England’s Main Horse Welfare Charities
There are just under a million horses in England, and most are looked after very well. There are wild ponies (such as in the New Forest, Dartmoor and Exmoor) then many more looked after by humans. Horses and ponies are basically the same creatures, it’s just that horses are taller.
Always follow the Countryside Code, to keep all creatures safe.
World Horse Welfare has heaps of helpful information on the website, plus you can report concerns using the phone (for emergencies) or email helplines. It rescues over 300 equines each year from neglect, and also works abroad.
And importantly, it focuses on education (most causes of neglect are simply due to ignorance, not deliberate cruelty). Become a member to support this charity and you get included horse insurance.
The British Horse Society is more traditional (and is more for equestrians). But we list it as again it has heaps of good advice, and also has an excellent telephone helpline for concerns.
Simple Ways to Help Horses & Ponies
Here are some ways to help horses & ponies, whether you live with them or not.
Don’t Feed Horses (without permission)
Colic is a real concern for horses. Always ask permission before feeding apples to equines, as too many cause colic. If you do feed horses a cut up apple as a treat, feed from a flat palm to prevent choking (and discard the core).
If you know children (or adults) who care for horses, gift a good book on horse care that covers safety, feeding, grooming, bathing, tack cleaning and fair aid. Just imagine if every horse guardian owned a copy of this book, it could prevent so many issues.
Refuse HRT Medicine with Horse Urine
Many women are unaware that some HRT drugs are made from urine, from pregnant horses (due to oestrogen). Their foals are taken away, then the horses are killed. Ask your GP to use a horse-urine free brand. Or alternatively, learn how to sail through menopause (it’s not an illness, it’s a natural part of life).
Boycott Horse Meat in Stores
This was banned in the UK in 2022, but it’s not illegal elsewhere. There was uproar a few years ago when some shops were selling ‘beef’ that was later found to be from horses.
If you care for horses directly, take an inventory of your paddock and stable (to prevent horse theft) and ensure you have the proper time & finances to keep horses, before adopting or fostering.
Don’t Plant Toxic Trees Near Horses
If planting trees, know of trees to avoid near horses (including yew, oak and sycamore). Cordon off trees affected by oak processionary moths (also from livestock) and contact a vet if in contact. Mostly found in London in warm weather, report to your council and Treealert.
Keep Horses Away from Ragwort
Ragwort is highly toxic to both horses and livestock, damaging the liver and can be transported over wind. World Horse Welfare has information on how to recognise and remove it (wearing gloves) and you must also dispose of it properly to Defra rules.
It’s also found in hay, haylage and leaves that have fallen off a plant in the field and died, and the plant can also be harmful to humans. The site Ecosulis has info on cinnabar moths that feed on ragwort, and ideas to reduce toxicity of ragwort to horses & livestock. Sycamore trees are also dangerous near horses.
So how to remove ragwort? The best solution is to remove it by the roots after rain, when the ground is soft. The best tool is a ragfork (which is also in bright colours for easy recognition in the field). It only needs four steps, and removes the need for using chemicals. If out of stock, Spear and Jackson Ultra Weeder is another choice (read this user review).
Choose Safe Comfortable Horse Bedding
Bedmax was developed on the Northumberland coast, to produce a bedding that won’t cause respiratory illness in horses, and now is sold extensively and widely accredited by horse organisations. It’s important if choosing pine shavings to go for a good brand, to ensure they are not contaminated with toxic black walnut. The range also includes dust-free straw bedding.
Ecobale is a quality brand of cardboard horse bedding, ideal for allergies. Fluids drain through the absorbent bedding and are slowly absorbed into the bottom later, leaving the top layer dry and odourless. Corrugated cardboard effectively traps warm air produced by animals, to create a comfortable warm bed during cold winter months.
Red Gorilla International offers quality equine products for the stable. From brooms to grooming, the main product is the Tubtrug®, sold in many colours and sizes, built to be flexible and to last.
It has ‘golf ball’ handles to make it easy to grip and the edges are chamfered to make scooping, sweeping and pouring easier. It’s made from food-grade LDPE and can also be used for gardening and building work.
Preventing Horse Theft
World Horse Welfare has information on how to keep horses safe. This includes microchipping and keeping passports locked away (it’s illegal to sell or export a horse including for slaughter without a passport). This will also include markings, so police can identify missing horses, so take good photos beforehand from all sides, with distinctive markings and whorls, at different times of the year.
Ensure gates are secure (and can’t be lifted off their hinges), and install motion-activated sensor lights and create a Horse Watch Group with CCTV and possible alarms.
Ask your vet for recommendations about two other methods that are used to deter theft:
- Freezemarking is done under local anaesthetic, a permanent marker where a copper iron cooled in liquid nitrogen is held against the skin for a few seconds (this destroys hair pigments to leave either a white legible mark or bald mark on white horses). It obviously must be done by trained professionals.
- Hoof-branding (not the same as hot iron branding) is a painless way to burn ID (like postcodes or phone numbers) into the insensitive part of the hoof, though of course it needs repeating as hooves grow out.
Both of these make horses harder to sell. And are also good for identifying horses during natural disasters.
