Two NEWC members have come together to urge financially struggling horse owners to rehome their horses before winter. World Horse Welfare and Blue Cross have made the appeal over concerns that many horse owners are still struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis.
A recent survey, conducted by World Horse Welfare on behalf of the National Equine Welfare Council, found that 1.9 per cent of respondents thought they might need to approach a charity to rehome their horse within the next year. This translates to over 7,000 households in the UK who could have to give up their horses.
The cost of horse ownership is also continuing to have an impact on owners who are not yet at the stage of having to rehome their horses. More than two-thirds of respondents told the survey that they had made sacrifices in their lives to provide for the horses’ basic care needs.
Tony Tyler, deputy chief executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “Rehoming your horse during the summer gives both the horse and the new owner the best chance of a smooth transition.
“Waiting until winter can be far more difficult for everyone involved, and this is the main time of year people decide to rehome their horses, so there will be far more competition for homes just at the time it becomes much harder to care for your horses.
“We know many people understandably hang on to their horses for as long as possible, but it may be in everyone’s best interest to plan ahead and start the process now.”
NEWC Vice-Chair and Blue Cross Horse Welfare Manager, Ruth Court, added: “Both ourselves and World Horse Welfare offer advice lines where you can talk in confidence to a kind and understanding member of our teams, and they will discuss options with you.
“It’s so important to do this before it is too late and the horse has started to suffer and stands the risk of becoming a welfare case.”
Both Blue Cross and World Horse Welfare have more information for struggling owners on their websites.
The results from NEWC’s latest cost-of-living survey, which uncovers the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on equine-keeping, can be found here.