Recognising Equine Distress: Sanctuary Hosts Vital Welfare Training 

This summer we partnered with the British Horse Society (BHS) to run special workshops focused on helping people spot the warning signs of horses and ponies suffering in plain sight and offer support to their owners. The training aimed to equip volunteer welfare advisors with the knowledge to identify when equines need extra care and support, preventing welfare issues from escalating. 

Leah Brock, our Senior Field Officer feels this kind of training is a valuable opportunity to share important knowledge. ‘Everyone in our sessions seemed to be really engaged, learning lots and asking plenty of questions, so I think they’ve been successful’ she says. ‘Many of those attending were British Horse Society volunteer welfare advisors who predominantly offer advice to owners and members of the public. We also met some volunteers who support owners with end of life decisions for their horse or pony. 

‘The training has helped us to build partnerships and share effective evidence-based welfare practices so that cases of poor equine care can be better recognised and monitored across the Southwest. Horses are a prey species that try not to show if they’re in pain, which can make the warning signs difficult to spot, so it’s great to network, to share our expertise and hopefully make a difference to more horses and ponies who may be struggling. It’s been a really positive experience because it’s clear to see that we’re all working towards the same goal. 

‘As a charity, we don’t judge or shame horse owners or carers. We try to understand why there’s a welfare concern and how we can support them to improve the situation. So much of our welfare work happens before a case reaches the point of crisis, and with advice and compassion, these concerns over their care can often be resolved.’ 

The British Horse Society is dedicated to promoting the welfare, safety, and education of horses and riders across the UK. Lisa Supple, BHS Development Officer for Devon & Cornwall, commented, ‘It has been a fantastic opportunity to work with The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, along with our regional Horse Care & Welfare Volunteers, to really strengthen our network and knowledge of equine welfare in our region. So much of the work The British Horse Society does relies on volunteers, and this training day was an invaluable way for us to see how we can all work together for the benefit of horses and ponies less fortunate than our own.’ 

Anna Harrison, one of the BHS’s new volunteers has been trained as a ‘Friend at the End’, helping people make the difficult decision of when the right time has come to put their horse to sleep. She’s also been a vet for 35 years. ‘The organisers have done a fantastic job to bring us all together and The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s base at Newton Abbot is a wonderful place to come, explore and learn,’ she said. ‘I’ve enjoyed meeting some of the Sanctuary’s rescued ponies and I was absolutely blown away by the breadth of work here. I love the fact that they’re really keen to collaborate with other organisations because I’ve been involved with several charities, and we shouldn’t work in isolation. It’s been really useful to get guidance on body condition scoring and key signs to look out to monitor welfare.’ 

The welfare and wellbeing of all horses and ponies is at the very heart of our charitable mission and we are eager to host more educational training sessions across our sites in the future.