Our Charity Partner - World Horse Welfare
Almost 95 years ago what became World Horse Welfare was begun by an extraordinary woman, Ada Cole. Horrified by seeing British workhorses unloaded from ships and whipped for miles to abattoirs in Belgium, she began campaigning to prevent the export of live British horses for slaughter. A decade later the charity achieved that aim with legislation still in place today.
Combining practicality with passion, World Horse Welfare has continued to work tirelessly for a world where every horse is treated with respect, compassion and understanding – and they seek to improve the horse-human partnership in all of its guises. Today, they are the only charity that covers the full spectrum of the horse world – from pet ponies to elite athletes, working horses to those destined for slaughter. Their work in Britain, and around the world, changes the lives of many thousands of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules each year. International programmes, scientific research, political campaigning and policy influence, advising sports regulators and horse care advice go hand-in-hand with the direct rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of welfare cases in the UK.
The charity’s first horse rescue centre was opened in 1949 and now they have four Rescue and Rehoming Centres, at Hall Farm alongside the charity’s headquarters in Norfolk; Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset; Penny Farm in Lancashire and Belwade Farm in Aberdeenshire. Combined, the centres take in around 300 horses every year.
A better life is just a phone call away
Many of these horse welfare cases first come to light by a call being made to the confidential Welfare Line (0300 333 6000), launched 30 years ago. Members of the public can call with first-hand information if they are concerned about a horse. The UK Welfare team collect a number of details and information from each caller which helps to determine whether a Field Officer should attend and how urgently the horse/s in question might need to be seen.
The experienced and knowledgeable team on the Welfare Line receive many calls each year and work closely with World Horse Welfare’s network of 16 highly experienced Field Officers who cover the whole of mainland Britain and attend around 1,500 welfare concerns every year. Where possible, Field Officers advise and support the owners to improve the conditions of the horses but, in a number of cases, World Horse Welfare may need to consider taking that horse into one of its rescue centres, either by the horse being voluntarily signed over by the owner or through working with other organisations to pursue a prosecution.
Horses in Britain and further afield desperately need World Horse Welfare. World Horse Welfare Field Officers regularly work on wastelands where animals are found at the point of death from starvation. In many cases, World Horse Welfare is able to rescue neglected animals, nurse them back to health and find them loving new homes. World Horse Welfare campaigns to improve horse welfare in Europe to bring about badly needed changes in legislation regarding long-distance transport for slaughter, CCTV in slaughterhouses and responsible ownership. It supports important veterinary research; educates horse owners globally on good horse-care practice; brings leading thinkers in equine health and welfare together; lobbies to raise welfare standards in the UK and internationally and works to help vulnerable but desperately needed working equines in poorer parts of the world. It’s one of Britain’s finest charities and we are proud to help.
Visit World Horse Welfare’s own website at www.worldhorsewelfare.org. Follow World Horse Welfare on social media to keep up to date with the amazing work they're doing for horses and ponies in the UK and internationally.
How Harry Hall supported World Horse Welfare
Harry Hall has always been proud to be more than a one-stop online shop… and as such we were proud to support World Horse Welfare until 2020 as our nominated charity partner. We helped them by sharing news of their campaigns, achievements, new findings and horses they have ready to rehome to our followers. We also donated items of horse wear to World Horse Welfare’s four regional centres and providing discounted clothing and safety wear to World Horse Welfare staff.Find out about our new Charity Partners here.