I wrote about Redwings Horse Sanctuary and the Amersham case in If Wishes Were Horses. Spindles Farm in Amersham was a horror show: dozens of horses in a state of starvation and neglect that was hard to comprehend. Redwings were instrumental in coordinating the rescue, and are still caring for many of the horses. Here’s …
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If Wishes Were Horses: Saving Beauty
Ann Lindo’s Horse Trust, Tettenhall Horse Sanctuary, the Horse Rescue Fund and World Horse Welfare are just some of Britain’s great horse rescues. I have to put in a special shout out for the Horse Rescue Fund. Established in the 1960s by a family who wanted to make a difference, they are part of the …
If Wishes Were Horses: Diminutive Dianas
Here’s some Pathé footage of the International Horse Show at Olympia in 1920 (spot the hydrangeas and the standard lamp shades!), the King’s Gold Cup in 1921, opening day in 1922 (plus side-saddle) and a little showjumping. You can just make out the backdrop of Lowther Castle in this film from 1923. And this – …
Fly Grazing: Legal Precedent?
Vale of Glamorgan council are moving faster now, perhaps in light of the episode in which forty horses were left to trash Woodland Trust land. Sixty horses dumped on land near Cardiff Airport have been rehomed via charities like Redwings, Horse World and the Bransby Home of Rest for Horses. The BBC reports: … as …
Whole Heap of Little Horse Links
Thank you to Christina for this link about an Olympic three-day-event hopeful who survived a catastrophic barn fire. The NYT features includes a short film and a slideshow. Christina also sent this extraordinary story about a rescued horse. It’s not so much the rescue that stands out, as the practice it sheds light on. Apparently …
Déjà Vu is Bad for Horses
In 2008 an obscene benchmark was set in the large-scale abuse of horses when RSPCA inspectors finally gained access to the premises of a horse dealer in Amersham, Buckinghamshire and discovered 125 horses, ponies and donkeys in an advanced state of neglect , surrounded by the corpses of a further 35 animals. The words “Spindles …
Feeling Your Oats?
When I visited Redwings Horse Sanctuary they told me they kept Weetabix to feed to colicky horses. I don’t think this is what they had in mind… Non-UK readers might need to watch the original 1970s TV credits, repeatedly, to get the joke, or just because it’s guaranteed to make you misty-eyed. This is my …
A Moustache: What the Well-Groomed Stallion is Wearing This Year
A survivor of Spindles Farm, happily esconced at the brilliant Redwings Horse Sanctuary. Not quite as impressive as that sported by Alfie, a Gloucestershire stallion, who featured in Metro this week. Maybe he should have laid off the hair gel?
Oddments
Sealskin will no longer be used for sporran manufacture. It’ll be ponyskin instead. Anthropologie has a very pretty catalogue full of very pretty clothes and a whole heap of pretty horses. A South African pony called Bertie kicked a pit bull in the head after it attacked his nads. Champion racemare Sariska has been retired …