Get Fit During 2020 Without Joining a Gym

Remus Horse Sanctuary is inviting people to step up and join their charity as a volunteer this year and save on those expensive membership fees at the gym!

Remus is actively seeking adult volunteers (both men and women) to join the existing and dedicated team and there are many ways in which an individual can help – whether in the office, manning a stall at an event, helping with enrichment, working on the yard, helping with the animals, maintenance, cleaning, knitting or stuffing envelopes.

Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary, says: “We’re looking for people to help us at the Sanctuary and fundraising. So whatever their fitness levels we have something to suit! No experience is needed, and people will have opportunity to get away from their screens and out into the great Essex countryside to breathe some fresh air!”

Located near Ingatestone in Essex, the Sanctuary’s first two induction days of the year will take place between 11am and 1pm on Sunday 16 February and Sunday 8 March. However, it’s important to note that these dates are for adults only and everyone must complete and submit an application form in advance, which can be obtained directly from the Sanctuary or downloaded from the website at: www.remussanctuary.org/what-we-do/useful-downloads/.

Sue says: “All we need is for the person to want to help us, to be able to spare a few hours and to be flexible and happy to work as part of a team. There is no long-term commitment or requirement for minimum hours.”

The induction will give interested people an insight into the issues that Remus face and the support needed, including relevant Health and Safety information, and offers the chance to meet other prospective volunteers.

Sue concluded, “We have found that many lovely friendships are born out of volunteering.”

For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.

Please Donate your Unwanted Gifts to Remus

We’re urging people to donate their unwanted Christmas presents to the charity!

We all receive the odd gift that we don’t like or wouldn’t buy for ourselves, but rather than throwing these presents away or sticking them in a drawer, you could help Remus to rescue and rehabilitate more horses and other animals across Southern England.

An unwanted Christmas present will be a delight to someone else, and we can make good use of the unwanted gifts at our sales, fundraising events, raffles and tombolas throughout the year.

Additionally, any other items in a good saleable condition can also be sold, such as clothing and bric-a-brac.

Research from WhatWeWant last month revealed that over half (53%) of UK adults have received unwanted gifts over the past 12 months. And while some are resourceful enough to regift the ill-fated presents or take them to a charity shop, one in five (20%) are guilty of binning the gifts without using them! And, as we say, we can make very good use of them.

So, don’t bin your unwanted present, donate it to Remus instead!

Drop-offs can be made to the Sanctuary near Ingatestone between 10am and 4pm, any day of the week, throughout January. You can find confirmation of our address (and directions) on our website here.

Charity Reminds People to Remember Rescued Animals this Christmas

As families and friends sit down to their Christmas feast on Christmas Day and pile on the leftovers on Boxing Day, Remus Horse Sanctuary are asking people everywhere to consider its rescued animals.

Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary commented: “Every year we see hundreds of horses and ponies die during the winter months through starvation. This continues to be a huge crisis in the UK. We try and rescue as many animals as we possibly can, but this comes at a substantial cost.”

Remus Horse Sanctuary will not euthanise by age alone and, as our rescued animals get older, the medical bills increase, and they require more time, care, special food, and heat to keep them warm over the winter months.

The charity has created an appeal page on Just Giving to help raise £2,500 towards the cost.

The news regularly features horses that are victims of physical and mental abuse and Remus continue to receive calls daily throughout the year. However, the cold winter months will make any situation worse and the animals at Remus need your help.

Keeping an animal fed over winter will give it a chance to thrive into spring – forage also helps keep horses and ponies warm. Without the Sanctuary’s help, many animals would die a slow, painful and unnecessary death in the unrelenting cold weather.

Sue added: “We’re launching the new winter feed appeal to raise £2,500 to help feed not only the animals in our care at the farm, but also to help aid more rescue operations.” 

We also offer a variety of foodstuffs via our online shop where people can buy and donate a bale of hay, bag of animal food, straw bedding and more. A week’s supply of food and hay for a tethered horse will help improve their life and wellbeing for just £25 and help get them through the cold winter months.

Visit: www.remussanctuary.org/product-category/animal-treats to find out more or contact Sue Burton on telephone: 01277 356191.

Donations to the appeal can be made via the website at www.remussanctuary.org/donate or via the Just Giving appeal page at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/WinterFeedAppeal2020.

PayPal match-funding for Giving Tuesday 2019

PayPal have once again stepped in to make your Giving Tuesday 2019 bigger and better than ever.

Make a donation using PayPal on the PayPal UK’s fundraising page,  or the PayPal App to PayPal Giving Fund between 06:00 on Tuesday 3 December 2019 and until such time as the cap of £150,000 has been reached, and PayPal Giving Fund UK will grant an additional 10% of the donation to benefit Remus Horse Sanctuary.

This means 100% of the donation, plus the 10% match, will come to us, in accordance with PayPal Giving Fund Donation Delivery Policy.

For further information and to read the Terms and Conditions, please visit this page.

Remus Reminds People to Donate Two Coffees to Help Rescue Horses on Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is just around the corner and this year Remus Horse Sanctuary is asking their members and supporters to donate the cost of a couple of cups of coffee to help rescue more abandoned horses this year.

Giving Tuesday is a day when people and organisations from all over the world come together to support the causes and communities that mean so much to us all. Remus are asking you to help us reach ourr goal on Tuesday 3 December and really make a difference for the animals we rescue and care for by donating just £5 a month – the equivalent of just two cups of coffee!

Remus Horse Sanctuary provides rescue and rehabilitation to abandoned horses, ponies and donkeys that are victims of physical and mental abuse, be it as a result of ignorance or malicious intent. The work at the Sanctuary  is often very similar to a hospice situation, giving these animals, most of which are survivors of the most horrendous cruelty at the hands of mankind, the very best of care, allowing the younger ones to develop into happy adults, or for the older ones to rest and recuperate.

Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary says: “The aim of #givingtuesday is to get people thinking about others this Christmas and doing little things that can make a big difference.

“It could be donating money or volunteering but, if we all do something small this #givingtuesday, it will make a real difference not only to the hundreds of abandoned horses in this area but for Remus too.

“We’re asking people to use the hashtag #givingtuesdaypledgeRemus to help promote our cause and to donate the equivalent cost of a couple of cups of coffee.”

To find out how to set up a monthly donation, visit www.remussanctuary.org/donate or call Sue Burton directly on tel: 01277 356191.

Coping with fireworks

For any horse owner, Fireworks Night is a worry. However, celebrations now tend to go on for two or even three weeks and are certainly not restricted to the one night. Here at Remus, our residents are kept as calm as possible during any nearby displays. They’re no doubt helped by the holistic care and therapies we provide all year round, but of course nothing can really prepare any animal for the noise or flashing lights.

Thankfully, following more than 307,000 people signing one petition, change is happening and a report by the Petitions Committee was released on 5th November. This report comes after an inquiry into the impact of fireworks on humans and animals, and calls on the government to limit the number of displays through a system of permits, review noise levels and promote the responsible use of fireworks.

Meanwhile, an owner’s video of a firework display over her stable yard went viral online last week with what she described as sounding like a “war zone”, and there have been other stories in the press of shocking injuries to distressed horses and ponies.

Hopefully for our horses, ponies and all other animals who are affected, change will come. In the meantime, try to keep your horses’ routines as familiar as you can to reduce stress and make sure their stable and field environments are safe. If you know fireworks are going to be set off, you should stay with your horse, but always be aware of your own safety.

You can read more about the Petitions Committee report at: https://www.yourhorse.co.uk/news/articles/bang-out-of-order-rspca-welcomes-new-fireworks-report

Remus Urges People to Donate the Cost of Two Coffees to Rescue Horses

Remus Horse Sanctuary joins #GivingTuesday 2019, the global day of generosity on 3rd December.

Remus Horse Sanctuary is thrilled to announce that we’re one of the thousands of organisations taking part in this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign, to be held on Tuesday 3 December – and all we’re asking is for people to donate the equivalent cost of a couple of coffees each month.

The campaign began in America in 2012, as a way to give back after the well-known shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It was brought to the UK in 2014 by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) with the key aim of encouraging people to think of others in the run-up to Christmas. There are numerous ways to get involved through donating to charity, volunteering or simply helping a friend, neighbour or family member.

Remus Horse Sanctuary provides rescue and rehabilitation to abandoned horses, ponies and donkeys that are victims of physical and mental abuse, be it as a result of ignorance or malicious intent. Our work at the Sanctuary is often very similar to a hospice situation, giving these animals, most of which are survivors of the most horrendous cruelty at the hands of mankind, the very best of care, allowing the younger ones to develop into happy adults, or for the older ones to rest and recuperate.

#GivingTuesday was the top trending item on UK Twitter last year, with the hashtag reaching people more than 600 million times. In the UK, more than £7.8 million was raised in online donations alone on the day itself.

Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary says: “The aim of #givingtuesday is to get people thinking about others this Christmas and doing little things that can make a big difference. It could be donating money or volunteering but, if we all do something small this #givingtuesday, it would make a real difference not only to the hundreds of abandoned horses in this area but Remus too.

“We’re asking people to use the hashtag #givingtuesdaypledgeRemus to help promote our cause.”

Gráinne Mathews, Giving Tuesday UK Campaign Lead, adds: “Giving Tuesday is a chance for us all, no matter where we live or what we do, to help out a cause close to our hearts. This year we’re also encouraging everyone to make a #GivingTuesdayPledge and think of ways to have an impact year-round, in addition to on the day itself.

“That could mean giving a small monthly donation to a charity, or setting aside a couple of hours each month for volunteering. Together, all of these pledges will combine to make a world of difference to so many lives.”

Ms Burton concluded: “We’re asking people to donate just £5 a month to Remus – that’s equivalent to the cost of just two cups of coffee, but it would make a huge difference to us and allow us to rescue more abandoned horses.”

To find out how to set up a monthly donation, visit the charity’s website at: www.remussanctuary.org/donate or call Sue Burton directly on tel: 01277 356191.

Remus Horse Sanctuary Celebrating the Christmas Season

Despite not being able to open our gates over the winter months, Remus Horse Sanctuary are organising and participating in a wealth of events over the festive season:

• Christmas Sale Saturday 2 November at St Peters Church, Hutton
• Winter Sale Saturday 9 November at Writtle Village Hall
• Winter Sale Saturday 16 November at Billericay Reading Rooms
• Antiques Fair Sunday 17 November at Stock Village Hall
• Stall at the Christmas Market Saturday 1 December on Billericay High Street
• Quiz Night Friday 6 December at Courage Hall, Brentwood

Full details for all of the above can be found on our website at www.remussanctuary.org/events.

Furthermore, our Christmas Gift Shop is now available online with some lovely gift items including stocking fillers, Christmas cards and of course our new wall calendar for 2020.

Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary said, “Our gift packs are very popular and great value at just £8.99 and our Plum Puddings always sell out really quickly – they come in three different sizes.”

The plum puddings are light and delicious, full of luxury fruits and nuts soaked in plenty of brandy and dry sherry. They range from £2.25 for the mini pud to £8.50 for the largest.

The online gift shop also features clotted cream shortbread, clotted cream fudge, notepads, pens and pencils and – new for 2019 – tins of shortbread buttons with a choice of picture on the lid, including puppies, kittens and of course horses! The shortbread tins cost just £3.50.

And last but not least, the beautiful 2020 Wall Calendar is packed full of pictures of your favourite Remus animals on every page. The calendar is A4, wirobound with a hanging clip and comes with an A4 envelope.

“As always,” concluded Sue, “we are deeply indebted for everyone’s support. Every year the charity faces the threat of closure due to spiralling costs and we couldn’t continue our rescue work without your help.”

For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.

Keeping Your Horse’s Teeth Healthy

We’ve all heard the expression, ‘getting a little long in the tooth’. Of course, it’s an alternative way of saying someone’s getting old! Horses’ teeth grow for much of their life, and wear between 2mm and 3mm a year, as a result of them happily chewing and grinding their food. It’s important that food is broken down properly in the horse’s mouth, as it allows the gut to digest it fully and therefore avoid problems such as weight loss or colic.

Horses are natural trickle feeders, typically eating for up to 18 hours a day, but with modern day winter stabling, this isn’t always the case and we need to be aware of problems that may arise.

The team here at Remus dealt with a lovely pony called Prince, who died within days of us taking him in. We found him in a field rugged up and with food but emaciated and with a huge tooth abscess. His owner loved him but was not aware that, despite feeding him, he was quidding (dropping) most of it back out. She didn’t realise that as he got older his teeth needed more attention.

As well as dropping food, horses with problem teeth might show facial swellings, head shaking or potentially nothing obvious at all. This article from Your Horse magazine sets out the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and what you should be looking out for.

If you would like to receive more news from us, directly to your inbox, please sign up on our website here.

Will you help us?

There’re so many ways you can help us, all that we ask is you choose one!

Please consider making a donation towards our winter feed costs. Our work is very hard and costly – it takes time and effort to set up a rescue – and we see some awful cases that break our hearts. Most we can save, others sadly die, but at least at the end they were loved and cared for. The financial aspect doesn’t stop just by rescuing and bringing the animals into our care as then our costs really start to escalate as we try to rectify the mess previously made of these poor creatures.

Donating the cost of just 2 coffees to us each month would have a huge impact…

Sadly we have hit a time where donations have gone down and have stayed down since the recession some years back, but our costs continue to rise. Can you help us to help these poor creatures – all innocent victims of man’s inhumanity? Thousands of horses are caught up in the horse welfare crisis and suffer daily. We want to be able to help these horses and give them a chance but we can only do this with your help:

• Can you make a donation to help us to continue this critical work, rescuing and rehabilitating sick, abused and neglected animals?
• Can you organise an event to help raise money for us?
• Do you run a business which could help with a charity raffle or bake sale?
• Are you part of a group or a club that could help raise awareness of our plight?
• If all our friends on Facebook could set up a standing order for just £5 a month it would make a huge difference and it’s only the cost of two coffees!
• Do you have good quality bric-a-brac or unwanted gifts or unwanted stock that we can sell to raise funds?

There are so many ways that you could help us and therefore help these beautiful noble creatures who suffer so badly at the hands of humanity.

Please get in touch via telephone, email or Facebook – we’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Tel: 01277 356191
Email: info@remussanctuary.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RemusHorseSanctuary