Working in Partnership
When The British Horse Society volunteer welfare officer Ruth Court heard that three local horses were being kept on what was nothing more than a large garden she had to intervene. The bare grazing and lack of extra food in the tiny enclosure meant the 15hh mare, 14.2hh gelding and Shetland pony were emaciated, had very low condition scores and could have starved.
All three horses’ feet were painfully overgrown, and this, coupled with numerous sores and hair loss problems, made the horses extremely distressed.
Ruth set to work, contacting the owner to try to understand the circumstances that had caused this situation. Ruth was then able to organise medical treatment from the vet and a long overdue visit from the farrier.
By working in partnership with the owner of the horses, Ruth helped relocate them to a suitable livery yard. From here, she could monitor the situation to ensure it did not happen again and advise on aftercare as the horses regained their health. “It was incredibly upsetting to see the horses in such distress but it is important to remain level headed,” said Ruth. “As a BHS volunteer welfare officer I can offer the education people need to keep their horses happy. Providing information and friendly help and advice when people become pressurised under circumstances beyond their control makes a real difference.”
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