 2. Blackpool football legend Jimmy Armfield presenting a signed Wayne Rooney shirt to us at our Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in June. The shirt will go on display in the Visitor Centre until a raffle later in the year. 3. Custard, a Shetland pony at Hall Farm, has kindly been donated a special protective mask by the American company Guardian Mask. She suffers from a reaction to UV light. 4. Our Vice President and former Chairman Christopher Hall receives his OBE, recognising his work to help horses. 5. Our 15th annual farriery competition and clinic was held in June at Belwade Farm. The three-day event included clinics by the horseshoe, nail and tool producers Mustad, and by six-time World Champion in Farriery, Grant Moon AWCF. Competitors came from across the UK to take part. 6. We were the beneficiary of a book signing by leading Flat jockey Richard Hughes, for his new autobiography. The event was arranged through the generosity of the owners of The Sydney Arms, Chelsea, in May and included an auction with all proceeds going to World Horse Welfare WELCOME

3 The very latest news We want to keep you up to date with all the latest news from the work that your support makes possible. We hope you enjoy this edition of World Horse Welfare News. You can also receive up-to the-minute information and share your views by following us on Facebook and Twitter. If you would like to sign up to receive our monthly E-Newsletter please go to or scan this symbol with your smartphone. Royal visit to our programme in Soweto In April our President HRH The Princess Royal made her first visit to one of our international programmes. She spent time at the Soweto Equestrian Centre, where we provide local people with saddlery and farriery skills to improve the lives of their horses and in turn their own livelihoods. The Princess Royal met World Horse Welfare staff and the farriery and saddlery students who we are currently training at the centre. The Soweto Equestrian Centre was founded in 2007, in partnership with Johannesburg City Council and World Horse Welfare, by Enos Mafokate, South Africa s first black show jumper. They became our affiliates in 2009, and in addition to hosting our farriery and harness-making training, the centre offers its excellent facilities to more than 50 able-bodied and disabled children who can take part in a variety of equestrian sports. Enos, who spoke at our annual conference last year, encourages children with the desire to reach the top level of equestrian sport to compete at national and international levels. Head of Programme Development Karen O Malley says: With much preparation made for The Princess Royal's visit, it was excellent to be part of the occasion in Soweto. For the students to be able to showcase their knowledge We begin working in Cambodia and skills, it really was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am very proud of them all. "The visit was a great success with The Princess Royal complementing Enos on his achievements. The vaulting, riding and show jumping demonstrations highlighted the abilities of the children and Enos' commitment to encourage young people of all ages to participate in equestrian activities. Jubilee pageant World Horse Welfare was deeply honoured to be chosen as one of the charities for the Queen s Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor, which saw over 550 horses and more than 1000 dancers, musicians, and performers from around the world coming together each night in a performance to pay tribute to 60 years of Her Majesty s reign. We were the only horse charity nominated for this prestigious event, which was held in the private grounds of Windsor Castle from Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th May. Our 'night' was the opening night on Thursday, and it was a fantastic evening despite the rain. We are so grateful to our volunteers who were out in force bucket shaking for us! The Pageant s displays of horses from across the globe echoed our work helping the full breadth of the horse world across four continents, and was an excellent opportunity for us to highlight the challenges horses face and their universal importance to society worldwide. We have been proud of our links with the Royal family throughout our history. In addition to enjoying HRH The Princess Royal as our President, our rehabilitated horses 85th Anniversary celebrated at Buckingham Palace have found new homes at Balmoral. Horses have come to us upon referral from the Queen Mother and several of our staff and trustees past and present have served with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. One of our rehabilitated horses, Digger, is currently being trained as a drum horse with the Cavalry and another, Penny, is with the King's Troop. We celebrated the launch of our 85th anniversary in style with an evening reception at Buckingham Palace. The event was held on 8th March and saw the attendance and support of many well-known faces including World Horse Welfare President HRH The Princess Royal, Olympic medallist and World Horse Welfare Trustee Pippa Funnell (right), eventing star Alex Hua Tian (left), BBC Formula 1 Reporter Lee McKenzie, and retired horse racing commentator and Vice President of World Horse Welfare Sir Peter O Sullevan (lower image, second from left). The occasion was to recognise the impact of our work improving the lives of horses in the UK and overseas for the past 85 years and to seek further funding to help more horses in need. NEWS In May this year we launched our first programme in Asia working with the Cambodia Pony Welfare Organisation to help train farriers and saddlers in the country, after being awarded a grant from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The grant is part of the FEI s Solidarity development programme which was launched in 2010 to engage and support National Federations by creating, supporting and expanding projects and programmes from 'grass roots' to elite level. It is the first time that we have worked in partnership with another welfare organisation in this way, and the first time we have worked in this part of South East Asia. The initial module has now been completed, during which World Horse Welfare representatives Tom Burch and Stuart Russell shared their knowledge and skills with local farriers and saddlers. The training is taking place in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, where students will be taught the sort of advanced farriery techniques that will allow them to both work with horses used in international sport and go on to train farriers in the local community. We look forward to sharing more news from this exciting new venture in the future! We train horseback Specials In February we trained three Specials and a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) from the Norfolk Constabulary, so that they could begin patrols on horseback. The aim of the new mounted officers is to help tackle rural crime in the county. The officers were assessed at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, Snetterton, Norfolk, in February. Field Officer Jacko Jackson and Hall Farm Assistant Centre Manager Justina Smith assessed the competency and suitability of the officers, and also assessed the horses. The training was a success and the officers have been patrolling since April. If successful, it is hoped that the initiative will be extended to other areas of the county. Jacko Jackson said: We were really pleased with how the assessments went and the final outcome. They all achieved the required level of competence and we hope that the officers will now go on to be a real asset to the Constabulary. Reintroducing officers on horseback is a positive move as it allows them to be seen in areas of the countryside where they traditionally may not have been seen. The horses can also be a magnet for people wanting to come and speak with you which could potentially lead to the disclosure of important information about crime in the area. The Norfolk initiative follows the success of Specials on horseback in Hertfordshire, which began in October Our Field Officer Nick White, who is a former mounted police officer and instructor from the Metropolitan Police, carried out the competency assessments of the Hertfordshire rural Specials more than two years ago. NEWS 4 5

4 Summer appeal to meet rising need Trust donations near half a million mark We were one of six beneficiary charities at a cheque presentation at Ascot in May. The Peter O'Sullevan trust donated to World Horse Welfare, and since the Trust's foundation 16 years ago we have been given a staggering half a million pounds in total. Sir Peter has been a loyal supporter of our charity since the 1940s and has been a Vice-President for the past decade. In the UK alone in the last five years we've seen a massive increase of nearly 50% in the number of horses urgently needing our help. This is placing a massive strain on our resources, so we have launched an emergency appeal, asking our supporters to "Say Yes" to helping us meet this rising need by making a donation today: Planning permission will help horses After considerable effort we finally secured planning permission to develop our Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset. The plans include an indoor school and Visitor Centre, but our first priority will be putting in a much needed isolation unit, so we can keep new arrivals seperate until they have been screened for disease. We have to fulfil a number of planning conditions first, but it is very much hoped that we can start building the unit towards the end of this year. Read more news from our farms on pages Contraception project to help horses on Dartmoor World Horse Welfare has teamed up with The Friends of The Dartmoor Hill Pony organisation and local vets to carry out a ground breaking new experimental project that could help to tackle the problem of overbreeding amongst ponies on Dartmoor. Our Veterinary Consultant Keith Meldrum has been working closely with The Friends of The Dartmoor Hill Pony and leading pharmaceutical company Pfizer on plans to provide a group of 20 mares with a contraceptive injection. The project has commenced with rounds of injections being administered in May this year and again in June. The semi-feral ponies were rounded up into a holding area for the injections, where they could also be micro-chipped and marked so that they are identifiable at a distance. The mares will be carefully monitored to see how they react to the drug both in terms of pregnancy and possible changes in herd behaviour. Keith Meldrum says: A project of this kind has never been carried out before in the UK and I am delighted to be a part of it. We are hoping that, if successful, this could become a long-term solution to the issue of overbreeding within semi-feral horse and pony populations. We feel that this method of control is advantageous as the mares can come back into foal after the treatment; there is simply a reduction in foal production for the duration of the project. Vice Chair of The Friends of The Dartmoor Hill Pony, Charlotte Faulkner said: The adult pony numbers on the moor need to be maintained at the present number for the benefit of Dartmoor, but the foal crop needs to be reduced as there is no market for the foals at present. Controlling the production of unwanted foals will ensure their welfare. We are optimistic that this project will help us to ensure the future of ponies on Dartmoor. They will be able to graze to keep the moor as we know and love it for generations to come, conserving the habitat for its wonderful birds, plants and animals. NEWS Lasting gifts we can depend upon We hope you will consider letting your love of horses live on through a gift left in your Will to World Horse Welfare. Legacies make up over fifty percent of our income, allowing us to help twice as many horses. You can find out more about leaving us a gift, or fill out the pledge form to tell us your intentions if you have already included us in your Will, in the leaflet enclosed with this newsletter. Do not hesitate to call us on or visit if you have any questions. Did you know that you can also register to leave your horses to us in your Will, together with a financial pledge, to ensure they have a certain future? Your horses will remain safe, in our ownership, for the rest of their lives, and we will do our very best to find them loving new homes with people, who like you, love horses and will be delighted to welcome them into their family. We advise anyone considering making a Will to speak to a Solicitor or other suitably qualified professional. Are show horses fatter than eventers? In recent years it has become a commonly held belief that show horses and ponies are fatter than horses in other spheres, but is this really the case? It is notoriously difficult to assess a horse s body condition by sight alone so scientific research was needed to establish the reality of the situation. Last year we sponsored Nadia Alnaimi from the University of Cambridge to look into this issue through our Veterinary Undergraduate Bursary scheme. Nadia attended a number of competitions where she body condition scored horses involved in eventing, dressage and showing in order to find out what condition they were in, and also the owners perception of their condition. Interestingly, the findings of this study showed that a significantly larger proportion of show horses were overweight (56%) compared to dressage (23%) and eventers (9%). You can find more detail about this study on our website. Prison and ban for owner We found this Thoroughbred gelding after receiving a call from a concerned member of the public on our Welfare Line. Field Officer Gus Dowson was dispatched immediately to the scene where he found Rupert, one of the thinnest horses we have ever seen in the UK. Unfortunately, despite everyone s best efforts, he had to be put to sleep. In April his owner was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison and banned from keeping horses for life. Tom Parker, 72, of The Green, Wolviston, Billingham pleaded guilty at a previous hearing at Hartlepool Magistrates to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering to 30-year-old Rupert by not having him examined by a veterinary surgeon. Field Officer Gus Dowson says: Rupert was the thinnest horse I have ever seen and is one of the thinnest our charity has ever dealt with. The horse, despite having access to food and water, had severe dental neglect and wasn t able to cope with what he was being offered. Rupert also had several pressure sores and lesions on his exposed joints and protruding bones which must have caused a great deal of discomfort for him. I am satisfied with the sentencing as it reflects the severity of the case. Mr Parker had owned Rupert since a yearling and it was clear that the neglect he endured in his later years had happened over a long period of time. NEWS 6 7

5 There are a number of FEI protocols that will be followed during London 2012, including: Focusing on our Olympic equine athletes As we count down to the London 2012 Olympic Games, marking 100 years of equestrian sport in the Olympic movement, World Horse Welfare and equestrian sports governing body Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) have long been working closely together to ensure the highest welfare standards are met for the equine athletes competing in Greenwich Park. For almost 30 years World Horse Welfare has been an advisor to the FEI, helping it meet high and everincreasing standards of horse welfare in international horse sport. While the FEI drives its own welfare agenda and makes its own welfare decisions, we play an active advisory role providing external advice, taking part in internal debates on welfare matters and working closely with the FEI Veterinary Committee. We even helped to draft the FEI's Code of Conduct which puts the welfare of the horse above all other considerations, commercial or competitive. As part of our advisory role, World Horse Welfare has been consulted by the FEI and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) on the equine welfare protocols for London The FEI requires all those involved in the sport to follow its Code of Conduct and to acknowledge and accept that at all times the horse s welfare must remain paramount over all other considerations. At the time of competition, the horses must be fit to compete and free of substances that are prohibited under the rules. All those participating must also be aware of the FEI Clean Sport campaign and abide by the FEI Veterinary and Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication regulations. Official veterinarians will test horses obligatorily, randomly, or when rule violations are suspected. Veterinary protocols have been carefully drawn-up to make sure horses are given the correct care and attention as soon as they arrive. During the Games competitors may have their own vets, but there will also be team vets and official vets in attendance. While personal vets and team vets will look after the health of the horses in their care, the FEI veterinary official s job will be to apply and enforce the rules to maintain a level playing field. When horses arrive at the venue they will be given a veterinary exam, in which their identity is checked against the passport, vaccination status is verified and a general health check carried out, including looking for signs of infectious diseases. Vets then check the horse s fitness to compete at the first horse inspection, with a trot-up run by a committee consisting of at least an FEI Veterinary Delegate and the Ground Jury. All horses undergo a further identity check before the horse inspection, and any horse not considered sound is referred to the holding box for further evaluation and a second FEI veterinarian s opinion. An expert vet team will be on site to tend immediately to any injured horse. A state-of-the-art horse ambulance will be on hand to take any injured horses to a veterinary hospital if necessary. We are pleased with the FEI s and LOCOG s preparations ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics and believe both organisations take the welfare of horses competing in the Games very seriously, says Roly. We are confident that the Games have been prepared with the horses safety, welfare and comfort as the top priority, and it will be fantastic to see these top equine and human athletes compete on an international stage in the centre of London. 30 Years of Sport Welfare SPORT Taking welfare seriously "The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provides a terrific opportunity to highlight the enormous effort that goes into protecting the welfare of our equine athletes, says Roly Owers. When horses compete in sport, a heavy burden of responsibility for their welfare rests on the shoulders of those who own, train, ride and care for them. It is vital for the reputation and future of equine sports that horses are well-looked after and protected from unnecessary risks, and we want people to know how much is being done in that regard. Some may say that FEI competition horses are already well looked after and do not need protection, but it s important to remember that welfare standards are high at the FEI in part because they have long involved independent welfare groups like World Horse Welfare. The FEI has a number of provisions in place for London 2012: a world class team of experts to safeguard horse health, systems to protect the safety of horses while they compete and excellent care that will be provided throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, just as it is at FEI events around the world. FEI Veterinary Director Graeme Cooke says The FEI has a longstanding approach to providing veterinary support at competitions at all levels and on every scale. As always there is a considerable amount of planning needed to provide the required support. The FEI is pleased with the preparations underway to meet the needs of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where the organisers are lucky to have some of the very best veterinary experts available. World Horse Welfare has been a welfare advisor to the FEI for over 30 years, during which time several improvements to horse welfare in sport have been made: We helped to fund the Transport Stress project, which enabled the FEI to modify its international programme to minimise the distances travelled by horses between events We were invited to join the FEI Ethics Committee and to assist in drawing up a Code of Conduct We played an instrumental role in the Animal Health Trust research project on how to cope with the heat and humidity challenges of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We also supported the update of this research in advance of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. All of this has helped bring about cooling techniques that are now used across international horse sport including the 2012 Grand National We helped to update the FEI s Code of Conduct, putting the welfare of the horse above all other considerations and ensuring that those involved in equestrian sport acknowledge that horse welfare remains paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences We were involved in a wide-reaching review that re-defined hyperflexion/rollkur as flexion of the horse s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is unacceptable, resulting in new guidelines for stewards to protect horse welfare. Today - We are currently supporting the FEI on a footing study, which is looking into training and competition surfaces in equestrian sport and the relationships between surfaces, orthopaedic injuries and competition intensity. SPORT 8 9

6 Horses we are helping Here are just some of the horses we have been able to help in recent months with your continuing support. We hope you enjoy their stories, and we are certain that all of them would say a big 'thank you' to all of our supporters. For the last 85 years, people like you have made it possible for us to give new hope and a better life to thousands of horses. But in the last five years we've seen a massive increase of nearly 50% in the number of horses urgently needing our help in the UK alone - not to mention the many countries where we work overseas. This is placing a huge strain on our resources in a difficult financial climate, and we hope that these stories will remind you how vitally important it is that we are able to raise enough funds to continue our work... Basil - Norfolk Basil was found abandoned in a remote frozen field during Christmas 2010, covered in snow and ice, without any food or grazing available to him. The temperature was -4 degrees, with freezing fog, and he was shivering so badly it was almost impossible to check his breathing rate. Half his normal bodyweight, infested with lice and frozen to his very core, he was truly close to death. Thanks to one of our vigilant Field Officers, Basil was discovered and brought immediately into the care of World Horse Welfare. Thanks to dedicated care from staff at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre he made a full recovery, turning into quite a character, and was even the 'face' of our 2011 Christmas appeal. This summer we are delighted to say he has found a new home where he can continue his education until he is ready to be broken in as a ridden pony. CASE STUDY Cappuccino - Somerset Cappuccino came in to Glenda Spooner Farm in September 2010 with two other ponies. They were all in appalling condition - emaciated, unhandled and frightened. Cappucchino has taken a long time to trust people and required very intensive rehabilitation to improve his strength and coordination before he could begin training as a ridden pony. He underwent a specialised work program, including physiotherapy as well as specific strengthening exercises carried out by his groom, and has progressed steadily over time. He has recently been backed and brought on slowly, and is now looking for a new home through our Rehoming Scheme with someone who is a competent and confident rider. Cappuccino is looking for someone who has a thorough knowledge of bringing on youngsters and can continue his education with lots of hacking, some schooling and the odd fun show! CASE STUDY 10 11

7 Chinela and Chinga - Nicaragua Chinela and Chinga are just two horses we have helped overseas recently, and both are in Nicaragua. We launched a new community-centred training programme in the country earlier this year to help working horses. Focusing in the south-eastern boundary of Managua, the bespoke programme is helping members of the local community by providing them with basic horse care and management skills to look after their own working horses better, as well as advancing the skills of local horseshoe makers, farriers and harness makers. Chinga Chinga was one of the first horses to benefit from a horse care pack. Chinga's owner Leonel was among the first to receive a Care Pack through our Care to Share appeal, which we launched last issue. So far nearly 400 Care Packs have been purchased by our supporters for working horses in Nicaragua. Thanks to generous support from Shires Equestrian the packs contain brushes, hoofpicks, sponges and fly fringes - simple items that will make a huge difference to the daily lives of working horses like Chinga. As part of our educational programme with the local community our training team are teaching owners like Leonel how to use the items in the care pack to get closer to their horses, giving them daily care that will prevent many of the major problems we see before they arise. You can buy a care pack for a Nicaraguan horse for just 4.99 on our website or by calling Chinela You may recognise Chinella if you received our Nicaragua fundraising appeal earlier this year. Head of Programme Development Karen O'Malley met this five-year-old gelding while she was undertaking research in the country in preparation for our training programme. "After three months of pulling heavy rubbish carts, Chinela became lame and sustained terrible injuries and lesions to his body, which a previous owner had treated with a commonly used local remedy: diesel and engine oil. Earlier this spring I returned to Nicaragua to assess the course and the progress made by the horses and communities we are working with. As part of that visit I again met with Chinela and am delighted to write that six months on he is almost unrecognisable thanks to the improvements in his health. Chinela is no longer lame, the lesions across his body have been treated and healed and he has gained a healthy 54kg in weight. During my visit Chinela s owner brought him to be shod by one of the newly trained farriers at our centre in Veracruz, and to be assessed by the veterinary team. Chinela is just one of thousands of working horses in Nicaragua that will benefit from our programme over the next five years. Thank you for your support and for changing Chinela s life for the better." CASE STUDY Care to share 4.99 Will buy a care pack for a horse in Nicaragua Since our last edition our YouTube channel has now jumped from two and a half million views to an amazing three million views! Watch our Care Pack Appeal film now, featuring Chinga, just one of the many videos for you to discover. Scan this icon with your smartphone or go to Unknown - Europe This is just one of the nameless, voiceless horses that are transported longdistance across Europe to slaughter each year. Thanks to your support, we believe that 15,000 fewer horses are now being transported long distances to slaughter in the European Union. While there are likely to be many factors behind this reduction, what is clear is that your campaigning has made a real difference. According to our analysis, the number of horses transported long distances to slaughter in the European Union fell from around 80,000 in 2009 to around 65,000 in That is still 65,000 too many. Read more about this reduction, the progess of the campaign and a diary from a recent World Horse Welfare Field Investigation to Europe on pages 16 & 17. CASE STUDY 12 13

8 In the field Islay rescue IN THE FIELD Our team of 16 UK Field Officers cover nearly 90,000 square miles between them. It is the only team of its kind working nationwide and funded solely by supporters donations. We admit around 200 vulnerable horses to our Rescue and Rehoming Centres each year and help many more by tracing owners and advising them on the urgent care their animal needs. Here some of our Field Officers give some updates from our UK frontline: David Boyd - I have given lots of talks including at Nottingham Trent University, Brooksby College and to the RSPCA Equine Officers at Fell Edge. Educating the public is a vital part of a Field Officer's duties, and we always welcome groups, colleges, schools and clubs getting in touch if they would like to learn more about our work. In April I attended the AGM of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) in London as a Management Board member. World Horse Welfare is a member of NEWC, which offers support, guidance and a communication forum to a multitude of equine organisations, businesses, charities and establishments to help raise equine welfare standards nationwide. Julia Sly - Overgrazing and lack of pasture management is a common problem. Pasture management is equally important when the grass is plentiful as when it is sparse; it makes sense to rest some and save it for later in the year or cut it for hay. I have already had several cases of obese and laminitic ponies which have been allowed to graze on acres of lush pasture. Jim Maxwell Tony Evans John Burns Jeff Herrington Doug Howie John Cunningham Rachael Andrews Rachel Andrews - I have definitely had a large increase in the number of laminitic ponies due to the recent flush of grass and the sudden nice weather meaning many are being turned out for longer. I have also noticed that there is still a high number of ponies, mainly in large groups, that have not picked up condition since the winter and are suffering from the usual worm, lice and overgrown feet problems. Recently I attended the Equine Link Project, which is a joint initiative with the RSPCA, BHS, Redwings and ourselves and we chipped, passported, wormed and vet checked over 60 ponies. Julia Sly Phil Jones Gus Dowson David Boyd Allison Williment Nick White Claire Gordon John Burns - Earlier this year I was involved in removing a group of horses from the remote Scottish island of Islay after their owners were struggling to care for them due to the economic climate and poor health. Claire Gordon - I attended the New Forest welfare tour conducted by the Verderers of the New Forest twice a year to examine and assess the condition of the ponies. We spent the morning assessing the ponies, donkeys and foals and then in the afternoon discussed our observations. They are reducing the number of stallions and the duration that they will be on the forest this year in response to the economic climate. I have been busy with new home checks after the success of our Rehome a Horse month in March. I was especially pleased to do a home check for Brandy, a pony I rescued in January 2011 as a very sick foal. He was in such poor condition in the first month after his rescue that the Jacko Jackson Alana Chapman fire service used to come by his holding yard and help get him to his feet. To see him happy and well in his new home, knowing his awful start in life, is so rewarding. Alana Chapman It has been a busy start to the year: with the continuous rain I have spent a lot of my time checking on horses in flooded and muddy fields throughout my patch. Although not ideal, as long as the horses have access to dry(ish) land and some sort of shelter, many owners have no alternative than to leave their horses in these conditions. They decided they needed assistance with their horses, which were underweight, suffering from rain scald and were being kept on a large area consisting mainly of scrubland and poached fields. Leaving the horses in those conditions, with their owners health deteriorating, would have undoubtedly lead to further health problems for the horses. The decision to remove the horses was a preventative measure to ensure they did not become serious welfare cases in the near future. I had the initial contact with the owners and co-ordinated the operation, and over a week in January myself, three other World Horse Welfare staff, a Scottish SPCA Inspector and two of the owners family members rounded up the horses into a contained area. From here they were then transported by trailer in shuttle runs to an auction yard where they were kept overnight with food, water and shelter. A trailer was used for this part of the rescue due to the poor access for lorries on and around the site where they were living. The following day the horses were transported via a horse lorry on the ferry to the mainland and then onto our Belwade Two of the ponies, Rhydian and Breagha, after recovering at Belwade Farm (read more on page 21) Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Aberdeenshire, where they are being cared for until they are ready to be rehomed. Please say... This is just one of a number of multiple cases we have faced recently. In the UK alone in the last five years we've seen a massive increase of nearly 50% in the number of horses urgently needing our help. Please support us today: Donate at: You can also call or fill in the donation slip included with this newsletter. Thank you Watch the video on our YouTube channel today. Scan this symbol or go to IN THE FIELD 14 15

9 Transportation campaign update Field Investigation March 2012 CAMPAIGNS Good news: Numbers continue to decline Thanks to you, significantly fewer horses are now being transported long distances across the European Union to slaughter. There are likely to be many factors behind this reduction, but what is clear is that your campaigning has made a real difference. Thank you for your effort and commitment so far, but we need your continued support to stop this cruel practice once and for all. Unless a short, maximum journey limit is introduced the numbers may rise again so we must continue to press our case. Q: What has happened? A: According to our analysis, the number of horses transported long distances to slaughter in the European Union fell from around 80,000 in 2009 to around 65,000 in This means that 15,000 fewer horses had to endure the misery of these needlessly long and stressful journeys in 2010, but 65,000 horses each year still desperately need our help. Q: Why are fewer horses being transported? A: There are likely to be a number of factors influencing this welcome trend, not least your campaigning. External events, including the economic downturn in Italy have no doubt played their part in the reduction. Perhaps of particular significance is the fact that due to continuing problems with equine infectious anaemia, Romania (previously one of the main exporters of horses for slaughter) is currently subject to special rules which have drastically reduced the number of horses it can export. We cannot afford to be complacent. Q: Is you campaigning making an impact? A: Yes. Working together with you, we have brought this trade into the public eye, and across Europe there is greater awareness of the welfare problems caused by these long journeys, making them less appealing to the industry. Your support for the campaign has helped to improve enforcement, which has put further pressure on transporters. Make no mistake - enforcement is still highly inadequate and with your help we are continuing to press the Commission - but it is now understood that flouting the Transport Regulation carries risks. The improvements you helped us secure within the 2005 Transport Regulation have limited the number of horses transporters can carry at one time and improved the conditions under which they are transported. While conditions still desperately need to be improved, there is no doubt that the situation is better than it was before the introduction of the Regulation. In June European Agriculture Ministers unanimously agreed their support of a new animal welfare strategy, but stopped short of requesting an urgent review of the controversial laws governing transportation to slaughter, despite these being out of step with scientific opinion. We applaud the Council for showing a commitment to better animal welfare by supporting the strategy, but we are deeply disappointed that they chose not to seek a review of the Transport Regulation. Instead of requesting an immediate review of the Regulation, Member States encouraged the European Commission to develop guides to good practice which could include a maximum journey limit, but this is unlikely to be legally binding and therefore may be ineffective. The scientific evidence shows horses cannot cope with these gruelling journeys, and scientists at the European Food Safety Authority have called for a short, maximum journey limit of 12 hours for horses. There is a real danger that the number of horses transported could rise again if a short, maximum journey limit is not introduced. In May we urged you to get in touch with Agricultural Ministers across Europe and thousands of you took part. We need you to keep up the pressure find out more and take part in our latest action on our website, where you can also sign up to become a campaigner. 65,000 is still too many take action today! Find out how at Our campaign is based on extensive field, desk and scientific research. We use these findings to make regular contact with MPs and MEPs, as well as the European Commission, in order to put pressure on decision-makers for welfare improvements based on sound evidence. Hannah Westen, Campaigns Officer for Research and Education, reports from a field investigation to Italy in March: Our latest field investigation took us to the north of Italy, where we travelled the breadth of the country visiting control posts (where horses are unloaded for rest after 24 hours of transport) and meeting with enforcement officers, vets, researchers and others involved in the trade. During the week we saw a total of one hundred horses undergoing long-distance transportation for slaughter; the majority originated in Poland (currently the largest exporter of horses for slaughter in the EU) and were travelling to the South of Italy. Watching the horses as they were unloaded at the control post, the effects of the journey were obvious. Many looked confused and disorientated, stumbling and staggering as they walked as if they had sea legs and weren t quite sure where to put their feet. Exhaustion is one of the main welfare problems we see and this field investigation was certainly no exception. Many of the horses were completely unreactive, standing with their heads lowered, their ears drooping out to the sides and their eyes glazed and expressionless. There is no way of conveying the feeling you get when, in a barn full of horses, the only sounds are coughing and the shifting of weight from limb to limb. As always, many of the horses showed signs of disease such as coughing, nasal discharge and laboured breathing. Research shows that, not only do many horses begin their journey with pre-existing disease, long-distance transportation itself reduces a horse s immunity and can cause the reactivation of illnesses that they might be carrying. The majority of horses were covered in sweat, a common finding and one that greatly increases a horse s risk of dehydration. Their desperate need for water was clear; each and every horse drank as soon as they had the opportunity and for as long as possible. It s common for horses to have only limited access to water and it was good to see control post staff providing greater access during this trip. Improved water provision is one of our key recommendations; a relatively simple change that can make a massive difference to the welfare of the horses. The introduction in 2007 of single-stalling has been a huge step forward, preventing some of the catastrophic injuries seen in the past. However, incorrectly designed partitions and lack of space are still problems that need to be addressed. We witnessed numerous examples of this, including a chestnut colt with bleeding wounds to his legs and large gouges in the walls of his hooves. The wounds were consistent with his feet having been caught in the large gaps beneath the poorly-designed metal partitions. He was lame, depressed and in obvious discomfort. On a different consignment, two strawberry roan mares had large sweaty grey patches along their sides, evidence that they had been pressed tightly between the metal partitions. Fortunately there was no sign of external injury but experience tells us that continued transport under such conditions can lead to extensive wounds a problem that can easily be eliminated by leaving sufficient space between the horse s sides and the partitions. In conclusion, whilst it is positive that the number of horses transported long distances across Europe for slaughter has decreased, findings from this field investigation show that, for 65,000 horses enduring these journeys every year, the suffering continues. We must all keep pushing to bring an end to these needless long-distance journeys but, whilst they continue, we will continue to work with those involved in the trade to bring about more immediate welfare improvements wherever possible. CAMPAIGNS 16 17

10 FINANCE Our finances This page might give you an insight into the scale of World Horse Welfare's day-to-day operations, which are entirely reliant on the kind support of horse lovers like you. You can read a summary of World Horse Welfare s income and expenditure for the year ended 31 December 2011 below. This is extracted from the full annual accounts for that period. The full annual accounts received a clean audit opinion and can be viewed on our website. The charity's total income in 2011 was 6.9m a fall of 3.2% from the previous year. Voluntary income accounted for 6.1m, 89% of the total. The main source of funding remains legacy income, which increased to 4.0m. Income from donations and grants fell by 17% to 2.1m. This was due to two one-off grants being received in 2010, which included a 0.25m award for an Isolation Unit at the Rescue & Rehoming Centre in Somerset (Glenda Spooner Farm). Other activities for generating funds, such as lotteries and fundraising events grew by 18% to 0.4m. During the year Gift Aid tax claims from individual supporter donations totalled 218k. The charity maintained its commitment to attracting new supporters through a range of activities, centred on press advertising, direct mailings and a resumption of a lottery draw; contactable new donors totalled almost 6,000. The charity delivered efficiencies across its partnerships with a new creative agency and media buyer in the second half of the year. Featuring within the charity's targeted appeals to existing supporters was a new training programme for saddlers and farriers aimed at improving the welfare of working horses in Honduras. Case studies highlighting the increasing workload of the UK-wide team of Field Officers were used to illustrate the funding needs of those at the front line of the charity's welfare work. Marketing support for promoting the benefits and importance of legacy pledging was maintained and a new donor analysis programme was introduced. Total expenditure for the year was 7.1m. Overall direct charitable expenditure rose by 4% to 5.4m; expenditure in both the UK and overseas increased by 8% whilst grant giving and the cost of campaigning declined. Income Expenditure 58% 28% 20% 3% 3% 77% 5% 6% Overall the charity recorded a deficit of 176k prior to investment losses. After taking into account these losses, a deficit of 0.5m. Legacies Donations Grants and other Investment income Lotteries Charitable expenditure Fundraising and publicity Governance All percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole figure A note from the Chairman I wanted to introduce myself officially in my new capacity as Chairman of Trustees for World Horse Welfare. I joined the Board of Trustees in 2007, and am extremely honoured to be able to now play even more of a role in ensuring World Horse Welfare can continue its fantastic work. As a practicing vet in the county of Lancashire for 40 years, and formerly President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, I am no stranger to the kinds of problems our Field Officers are faced with on a daily basis. These are tough times, and while strong, our last year s accounts reflect the difficult financial climate we all face. This comes when in the UK we have seen an almost 50% rise over the past five years in the number of horses urgently needing our help. World Horse Welfare is celebrating 85 years of helping horses this year and has such a depth of history. We have left, and will continue to expand upon, an amazing legacy of better horse welfare covering a huge spread of the horse world from opening our first horse rehabilitation centre in the 40 s, pushing in the 50 s for the introduction of acts protecting horses transported by sea and at slaughterhouses, and rehoming old pit ponies in the 70 s, to today where we are the UK s largest horse rescue and rehoming charity. One of the aspects of our work that will be thrown into relief this year with the arrival of the Olympic Games in London is our role in equestrian sport. You can read more about this in our feature on our relationship with the FEI on pages 8-9. I have great aspirations for the charity moving into the future in this and other arenas. I am particularly excited already that the beginning of my tenure has seen us launch two new international programmes in Nicaragua and in Cambodia. I also hope that during my new role leading the Chairman's Circle we can expand the group and so raise vital funds. I look forward to what the rest of 2012 may bring, and hope that you will continue to offer your support to us during this challenging time. Thank you. Barry Johnson 80% of donations go directly to our charitable work 20% is spent on fundraising......and each 1 we spend on fundraising generates 4 in donations to help more horses FINANCE

11 Rehoming month Come and find us! Farm round up Penny Farm, Lancashire REHOMING Our second ever Rehome a Horse Month was a great success, with an increase in the number of horses rehomed from 15 last March to 27 in 2012! The campaign follows on from our hugely successful inaugural Rehome a Horse Month last July, when a record 31 horses in total were rehomed. A huge thank you to everyone who got involved by rehoming, enquiring or spreading the word about the scheme. We rehome around 200 horses each year from our four Rescue and Rehoming Centres, and it is a vital part of ensuring we can continue to do the work that we do by freeing up space for us to take more horses in need into our centres. It also gives the horses and ponies that come into our care, some that have endured appalling suffering in their lives, the chance to lead happy, useful lives in loving new homes. Remember you can see all the horses and ponies currently available for rehoming on our website: Thanks for the award! We were delighted to win 'Best use of Social Media by a Charity' in the 2011 Equestrian Social Media Awards or ESMA's. A big thank you to those who voted for us and all our supporters across Social Media, and of course congratulations to all the other winners and nominees. Get on board and follow us on Facebook and Twitter if you don't already do so - it's a great way to keep up to date with all the latest from the charity, and we need as many people as possible to share our vital work with others. Just search for World Horse Welfare. Farm foals named by our followers Our trade stand will be at the following events during 2012 events: Burghley Horse Trials: 30th August - 2nd September Horse of The Year Show: 3rd - 7th October Your Horse Live: 10th - 11th November Olympia: 18th - 23rd December Why not come along and meet the team? You can find out more about our work, ask for advice from one of our Field Officers or pick up some World Horse Welfare merchandise. We hope to see you there! Our Social Media followers have chosen the names of the two new foals at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre. Hall Farm were looking for names on an Olympic theme to celebrate the arrival of the Olympics in London and the 100 years of equestrian competition in the Games. Rana's filly foal (left) will be called 'Olympic Spirit', and Peppa's foal, who is this edition's cover star, will be called 'Olympic Flame'. Well done to the people who suggested those names, and thanks to everyone who took part via Facebook and Twitter - there were some really imaginative suggestions! Belwade Farm, Aberdeenshire Rhydian and Breagha Full brothers Rhydian and Breagha came to Belwade Farm with a group of horses from the island of Islay (full story on page 15). Both were underweight and suffering from rain scald, and had been handled very little. After care and attention they have really blossomed and show the potential to make attractive ridden ponies. While they are not actually ready for rehoming yet, farm staff think they would also make a lovely driving pair. As Belwade does not currently have the resources to break them in to drive they are asking for anyone who would be interested in rehoming them as a driving pair to get in touch with the farm on Horsepower Our Horsepower event on September 16th will be a wonderful day out for the whole family, with displays, demos, classic cars and good food. You can find out about other upcoming events on our website. We will be opening the new Visitor Centre and cafe later this Summer, so you can enjoy a coffee or meal while watching soaking up the lovely Deeside views or watching our horses undergoing rehabilitation. Glenda Spooner Farm, Somerset Kudos Kudos is a handsome 16hh Thoroughbred cross looking for a new home as a light hack where he can enjoy a gentle wander around the countryside lanes with a confident, reassuring rider. He is excellent to handle in and out of the stable and would love to find a home with other horses. Easter Fun Day We had a fantastic Easter fun day, which was very well attended and enjoyed by all. Find out more about upcoming events on the World Horse Welfare website. Goodbye to Homer We said goodbye to former adoption horse Homer, who has found a home at Colchester zoo! We'll hope to catch up with him and update you next issue. Elvis Elvis has the potential to make a really smart lead rein pony. He came to Penny Farm last Spring as part of a welfare case, unhandled and very nervous. He is now ready to rehome as a youngster for handling, and is looking for an experienced home with lots of time and patience to continue his education. Fun at the Farm Our new Activity Trail, launched this month, is a fun quiz around the farm giving you the chance to find out more about the environment and our farmland. We will also be holding family fun days every Wednesday in August, which include groom a pony sessions. Some dates for your diary On Sunday 9th September Penny Farm is holding its first ever Medieval Fair, complete with jousters, archery demonstrations, stocks, donkey rides, fairground rides and food and craft stalls! Events Our Summer Showing Show sadly had to be postponed due to some very un-summery weather! It will now be held on 9th September and we hope to see you there. Competitors can find out more online as well as information about visiting Hall Farm and all our upcoming events including Rehoming Mornings and Summer holiday activities. Hall Farm, Norfolk Saffey Saffey is a young child's dream. This dainty, pretty mare is a safe but keen and forward going ride who could do a little bit of everything. She will suit a confident, established child rider looking for a fun pony to share some new adventures! Please note that these horses were available at the time of going to print and may already have been rehomed! See our wide variety of horses and ponies looking for new homes at rehoming FARM ROUND UP 20 21

12 SUPPORTERS Members' Days We have run four Members Days this year, one at each of our Rescue and Rehoming Centres. The ever popular days are open to all World Horse Welfare members on a first-come first-served basis, and were fully booked again this year with a lengthy waiting list! The days include the opportunity to speak to horse specialists including vets, farriers and saddlers, view demonstrations and presentations from our Field Officers, and of course the chance to meet some of our horses and ponies and experience our work first hand. Find out more about the benefits of membership and how it helps our work: Moolmanshoek Challenge -10th-17th October This trip for intermediate riders or above gives you the opportunity to ride homebred, FEI registered Arabian horses through the heart of the beautiful Moolmanshoek Game Reserve, South Africa. Based at the ranch guesthouse for the duration of your trip, with the chance of an overnight camping trip, you will ride out each day over varying terrain from the flat grasslands right up into the mountains. Enjoy spectacular views, long canters, and ride through herds of indigenous game. During your trip you will also visit our International Training Teams at work in Lesotho to see first hand the work World Horse Welfare carries out overseas. You will also visit The Soweto Equestrian Centre, where centre founder Enos Mafokate encourages both able-bodied and disabled children to reach the top level of equestrian sport. Enos is an inspirational part of our work in South Africa, and received a standing ovation when speaking at our annual conference in On your marks, get set, fundraise! Or perhaps you are inspired by the majesty of the remote Scottish Highlands? We will have two new rides travelling across the very far north of Scotland in the late summer of There will be the opportunity to ride coast-to-coast through the stunning Great Glen Way, which will be a 5 day trail with a loop through the Invergarry forest. This trail is well-established, giving the chance for some faster riding through amazing scenery. We will also be offering the Across Ross Ride which is a more challenging, wilder route travelling through Torridon. Call or visit our website for a brochure and registration form. Places are limited and offered on a strictly first come first served basis. World Horse Welfare has five charity places for the Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 7th October, and we need you to come along and join our team. The race is one of the most scenic city runs in the world, travelling through four of London s magnificent Royal Parks and passing some of the capital s most iconic landmarks. Call or francesplume@worldhosewelfare.org to apply. A big thank you to our team of runners who took part in the London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April in support of us. As as a group they will raise in excess of 8,000 - well done all of you! Also well done and a big thank you to our runners in this year's Brighton Marathon. Celebrate horses this summer Don t have tickets to the equestrian events at the Olympics? Why not celebrate the events by holding a Summer Celebration party and raise money for World Horse Welfare? We are celebrating our 85th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of equestrian sport at the Olympics, so what better way to commemorate the two occasions than by getting together with family, friends, colleagues and fellow horse owners to hold a fun horse-themed event of your choice? It could be a celebration at your local yard, in your office where you work, or with a club that you belong to. Find ideas on our website at Picture: Rehomed pony World Horse Welfare McCloud taking part in our 85th Anniversary Pleasure Ride, Euston Park, Norfolk, in April. Over 70 riders took part in the event, which raised over 2000, and we hope to repeat it again in the future. We hope to share more photos from our fundraisers in the next issue, and are ever grateful to all those who raise money for us in so many different ways. Remember you can find lots of ideas and register your event with us on our website, and can contact us for additional materials or support. We were sent this report by a young boy called Samuel. His family called World Horse Welfare after finding six horses abandoned on a dangerous construction site next to a busy slip road near London. Our Field Officer Nick White attended the scene: It was only two days before help arrived from World Horse Welfare, when me and my family discovered five horses and one pony. After the first day we noticed that the horses must have been abandoned. We fed the horses with our dad's supervision. We gave nicknames to all the horses. Pepper was the horse that liked me most. Salt was the horse that loved my sister. Charley was the pony and played with my little brother. They were dehydrated and seemed sick. Before mister Nick White a field officer from the World Horse Welfare came, Charley got out in a hole in the fence. When Charley was retreived we blocked up the fence and fed the horses again. Every time the horses dropped their food we had to pick it up because there was glass everywhere and if they cut themselves they could catch very fatal diseases. When Nick White came he went straight to work seeing how bad the conditions were they were left in. What they were staying in was a junk yard where a construction site had closed. The horses were running low on food and were in a very dangerous place to be left in. They were very friendly but when mister Nick White was making a phone call Charley got out and ran for the M40. My sister told my little brother to get Nick White. Nick White got a hold of the pony and he was retrieved. When the truck came we said goodbye to them all. Mister Nick White said that all the horses were to be taken to a vet. When they left my heart raised knowing that all the horses would have a nice house, and what mister Nick White did was incredible. Samuel Thieme, aged 11. Remember you can report a horse in distress on our UK Welfare Hotline: Where the horses were found SUPPORTERS

13 Volunteer Find out more about Volunteering for us at: