Horse rescue charity nears goal for new horsebox

A Southwest equine welfare charity, The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, is nearing its goal of raising £35,000 to purchase a new horsebox, thanks to the generosity of its supporters.

The charity, which rescues and cares for abused, neglected, and abandoned horses and ponies across the Westcountry, launched its Horsebox Crowdfunder campaign last month, and donations have already surpassed the halfway mark.

The Sanctuary's current horsebox, essential for transporting rescued equines, is becoming increasingly unreliable.

With over 111,000 miles on the clock and frequent costly repairs, the charity urgently needs a replacement to continue its vital work. 

Sally Burton, Head of Sanctuary Care said: “The charity’s current horsebox has served us well but has a few too many miles on the clock and doesn’t always start when we need it to. It’s becoming very costly to run and increasingly unreliable. It’ll give us peace of mind when travelling to the furthest corners of the Southwest on rescues and provide smooth transitions of rescued horses between our four sanctuary sites, or for veterinary treatment as needed.”

So far, the campaign has raised nearly £9,000 through online donations. 

Additionally, two major donors, who wish to remain anonymous, have contributed a combined £12,000, bringing the total to over £21,000. 

The charity now hopes to raise the remaining £14,000 needed to purchase the new horsebox and continue its life-saving work.

Dawn Vincent, Director of Fundraising and Communications said: “We can’t thank our amazing supporters enough for their incredible generosity so far. We know these are difficult financial times for many people, so to have more than half of our target donated within a month is overwhelming. Everyone at the Sanctuary is beyond grateful and now we hope we can get our new horsebox past the post by raising the remaining funding we need.”

The charity has been rescuing and rehabilitating horses and ponies for over 30 years. 

One recent case involved the rescue of Shetland pony Lola, who was found starving and covered in paint from children's parties. 

Lola was among 13 horses and ponies in poor condition rescued during a multi-agency operation in 2022. 

Reliable transport was crucial in saving these animals, highlighting the importance of the Sanctuary's horsebox.

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary invites the public to learn more about their work and see the current horsebox at their Summer Fete on August 25 at Coombe Park Equestrian and Education Centre in Totnes.

For more information about the Summer Fete and to support the Crowdfunder, visit the charity’s website:  https://www.mareandfoal.org/news/summer-fete-set-to-be-family-fun-day-out/