New Shelter Roof Proves to be a Success

Remus Horse Sanctuary, experts in the care of elderly equines, has shared pictures of its new shelter roof following a fundraising campaign earlier this year.

Remus raised £3,735, via JustGiving, in January and February to replace the roof after it began leaking again, despite two previous repairs.

Image 1: More beams were added to strengthen the roof and wooden supports were attached to the sides of the building to make the whole structure stronger. The electrics that had been getting wet from the previous leaking roof were removed and new timbers added before the lights could be reinstated.

39-year-old Megan can be seen here crunching on some tasty fresh hay. She has been with Remus since 2012 and has a heart issue, laminitis, arthritis and EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome). She is the sweetest of ponies.

Of the shelter, Sue Burton, Founder of the charity said, “We grew very concerned last year as the roof began to leak really badly. Pippa, Sophie, Dickie and Megan all share the shelter which opens out to a large laminitic paddock.

“The quote to replace the roof was £3,600 including VAT which seemed an awful lot at the time, especially as we’ve received very little in the way of donations over the past year and haven’t been able to carry out our normal fundraising efforts”.

Image 2: The completed project from the outside with the box profile steel sheeting attached. Treated timber battens were fixed over the existing felt to the entire roof area to reduce the bow in the roof bays.

Image 3: Pippa, warm and dry in the newly improved shelter. 25-year-old Pippa has been residing at the Sanctuary for many years now. The team worked with her to re-build her health and to encourage her confidence after previously having her spirit destroyed. In 2013/2014 Pippa underwent two serious eye operations to repair her sight and is a different animal now from when she arrived in 2009. She also has various health issues which we see in older horses including arthritis. The Ophthalmologist that performed her surgery sees her from time to time and is very pleased with how well the eye is performing. The surgery was for cataracts after she went blind, and it was because of Pippa being kept in whilst she was blind that the charity introduced music to play around the Sanctuary for the animals as it really helped calm her.

Like many charities, Remus has suffered greatly as a result of Covid-19.

“Towards the end of last year, we calculated that our deficit was somewhere in excess of £337,000 and obviously it has just continued to escalate since then.

“Winter is always much more expensive, with us needing to provide so much more food when grass isn’t available and the paddocks turn to mud and, even worse, get flooded. And many of our elderly horses require additional warmth too, which we provide via special electric lamps.”

There are numerous ways for members of the public to support the Sanctuary. Obviously donations are critical, but leaving a gift in your will, recycling, microvolunteering and clothes recycling are just some of the other ways that people can help. Visit www.remussanctuary.org/how-you-can-help to find out more. Both Megan and Pippa can be sponsored here.

“We are delighted to share pictures of our new shelter roof and we, Pippa and Dickie, Sophie and Megan are eternally grateful to everyone’s support. Our thanks to Malcolm and Paul at Ablefelt Roofing for the great job that they did. 

“Hopefully we will see everyone in early May for our first Open Day – weather and safety permitting!”

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

Remus Takes Part in Essex Lottery Case Study

Spring has sprung: how have your horses done?

The daffodils are out and the sun is making more appearances – yes, spring is well and truly on its way!

It’s been a long, hard winter for everyone, but how are your horses doing? From a welfare point of view there are a few things we need to be on top of as we head into spring. The main one is weight. Horses are designed to lose some weight over winter in preparation for the lush spring grass.

If your horse is a good doer, winter is an ideal opportunity for him to lose some pounds. The dreaded laminitis is a real threat at this time of year so, if he hasn’t lost a little, consider slowly introducing more exercise and decreasing his hard feed. If your horse is retired or not ridden, like our residents here at Remus, then some walking in hand could be beneficial. For more information about laminitis, you can also read our previous blog on the subject here: Laminitis Alert for Horse Owners and/or download this article from Horse Magazine which featured our research work.

If your horse has lost too much weight over winter then good nutrition and appropriate rugging until the weather warms up will help. The spring grass will also give him some much needed nutrients, but if you’re at all worried then speak to your vet.

Check out the full vet health check from Your Horse magazine for more information: www.yourhorse.co.uk/advice/vet-advice/articles/vet-health-check-has-your-horse-wintered-well

And if you would like to contribute to our winter feed appeal to help the many neglected, malnourished and tethered horses out there, you can find out more and do so here.

Mother’s Day Gift Idea for a Socially Distanced World

For Mothering Sunday 2021, Remus Horse Sanctuary are offering to include a Mother’s Day card with hand-written personalised message within their sponsorship packages this year, to assist those unable to get out and shop or visit the Post Office during the current lockdown.

This year, Mother’s Day will fall on Sunday 14 March. Under current lockdown rules, non-essential shops such as card and gift shops, restaurants and pubs will remain shut. Indoor socialising will still be banned and people will still be advised to stay at home.

The team at Remus Horse Sanctuary are always looking for creative and imaginative ways to boost fundraising for the charity and the idea of adding a greetings card within the sponsorship package is highly relevant right now. Furthermore, funding continues to be problematic during 2021 and fundraising even more important than normal.

The sponsorship gift packages are popular at the Sanctuary all year round and offer a unique and different type of gift. Once lockdown rules are relaxed later in the year, the Sanctuary will be able to re-open to the public, and sponsors and recipients will be able to visit and meet their animals.

Details of the animals available for sponsorship and dates of all events are shared on the charity’s website at www.remussanctuary.org. To ensure delivery of the pack and greetings card for Mother’s Day, orders should be placed with first class post no later than 12 noon on Thursday 11 March. If orders are placed after this time or on Friday, a voucher can be emailed.

Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary, said: “We find that horses such as the blind mares Holly and Grace and their two youngsters are particularly popular as Mother’s Day gifts due to their own particular stories, and orphans such as Dante and Charlie.”

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

Cryptic Quiz to Entertain You

Jenny Palmer’s cryptic quizzes have for many years helped to provide a little of the much-needed funds for the Sanctuary.

Her present Lockdown Quiz is currently on sale at £1.50 a copy and there is a prize of £25 for the winner! The quiz is guaranteed to fill in some of those hours of boredom whilst in lockdown.

Obviously Jenny is unable to sell her quizzes at live events, so if you able to help her and, of course, the Sanctuary, by purchasing a copy please get in touch with her. Jenny can be contacted either by telephone on 01277 654065, by email at palmer38@sky.com, or by mail at 38 Little Norsey Road, Billericay, CM11 1BL.

Thank you for your support

What seems like kindness could kill

February is the month of love and kindness. Unfortunately, the horse world has been experiencing some perceived acts of kindness by the public, which have sadly had dire consequences for too many of our beloved equines.

Since the first lockdown last year, many more people have been taking to the countryside for walks. At the same time, the British Horse Society (BHS) has been made aware of increasing instances of horses becoming ill, or even dying, as a result of the public feeding them or other acts such as leaving gates open. The BHS subsequently launched their #BeHorseAware campaign to raise public awareness of the suffering that can be caused.

However, in recent months, cases have continued to rise and both the equestrian and national press have been publishing news stories of tragic instances up and down the country. Just last month, a distressing image of a pony choking on some chopped carrots left on the ground in the New Forest went viral. Riders and owners have also started getting together to come up with ways to raise awareness; a new Facebook group called “Stop Feeding our Horses” attracted almost 4,000 members in its first week.

The BHS have now teamed up with the University of Bristol whose research showed that more than three quarters of horse owners surveyed found that their horses were fed without their permission, and that nearly a third became unwell as a result, with half of these needing veterinary treatment. Shockingly, 16 percent of these sadly died or were euthanised.

You can read more about the study and link through to the BHS #BeHorseAware campaign at: www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2021/january/behorseaware

For genuine concerns about a horse, pony or donkey in distress, please complete the Remus Horse Welfare Watch Report Form and email to: info@remussanctuary.org.

For out-of-hours emergencies, please call the RSPCA on tel: 0300 1234 999.

To find out more about the Remus Horse Welfare Watch, click here.

And if you would like to contribute to our ‘Feed a Tethered Horse Campaign’ you can find out more and do so here.

Feed a Tethered Horse this Winter

Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary, Sue Burton, is appealing for support of a new appeal to buy a Bale of Hay, to help feed the many tethered horses in the South East of England.

Based on Ms Burton’s knowledge, the number of tethered horses in Essex alone is likely to exceed several hundred, with many thousands more across the South East. The charity believes there is no justification for tethering a horse, pony or donkey. Yet despite the Animal Welfare Act, many owners still choose to use this method to keep their animals.

Ms Burton said, “Tethering horses, ponies and donkeys, is in direct conflict with their very nature. These are flight animals, they’re gregarious and social interactors. Tethering denies them of their basic principles of the five freedoms.” 

A tethered horse will quickly run out of grazing within the circumference of its restraint and often have no water. The charity receives telephone calls and messages from members of the public 365 days of the year, reporting horses, ponies and donkeys that are in distress, tethered, malnourished, diseased and worse still, dead.

The small team do what they can to get food and water out to the animals in these instances and will mount rescue operations for the more severe cases.

“Our revenue, like so many other charities, has been severely affected by Covid-19. We still need help to recover the shortfall from 2020, let alone supply feed to these poor forgotten creatures.”

Although the number of Coronavirus cases in the UK is at last starting to fall, there is no respite in sight for the charity for at least another 6 months and quite possibly longer. It is, as yet, unknown whether the Sanctuary will be able to open for its first Open Day in May. All bar one event was cancelled in 2020.

“Equines may be able to live out in all weathers, but this is based on the natural native pony who is loose and can walk to keep warm, walk to find shelter, and trickle feed throughout the day. All of these rights are denied to an animal that is tethered.”

In addition to buying a bale of hay to assist the campaign, members of the public can report tethered horses to Remus and write to their MP.

The Remus website provides comprehensive information on horse welfare, tethering and the five freedoms for those who would like to find out more; whilst the charity’s online shop provides various options for feed and enrichment.

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

Social Behaviour in Horses

January has rolled around again; the month of fresh new starts and exciting exercise regimes, well, in usual years at least! While January 2021 may still consist of some of that, it also consists of ‘bubbles’ and ‘social distancing’, which is not so different to some interesting new research into horses’ herds from the University of Bristol and Royal Veterinary College.

The research is based on how the social behaviour of horses living in herds can influence their body condition. Much like if we live with people who play video games all day, we might do the same, but if we live with keen walkers, things might be very different!

The researchers looked at the social dominance of each equine and how often their grazing was disturbed – through vigilance, movement and social interactions, positive or negative. As you might expect, higher vigilance was linked to a lower body condition score, as these horses spent less time grazing.

It goes to show that a horse who is underweight or overweight can be helped by who it is turned out with. An overweight horse will spend less time grazing if it spends more time grooming or playing with its field mates.

At Remus, our residents are turned out in small groups for a harmonious environment. However, other horses aren’t so lucky and we do experience large herds together, particularly in instances of fly grazing. Unfortunately some horses in these types of situations suffer socially, which has an impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.

You can read more about the research at: www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/horses-social-behaviour-could-influence-their-weight-survey-finds-733449.

If you would like to buy food for an animal for a week or a tethered horse, you can do so online on our website at:  www.remussanctuary.org/product-category/animal-treats.

New Year PUSH for New Shelter Roof

Happy New Year to you! Just before Christmas, we launched a new fundraising appeal to help us to build a new roof for one of our shelters which houses Pippa, Sophie, Dickie and Megan…

The area that we call the shelter is a large area enclosed on three sides with two gate size openings at the front which allows access to the laminitic paddock. This area is lived in by Pippa, Sophie, Dickie and Megan. If you were fortunate to visit us for the one Open Day of 2020 when we could actually open to the public, you may have seen it. It is the large barn on the right hand side as you enter the yard.

Last year we grew very concerned as the roof began to leak and, despite two patch up jobs the leaks have continued! It is very important for us to get this roof fixed prior to the really bad weather starting as these horses will need the protection.

We have received a quote for the works and, to fit the extra timbers to the inside, then fix treated timber battens over the existing felt to the entire roof area spaced from the eaves to top of the roof; pack some of these battens out to reduce the bow in the roof bays, and then fit PVC coated galvanised steel sheeting and barge boards to either end and flashing at the top…will cost £3,600 including VAT.

Will you help us raise the necessary funds by giving our appeal a big New Year PUSH?

You can donate online directly via this link:  www.justgiving.com/campaign/NewShelterRoof and please do share the details of our appeal on your social media profiles and with your friends and family.

Thank you!

A little long in the tooth?

We all know how hard the pandemic has hit us during 2020. In the horse world, there have been more welfare-related calls to equine charities than ever before and together we are very worried that the country faces a horse welfare catastrophe this winter, as restrictions continue to affect us socially and economically.

Although times are hard, it’s important that every aspect of our horses’ welfare is looked after as usual; even the parts we might think are OK to cut back on ‘just this once’.

A good example is teeth. We don’t ordinarily look at our horses’ teeth, so they can be easily forgotten about. However, dental problems can occur in horses of all ages, as they can in humans. So regular examinations are really important to stop any potential problems in their tracks.

Signs of dental problems can range from a change in appetite (an easy one to notice in most horses!) to headshaking or quidding. Quidding is where they drop their food back out of their mouth. One of the main causes of new arrivals here at Remus being underweight, apart from lack of food, is tooth problems such as painful abscesses.

Even in horses and ponies with healthy mouths, the teeth do wear down with age – between 2mm and 3mm a year – so it’s important to keep them in top condition and alter their management accordingly.

This article from Your Horse has more information on spotting the signs of dental disease: https://www.yourhorse.co.uk/advice/horse-care/articles/spotting-the-signs-of-dental-disease

If you would like to buy a gift for one of our animals this year, or provide hay to feed a tethered horse, you can do so via our website here.