Rescued horses named in honour of NHS heroes

Nineteen rescued horses in the care of Redwings Horse Sanctuary have been named in honour of NHS heroes

Following their rescue from Whispering Willows Sanctuary in Wales, 19 new residents are being looked after at Redwings Horse Sanctuary. A total of 137 horses were rescued by a team of equine charities in November 2019 and, now the sanctuary’s owner has been sentenced, Redwings is keen to let the public know about the horses’ progress.

Nic de Brauwere, Redwings’ Head of Welfare and Behaviour who provided support during the horses’ removal from Whispering Willows, said: “One of the saddest things was that people believed the sanctuary was offering a wonderful home, however it was clear that the horses were receiving wholly inadequate levels of care.

“There were horses who, due to their age-related ailments – compounded by their lack of care – were needlessly suffering and the kindest and most responsible thing to have done would have been to put them to sleep long before we got involved.

“Of the 23 horses Redwings offered a home to, we unfortunately had to say goodbye to four shortly after their arrival because, despite the combined efforts of our vets, farriers and carers, we were sadly unable to make them comfortable enough to stop them from suffering.”

Once they’d received basic care, including worming, farriery and dental checks, and were deemed in good health, the 19 horses went on to be named after NHS hospitals as a tribute to their tireless work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The names include Radcliffe, Gwent, Paget, Alexandra, Good Hope and Princess Royal.

Nic continued: “On a physical level, the remaining horses have recovered well but most are currently spending time at our specialist Behaviour Centre to undo the neglect of their behavioural needs experienced while at Whispering Willows, which left them fearful of people. It will be some time before any of them are ready to be assessed for possible rehoming in the future, but for now they’re enjoying happy and healthy new lives at the Sanctuary.”

Nic, who is also Chair of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC), added: “Too many times we’ve seen sanctuaries struggle and fail when owners take on too many animals without the necessary care knowledge, experience or finances. This is why we’ve been calling for the regulation of rescue centres and sanctuaries as a vital next step to protect the welfare of animals in the UK.”

 For more information, visit redwings.org.uk