Born To Die – We Need Your Help

As you’ll know, Remus Horse Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and lifetime care for over 200 horses, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats and cats near Ingatestone in Essex, and we are celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2023.

Over the past 40 years, we have rescued and rehabilitated hundreds of emaciated, terrified, beaten, and, in two cases, deliberately blinded animals – these two were both mares in foal.

The animals in our care are now able to live and enjoy a normal happy life free from suffering, hunger and fear.

So what do we need your help with? Well you may have seen details of our #BornToDie campaign which we launched earlier this year. Although we are calling on the government for change, you too can help support us in the following simple ways:

1. Contact your MP to press for change. We urge you to write your own message, as this will see the best response. However, you can copy the information from our web page if that’s helpful. View our ‘BornToDie’ campaign page. Please remember, always be respectful and polite in your emails. The link to find your local MP is https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP just pop in your county or postcode, or the name of your MP if you know it. This will provide you with both an email and a postal address.
2. Make a donation today. Help us fund our work both at the Sanctuary and for this campaign. You can donate online or of course telephone the office to make a donation over the telephone. And, of course, we accept cheques too!
3. Improve your CSR. Please get in touch if you are able to support us as a corporate partner and improve your corporate social responsibility (CSR).
4. Get involved. Please take part in our 40th Anniversary Challenge. We have estimated that if only 1000 people raised only £40 each, you could fundraise a massive £40,000 for us!
5. Share our news. Share the details of our campaign on social media, and tag us in your posts using the hashtag #BornToDie

We provide a safe environment for those animals that have been victims of physical and mental abuse, whether because of ignorance or malicious intent.

Sue Burton co-founded the Sanctuary in 1983 following the plight of the horses on Rainham Marshes in Rainham, Essex, where over 100 horses were left on the bleak marshland. As the water inlets flooded, they became cut off resulting in 13 horses dying in the most awful conditions.

You might also like to visit our Christmas Shop.

Our Christmas Shop is Now Open

A gift for your friends and family doesn’t need to cost the earth and as the cost of living continues to be a challenge, we hope our selection below will help with your decision making and gift buying.

100% of the profits from our online shop go directly to help the rescue animals here at Remus and across the South East. Despite being based in Essex, we continue to help rescue animals across a wide area and even as far as Wales!

2024 Wall Calendar
£6.99

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Think Positive

When you love riding, it’s hard when things aren’t going so well. The exercise and social aspect of riding – as well as the bond with your horse – can be a real boost to your mental wellbeing.

But when things go wrong – whether your competition scores are not what you’d hoped, your horse is out of action, or you’re frustrated by some other aspect of horse ownership or riding – there are ways to deal with it.

Create a Plan

If you are feeling negative, try to have a clear plan about something positive you can do. If you can’t get out on your horse, go for a walk, or perhaps give your tack room a clearout. As long as you end up with a positive outcome, this will help.

And stick to a routine – if you always go to your horse at a certain time, stick to that, even if you can’t get them ready to ride. The brain responds positively to the consistency.

Positive thinking can help too – at the end of each day, reflect back on any wins or successes – however small. Ending your day with a positive thought will set you up better for the following morning.

Start Small

You can also set small daily goals – it’s hard when things are out of your control (such as when your horse is injured and you just have to wait for him or her to get better) – but by concentrating on the things you can control, your mindset will be improved.

This is so important for us here at Remus – when we have sick or injured horses brought in, it would be easy to feel negative, but we have to look for the small positives every day, so that we can feel optimistic about the future.

This excellent article by sports psychologist Charlie Unwin offers more techniques to help you…

Autumn Update

Well it was certainly a busy summer, and blighted by rain! The Sanctuary flooded so many times, including the buildings because the drains were just unable to cope with the sheer amount of water. The first week of September certainly dried things up a bit – though it was a little too warm for the animals really. They will be much happier now it has cooled down a little.

We have, of course, been busy dealing with horse welfare, horses and ponies, across the area that needed our help plus the usual issues which involve caring for so many older and sick animals and a lot of nursing work.

Sadly, we lost two out of our four Open Days and one Afternoon Tea due to the bad weather, which plays havoc with our fundraising, especially as we are rattling at an unhealthy speed towards Winter! However, our September Open Day and Dog Show was a great success as was our October Open Day when we also celebrated World Animal Day.

40th Anniversary

We were delighted to receive a visit from HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh during the summer to mark our 40th birthday. We are very lucky and proud to have her as a Patron. It was lovely that despite her increased workload now, she was able to spare some time out of her busy schedule with us and the Remus animals. Pictured with the Duchess is Dolly, and Heidi and Jakey.

If you’ve not already signed up to our 40th Anniversary Challenge, please do so. Its extremely easy, just create a fundraising page – it’s all automated – and ask your friends and family to donate.

If only a 1000 people met a target of just £40 each, we would raise £40,000 to assist our #BornToDie campaign and celebrate our anniversary! You could make a real difference to our future.

Born To Die

We also used the opportunity of the Duchess’ visit to launch our #BornToDie campaign.

Far too often we see horses born that we know have just been ‘Born to Die’. We spoke to the Police recently about a horse that was roaming loose that we rescued. The response was to report it online as lost property! When we answered the required questions that it wasn’t worth a lot of money, nor was it hazardous in that it wasn’t carrying a gun, nor was there any serial number on it to identify it, the advice was ‘we can’t help so just dispose of it’.

How can this be right? We see instances time and again where these animals are left to suffer or worse because no one wants to get involved.

Legal Enforcement

No horse, pony, donkey or mule should be subjected to the shocking conditions that we see on a regular basis. The Animal Welfare Act and a raft of other legislation and guidelines should ensure that all equines, and other kept animals, are protected.

But the protection of these beautiful animals, animals who have stood with humans for centuries – from farming to war, from friendship to servitude – falls to charities often stretched for resources.

Sanctuaries across the UK collectively know that over 7,000 horses are at risk of neglect – and those are just the ones on our radar.

Too often, members of the public have no information on how to act. And this is, in part, because there is no clear answer. If you see a neglected horse today, who do you call? Local authorities can choose to appoint inspectors, but don’t have to, many signpost to charities, including every local authority website in Essex that we researched.

Different levels of authority, ie, County Councils versus Borough Councils, have different responsibilities. The Police – who must be relied upon to enter property or confiscate animals – will often not investigate, telling us they too signpost the public to the RSPCA, who have no statutory powers, and are also overstretched!

At the start of this year, we asked two Police forces in our area through ‘Freedom of Information’ for data on equine neglect crimes – one told us that they didn’t collect that information and the public are asked to contact the RSPCA if they are aware of crimes against animals, and the other failed to respond.

So, we have animal welfare laws, covering horses and equines, but the enforcement of these laws is down to a patchwork of organisations, with differing levels of authority and responsibility. And what good is a law that isn’t enforced?

This is why we are calling for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare – saving horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. We will bring you more information in due course!

Between us we can, and we will, end this needless ongoing suffering. Please click on the link to make a donation to Remus Horse Sanctuary.

Celebrate World Animal Day with Remus

Join the animals, staff and volunteers for our last Open Day of the 2023 season and celebrate World Animal Day with us on Sunday 1 October from 1pm to 4pm. Disney’s character Mickey Mouse, will also be visiting during the afternoon!

World Animal Day, officially 4 October, has become a global celebration for all animals and the people who love and respect them.  It’s known on every continent and celebrated in different ways in many countries, with no regard to nationality, religion or political ideology.

This year’s theme is ‘Great or Small, Love them All’, which we think is pretty perfect!

Founder of the Sanctuary, Sue Burton, says: “Here at Remus Horse Sanctuary we are proud to celebrate and support this global movement to raise the status of animals everywhere at our Open Day.

“World Animal Day makes a vital difference all over the world and It’s obviously close to our hearts here at the Sanctuary.”

Visitors are welcome at the Sanctuary from 1pm to 4pm and can enjoy meeting the 200+ animals and learn more about what the charity does. There will also be a variety of activities for the whole family, such as up close magic, facepainting, music, and many stalls to browse. Parking is available on-site, with disabled access, and dogs are of course welcome on a lead. Refreshments will be available throughout the afternoon. Entry is just £6 for adults and £4 for children. 

Find out more and buy your tickets in advance at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-sanctuary-october.

The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for around 200 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep and cats, and has been doing so since it was founded in 1983.

If you’re unable to join us on Sunday but would still like to make a donation, you can do so online via our website. Alternatively feel free to give us a call on 01277 356191 to make a donation over the telephone, or post us a cheque to: Remus Horse Sanctuary, Little Farm, Buttsbury, Near Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9NZ.

#BornToDie Campaign Calls for Greater Enforcement of Animal Welfare Act

Sue Burton, founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary, has launched her #BornToDie campaign whilst commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the charity earlier this summer. Ms Burton is calling for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare – saving horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.

Across the UK horses are being let down by those who fail to give the care that horses, ponies and other equines should be able to rely on as a very basic right. Mares are still being forced to breed every year, many on a tethering chain with their foals being born to a life they wouldn’t choose, and as Remus sees so often literally being Born to Die. 

Ms Burton said, “We do have a whole raft of laws, but the problem lies with the enforcement. If the laws were enforced, then we would not have the ongoing welfare issues that we see so regularly.”

In December 2020, the Charity Times reported: “There are more than 7,000 horses currently known to animal welfare charities at risk of neglect or being abandoned. Currently charities take on more than 2,000 horse welfare cases a year.” 

The police – who must be relied upon to enter property or confiscate animals, will often not investigate, telling Ms Burton that they “signpost the public to the RSPCA” – who have no statutory powers, and are already overstretched.

At the start of this year, Ms Burton asked two police forces either side of the Dartford Tunnel for data on equine neglect crimes; one said they didn’t collect that information and advised the public are asked to contact the RSPCA if they are aware of crimes against animals, and the other did not respond.

Improving the Effectiveness of Animal Welfare Enforcement by APGAW (All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare) confirmed that there is a huge level of inconsistency with some forces seeing the value of having officers dealing with animal welfare and recognising it can be connected to other types of crime and others not seeing any value. Furthermore, equines fall in between both companion and livestock legislation.   

Local authorities can choose to appoint inspectors, but don’t have to – again many signposting to charities, including every local authority website that Ms Burton and her team researched in Essex. Different levels of authority have different responsibilities. For example, where a borough council is accountable for fly-grazing, a county council is responsible for the welfare of horses being transported. 

At the 40th Anniversary luncheon held at Ingatestone Hall in Essex, attended by the charity’s Patrons, dignitaries and trustees, Ms Burton shared, “I have witnessed so many awful sights that I can never unsee. I have cried a lake of tears. I never fail to be stunned at how much suffering these stoic animals take, at how awful mankind can be to such noble innocent animals and how so many in authority ignore their plight due to deficiencies in our legal system.

“I am so proud of what Remus has achieved over the past 40 years and the animals who have come through our gates that we have been able to turn round – from emaciated, terrified, beaten, and in two cases deliberately blinded wrecks, to animals now able to live and enjoy a normal happy life free from suffering, hunger and fear. 

“But what good is a law that isn’t enforced? Deficiencies in our legal system should not be the reason thousands of these noble innocent animals suffer each and every year.”

Ms Burton is calling for the following:

1. a named post within every County Council and unitary Authority, responsible for enforcement action across the full range of equine cruelty, working with lower tier authorities, the police and charities.
2. a national education programme, promoted across communities who are traditionally less likely to understand the importance of equine care, cascaded to support workers facilitating conversations with such communities.
3. publication by each local authority of information relating to equine welfare cases, including the number of reports, attendances, investigations and prosecutions, and details of whether referrals have come through charities or members of the public.

Attendees at the luncheon included HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO, Royal Patron to the charity since 2013, two more of the charity’s patrons: Lord Petre and his son The Hon. Dominic Petre, and Andrew Rosindell MP for Romford; Mr Vincent Thompson, His Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant; Mr Charles Bishop, High Sheriff of Essex; Councillor Jill Reeves, Chair of Essex County Council; Councillor Linda Mascot, Mayor of Chelmsford City Council; Mr Nick Eveleigh, the Chief Executive of Chelmsford City Council, and Mr Andy Mariner, Assistant Chief Constable of Essex Police. Along with the charity’s trustees, supporters, suppliers and vets. 

Of the new #BornToDie campaign, Conservative MP for Romford Mr Andrew Rosindell commented: “The government needs to step up. I’m very committed as a former shadow minister for animal welfare to continue to raise these issues in parliament and to lobby the government to change the culture of animal welfare in this country and I’m committed to working with Remus to ensure that happens.”

Ms Burton concluded, “The Animal Welfare Act should ensure that all equines, and other kept animals, are protected.

“But the protection of these beautiful animals, who have stood with humans for centuries – from farming to war, from friendship to servitude – falls to charities often stretched for resources. Too often, members of the public have no information on how to act. 

“Please, support our #BornToDie campaign for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare.” 

For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org/borntodie or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191 if you can help promote or add value to the campaign.

Remus will be hosting its final Open Day of the season on Sunday 1 October, in celebration of World Animal Day, for those wishing to visit the Sanctuary.

Luncheon images by Christopher Rushton.

Getting to the Bottom of it!

All the equines at Remus are under a strict worming programme which allows us to keep on top of any parasitic worm problems and assess the right treatment course. A worm burden for a horse can vary in its severity due to the horse’s age and any pre-existing health problems. In most cases a low worm burden number will cause very little problems to an individual but when this becomes high it can cause a horse to be in poor health, with loss of body condition and even colic.

Prevention is always the best course of action, and we undertake a few tasks and follow a few set rules to minimise the risk of problems occurring:

• Firstly, where possible, we try to keep on top of de-dunging our fields, this then concentrates any faecal eggs either into one pile in a field where the horse is unlikely to graze from, or it is brought up to the muckheap to then be taken off site.
• Secondly, we try to keep individuals in the same set groups and rarely move them around to different fields that have housed different animals over time. This then creates little ecosystems and populations of worm problems in set fields with set individuals in that field rather than a mass site infection.
• Lastly, we weigh all of our stabled horses weekly and the field horses on a monthly basis, which then flags up any that have suddenly lost a lot of weight in a short space of time as this can be indicative of a worm burden problem, as can some colics.

Every 12 weeks (depending on the type of wormer being used), we carry out dung samples for all of our equines to see what or if any faecal eggs are found and to what concentration. We don’t worm a horse unless a reading of more than 200 eggs per gram is given – you do not want to overuse wormers especially with the current climate of resistance to these products being increasingly found.

However, we do worm everyone at least once a year as well as give them a wormer for tapeworm which cannot be measured by doing faecal egg counts. The measurement for tapeworm requires a different test and the horse is treated with a different class of wormers for this problem. Everyone has a dung sample collected to be sent off to the laboratory for testing and then it’s posted off to the laboratory to undertake this screening.

As you can image, this is all both administratively burdensome and time consuming, and any donation you can make to help our ongoing costs would be very much appreciated.

Sadly our final Open Day of the season is swiftly approaching. Join us on Sunday 1 October for our last Open Day of 2023.

Fun Dog Show at Horse Sanctuary in Essex

Remus Horse Sanctuary will be opening its gates on Sunday 3 September to welcome Mrs Linda Mascot, the Mayor of Chelmsford, and members of the public for its fun Dog Show and Family Open Day from 1pm to 4pm. The Dog Show will commence at 1.30pm with bookings being taken from 1pm.

The Open Day and Dog Show will take place at Little Farm, Buttsbury, near Ingatestone, with free parking on-site, and disabled access. Admission is charged at £6 per adult and £4 for children. Cream Teas can be booked in advance for £15 per person, including entry. All dogs are welcome on a lead.

The popular novelty Dog Show includes fun classes such as: Bad Hair Day and Best Sausage Catcher, along with the more meaningful – Dogs with a Disability (blind, deaf or a life-changing illness) and of course, the ever-popular Best in Show. The 1st – 6th winners will each receive a rosette.

The events at the Sanctuary are always fun and interesting for the whole family, with a children’s entertainer, facepainting, live music and sing-a-long entertainment, delicious refreshments, lots of stalls, a tombola and a raffle.

The Open Days are a vital source of fundraising for the charity which, due to its location on greenbelt land, can only open to the public for a limited number of days each year.

The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for around 200 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep and cats, and has been doing so since it was founded in 1983. As a result, the charity has created its 40th Anniversary Challenge this year to help raise awareness of the sheer number of animals being born to die. Details of the 40th Anniversary Challenge can be viewed at: donate.giveasyoulive.com/campaign/40-anniversary-challenge.

Sue Burton, founder of the Sanctuary says, “Our fun dog show always offers a new dimension to our Open Days and we look forward to welcoming our visitors to learn more about what we do here.

“Young and old always have such a great time. They get to meet our amazing animals and we give them an insight into our valuable work in a fun way.”

To book tickets for the Open Day and Dog Show, visit the charity’s website at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-sanctuary-september.

For anyone wishing to sponsor a dog class at the event, especially local businesses, please email: info@remussanctuary.org. Further information is available on the website at www.remussanctuary.org and the charity’s Facebook page or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.

Keeping Veteran Horses Active

We have some wonderful ‘golden oldies’ at Remus Horse Sanctuary, and while the horses that end up with us or that we rescue may not have been well looked after by previous owners, there’s no reason why veterans can’t live active lives in their twilight years.

Even in their twenties, horses can still work; with some TLC, patience and adjustments, they can even continue to compete if you want to. Of course, our rescue animals here at the Sanctuary have a life built around them giving them all they need and asking nothing of them.

The key is to take things slowly and be aware that attaining and keeping a level of fitness may take some time. Building up the amount of work – and this may mean several weeks of walking exercise before moving on to anything else – will reduce the likelihood of injury.

Keep exercise sessions regular and short, and make sure you allow plenty of warming up and cooling down time too.

Of course, there will be a time when they can’t perform at your required level – it’s important to recognise this and make adjustment to avoid putting them at any risk. Look out for stiffness, lameness and loss of condition as key signs. There’s plenty more advice in this excellent article at www.yourhorse.co.uk/horse-care/keeping-veteran-in-ridden-work/.

As you will know, it’s our 40th Anniversary this year and we are campaigning to stop any equine (so horses, donkeys and mules) being born to die. Find out more about our #BornToDie campaign on our website and please fundraise for our 40th Anniversary Challenge too!

The True Cost of Horse Ownership

Keeping a horse is not a cheap hobby – and with the cost of living crisis, the expense of horse ownership has never been more keenly discussed.

At Remus we sadly often see the results when owners cannot afford to keep horses properly – whether they come to us because corners have been cut in their health and welfare, or whether owners are looking to rehome because they can no longer afford to keep their horses amid rising bills or a change in personal circumstances.

That’s why we make it part of our mission to educate would-be owners on the true costs of the hobby. Along with the actual purchase cost of your animal, there are insurance premiums to be paid, vets bills, feed, hay and livery if you don’t have your own place to keep your horse. That’s before you add in the cost of tack and other kit, transport and lessons.

The excellent Horse and Hound feature at www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/10-ways-save-money-livery-bill-431963 lists some ways to help keep costs down, including sharing costs with other owners, selling unwanted tack, taking on jobs at the livery yard, and sharing rarely needed kit and transport costs.

It’s important to note that none of these ideas sacrifice the quality of care and welfare for your animal – a concern that should always be uppermost in owners’ minds.

If you are paying for livery, although cost will be a major consideration, you should also ensure that corners are not being cut to get that good deal. Find out more about the true cost of livery at www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/why-owners-and-livery-yards-must-appreciate-the-true-cost-of-keeping-horses.

This year Remus is celebrating its 40th anniversary. If you’ve not yet done so, please take a look at our 40th Anniversary Challenge and share with your friends and family to help us achieve our mission.