Welfare Crisis: A Surge in Demand for Our Support
In recent months, The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Welfare and Rehoming team has faced an exceptional surge in workload, driven by the financial and environmental challenges confronting equine owners. Currently, we are monitoring around 200 horses across the Southwest, largely due to reports from the public expressing serious concerns about their welfare.
In recent weeks, we have rescued six horses and ponies from three separate incidents, all of which were in critical need of intervention due to life-threatening situations, behaviours, or conditions. While some cases are subject to legal reporting restrictions, we plan to highlight the ongoing challenges within equine welfare by sharing details of one distressing rescue and its outcome in the coming weeks. Our Sanctuary provides every rescued equine with lifelong sanctuary, and we are now at maximum capacity, caring for 130 equines across our four sites in Devon, with an additional 430 on loan to experienced carers.
Welfare and Rehoming Field Officer Leah Brock commented on the severity of the current equine welfare situation: “It is heartbreaking to see the conditions that some of the ponies we monitor are living in. They’re exposed to the elements with no shelter and often without enough food or water. Many are not receiving the regular care and treatment they need, leading to overgrown hooves, poor teeth, infected skin, lice, and heavy worm burdens. Every day, we see horses and ponies suffering in plain sight. We’re working around the clock to support and advise owners who may be struggling. Our priority is always to help them achieve the most positive outcome, ensuring their ponies are well cared for and remain with them. We investigate every reported welfare concern and collaborate with other agencies and charities when cases need escalation.”
The cost of living crisis, exacerbated by extreme weather conditions this winter, has significantly impacted equine welfare and the ability of some owners to provide adequate care. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Equine Welfare Council, 81% of horse owners are concerned about the ongoing pressure from increased costs, while 39% reported that the cost of living crisis has affected their ability to keep their equines, forcing them to make additional sacrifices just to ensure basic care. We have calculated that the average annual cost of caring for one equine is £10,265.
Our Chief Executive, Rhodri Samuel, emphasised the importance of meeting every equine’s essential needs: “Each horse or pony requires freedom of movement, the ability to forage, and companions to support their mental and physical well-being. This is why our land must be managed responsibly to cultivate a healthy, sustainable environment. We maintain strict limits on the number of horses and ponies we can safely rescue and care for across our four sites. Without the generosity of our supporters, we wouldn’t be able to assist these horses and ponies who often find themselves in dire situations. One way that people can help is by considering rehoming one of our ponies, which would free up space for another equine in critical need of our care.”
We will continue to provide updates on our efforts to assist equines in need throughout the winter months and beyond. For more information on how you can help make a difference, please sign up for news updates on our website.
For reference, visit: https://newc.co.uk/equine-col-survey-2024/