Welfare Case Studies

BHS Welfare Officers respond to more than a thousand reported welfare concerns every year. The details of most cases have to remain confidential, but below are just a few examples of occasions in which the BHS has helped out horses and ponies in need.

Honey – abandoned by her owner

After Honey’s owners ran into financial difficulties, she was abandoned at a stable yard in lieu of unpaid fees.

Owners of the livery yard contacted the Society’s Welfare Officer Sandy Sandon, who came to the rescue of the cheeky little Welsh pony. Sandy arrived to find Honey in a very sorry state. Not only was she showing typical signs of neglect, but she had a serious abscess on her face and a severely cracked tooth that meant eating caused her great pain.

After a consultation from the vet it became clear that Honey would need extensive treatment. Honey’s new owner was advised to have her put to sleep and sold for meat, but this was simply not viewed as an option.

Six years later Honey is fully recovered and leading a happy life in Warwickshire. This would not have been possible without the intervention of a BHS Welfare Officer. Sandy says: “I’m so lucky to be a BHS volunteer welfare officer. I get so much support and can really make a difference to horses and ponies like Honey.”

Melody – the forgotten mare

As horses get older they need even more care, but 27-year-old thoroughbred mare Melody was not so lucky.

She was often abandoned in a sparse field for months at a time, with nothing to eat but the leftovers of mouldy hay. Her excessively overgrown feet caused her to walk on her heels, worsening her arthritic condition and making every step agony – a gentle trot was impossible. Melody’s naïve owner even turned out a fiery young stallion with her, putting the fragile mare in an extremely dangerous position.

Following a series of phone calls from local horse owners, BHS Welfare Officer Moira Pemberton stepped in. Moira approached the owner offering friendly advice, but it when it become clear that the additional care that Melody needed was too burdensome for the owner, Moira was given the owner’s approval to find Melody a new owner who could, and would, give her the care she needed.

“You can’t always educate the owner – they have to be willing to learn and have the time to give the extra care, but sometimes they just aren’t,” explains Moira. “These situations can be quite uncomfortable. Approaching people can be hard, but being part of The British Horse Society gives us a real advantage over a private individual who may be expressing concern. My training as a BHS Welfare Officer immediately gives me credibility and makes it easier to get the point across,” she adds.

Melody is now doing well. Her new owner, Kerry, describes the dramatic improvement in Melody’s condition: “Melody looked like she was slowly giving up. It’s amazing she was as strong as she was, but after just a couple of weeks she completely changed. She was galloping and bucking around the field and she’s got that spark back in her eye”.

Colin – fears allayed

When 56-year-old single man Colin was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer, naturally he was devastated, but his worries and fears were compounded by the thought of not being able to pay or care for his one pride and joy; his bay mare Ruby, whom he had owned for 11 years.

In vain, Colin had tried to find someone who could help him and Ruby. On the Sunday morning before he was due to check into hospital he made one last attempt and called the BHS. BHS Scotland Regional Development Officer Helene Mauchlen, upon hearing first hand of the special bond between Colin and Ruby, spent the rest of the day organising a solution.

Working together with BHS Welfare Officer Sue Kilby, Helene helped to find a new home for Ruby. Afterwards, Sue visited Colin on the chemotherapy ward to tell him the good news, relieving at least some of his concerns so he could focus his strength on getting better. At this incredibly difficult time, Colin’s life was made that little bit easier through the knowledge that Ruby would be well cared for – and that her future was assured.

Working in partnership

When BHS 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. She was then able to organise medical treatment from a vet and a long overdue visit from a farrier.

By working in partnership with the owner of the horses, Ruth helped to 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 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.”

Finny – found in water

   

Found trapped in two feet of water in her stable after a flood at the livery yard where she was kept, it emerged that Finny was often confined to her stable for weeks at a time without any exercise. When Finny had been let out, she had been bullied by other horses and had extensive damage to her legs caused by electric fences.

These dreadful circumstances impacted greatly on Finny’s behaviour and when she eventually was turned out she refused to be caught. Fortunately, Finny changed hands and her new owner, Sam Hill, contacted BHS Welfare Officer Sandy Sandon for advice on how to remedy this behaviour.

It was clear to Sandy that Finny was not a bad horse, but that her behaviour was a result of her constant fear of confinement. Sam and Sandy worked in partnership to build up a routine for Finny, which helped to make her calmer and more relaxed. Sam is delighted with the advice and support she received from the BHS because it has helped to make Finny a much happier pony who is now willing to be caught and even trots up to the field fence to greet Sam.