Devon volunteers trained to spot early signs of horse distress at Newton Abbot sanctuary

Volunteers from across Devon have recently taken part in specialist training to help recognise the often subtle signs of horses and ponies suffering in silence. 

The sessions, held at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Newton Abbot site, aim to equip volunteers with the knowledge needed to offer advice and support to horse owners before problems escalate.

The workshops, run in partnership with the British Horse Society (BHS), focus on identifying indicators that equines may be struggling, ensuring early intervention and improved welfare standards across the region.

Leah Brock, Senior Field Officer at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, said: “Everyone in our sessions seem to be really engaged, learning lots and asking plenty of questions so I think they’ve been successful. Many of those attending were British Horse Society volunteer welfare advisors who predominantly offer advice to owners and members of the public. We also met some volunteers who support owners with end of life decisions for their horse or pony.”

She added: “The training has helped us to build partnerships and share effective evidence-based welfare practices so that cases of poor equine care can be better recognised and monitored across the Southwest. Horses are a prey species that try not to show if they’re in pain, which can make the warning signs difficult to spot, so it’s great to network, to share our expertise and hopefully make a difference to more horses and ponies who may be struggling. It’s been a really positive experience because it’s clear to see that we’re all working towards the same goal.”

Leah emphasised the Sanctuary’s compassionate approach: “As a charity, we don’t judge or shame horse owners or carers. We try to understand why there’s a welfare concern and how we can support them to improve the situation. So much of our welfare work happens before a case reaches the point of crisis, and with advice and compassion, these concerns over their care can often be resolved.”

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The British Horse Society, a national charity dedicated to the welfare, safety and education of horses and riders, also welcomed the collaboration. 

Lisa Supple, Development Officer for Devon & Cornwall, commented: “It has been a fantastic opportunity to work with The Mare & Foal Sanctuary, along with our regional Horse Care & Welfare Volunteers to really strengthen our network and knowledge of equine welfare in our region. So much of the work The British Horse Society as a charity does, relies on volunteers and this training day was an invaluable insight into how we can all work together for the benefit of horses and ponies less fortunate than our own.”

One of the new volunteers benefiting from the training, Anna Harrison, a vet with 35 years of experience who has also trained as a ‘Friend at the End’ supporting owners with difficult end-of-life decisions, shared her thoughts: “The organisers have done a fantastic job to bring us all together and The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s base at Newton Abbot is a wonderful place to come, explore and learn - I’ve enjoyed meeting some of the Sanctuary’s rescued ponies too. I was absolutely blown away by the breadth of work here. I love the fact that they’re really keen to collaborate with other organisations because I’ve been involved with several charities, and we shouldn’t work in isolation. It’s been really useful to get guidance on body condition scoring and key signs to look out to monitor welfare.”

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary says it continues to put the welfare and wellbeing of horses and ponies at the heart of its mission and plans to host further educational sessions across its Southwest sites to build on this vital work.