Posted: 3rd December 2020 | Back to news feed
Horses may not be at risk of catching Covid-19, but they are certainly being affected by the current pandemic. Reports of increased abandonments and more requests for help from struggling owners are already appearing in the media, but there are steps we can all take this winter to support vulnerable horses and the charities who are dedicated to helping them.
Most charities have been particularly over-stretched and under-resourced for the last decade, meaning they have very little capacity to care for more rescued horses. A situation recognised as a horse crisis resulted from the financial crash in 2008, and effectively continues to this day.
The sector has been working incredibly hard to address the causes of welfare problems, such as lobbying for legislation like the Control of Horses Acts to make it easier to deal with fly-grazing, and finding ways of supporting owners to better care for horses in their homes. However, there are still around 7,000 horses across the UK known to be at risk of becoming the next welfare case.
Winter is invariably the busiest time for Redwings’ welfare team. As grazing disappears and the cost and effort of caring for horses increases, small issues can quickly escalate into bigger problems. This year, charities are not only likely to see large numbers of welfare cases developing, they will also be working on reduced income and often with fewer staff. A survey carried out in May by the National Equine Welfare Council found that almost two thirds of equine charities (64%) were already working with less than 50% of their usual income at that point.
Although the ‘welfare sector’ is often seen as a separate part of the equestrian world, it is important to remember that every person who owns, cares for or interacts with a horse is influencing their welfare and the culmination of individual decisions among the hundreds of thousands of people involved with horses have a real impact on the bigger picture for equines in the UK.
What can I do?
- Consider rehoming from a reputable charity. You will be giving a rescued horse a second chance at life and creating space for another horse in need in the sanctuary.
- Avoid the temptation to ‘rescue’ a horse by buying it, hard as it may be. Paying an owner for poor standards of care creates a market for the very thing we need to root out. If you are concerned about the welfare of a horse, contact a local equine welfare organisation for advice.
- Think twice about breeding. The most significant underlying welfare issue of the past 10 years has been too many horses and not enough good homes. We need to secure the future of existing horses, not continue to overpopulate.
- Be prepared to make difficult decisions. Horses who are older, cannot be ridden or have additional physical or behavioural needs are difficult to rehome with confidence. We should not shy away from the fact that, hard as it can be, humanely putting a horse to sleep in their own home does not cause suffering, whereas other outcomes often do.
- Microchip your horse. Even if your horse is elderly or unlikely to travel, microchipping helps reunite stray horses with their owners, deters theft and the more horses are microchipped, the better we can bring unscrupulous owners to account. In England it is also now a legal requirement and will become mandatory in Scotland and Wales in early 2021.
- Stay up to date. Issues such as worm resistance, obesity and over-rugging are widespread and seen across all parts of the horse world. We all need to be prepared to adjust our horse care routines in the light of new information if we want to optimise our horses’ wellbeing. Many new approaches often bring financial savings too.
- Plan ahead. It is natural to avoid thinking about what would happen if we fall ill or are made redundant, but having some contingency plans in place can make things easier for you and your horse if life changes unexpectedly.
- Don’t be afraid to report a concern. If you see a horse you are worried about, or are concerned that an owner you know is starting to struggle, you can call or email an equine charity in complete confidence. The earlier a situation can be addressed, the better the outcome is likely to be, and equine charities want to help. Remember that while it is usually the most serious welfare cases we see in the news, by far the majority of a charity’s work is supporting, encouraging and reassuring owners to stop more serious welfare problems arising.
And last but far from least, please support equine welfare charities this winter. From buying their Christmas cards and gifts, adopting one of their sanctuary residents or responding to a fundraising appeal, it really will help us keep horses safe while we continue to try and keep ourselves safe in these most challenging times.
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