Keep on moving: joint problems in horses
Just as we humans have to look after our joints as we get older, so do we have a responsibility to care for our horses’ joints. Joint problems in horses are a common cause of lameness, with arthritis being the likely cause, particularly as horses get older.
While all of our residents here at Remus are retired, we still want to make sure they are as sound as possible, so that they continue to live life in comfort. General health of the elderly horse is extremely important, as it is directly related to quality of life.
Horses and ponies are living longer than ever thanks to better veterinary treatments and general nutrition. While late teens used to be considered old, many horses live and often work or even compete well into their twenties and longer! In order for them to be able to do this, however, we need to carefully manage joint health.
Currently, with the added pressures of lockdown, some of our ways of managing our horses’ needs may have changed. Perhaps you have taken the decision not to ride and have found that your horse has become stiffer as a result? Or has turning your horse away seen him pile on the weight, putting even more strain on his joints?
As with everything, prevention is better than cure. So, if you’re worried about new or existing joint conditions, get some expert advice. This article from Your Horse magazine is a good starting point.
Our hard work at the Sanctuary continues, despite Coronavirus, and we’re trying to survive on a small skeleton staff. Please consider making a donation, either as a one off or as a regular monthly payment.
#GivingTuesdayNow
As you know, #GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of unity and generosity, taking place today, Tuesday 5 May, as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. It is a day for us all to show how much we appreciate those key workers who have played such an important role over the last weeks and months and to those charities who are always there working on the important issues that make such a difference.
Our skeleton staff have kept Remus going since lockdown. We’re delighted to be part of #GivingTuesdayNow and thank them and our amazing volunteers for all of their assistance, not just now, but since we began.
We are calling on you, our members and supporters, to help us specifically today on #GivingTuesdayNow but if you can’t help us today, please do consider us tomorrow, or next week or when you get paid at the end of the month. There are numerous ways you can make a donation including via our website.
Without your help we won’t survive, and we need your help to continue feeding and caring for the precious rescue animals that we have saved since we started the charity in 1983.
Please, unleash your generosity and share our plea!
#GivingTuesdayNow #CharityUniteUs #EveryDayCounts
Remus Horse Sanctuary Responds to Urgent COVID19 Need with Virtual Event
Remus Horse Sanctuary responds to urgent Covid-19 need with a virtual event filmed at the Sanctuary’s location in Essex, joining #GivingTuesdayNow in a Global Day of Giving and Unity…
Remus Horse Sanctuary is responding to meet the needs of its 200+ rescued animals by organising a virtual Open Day at its premises in Essex on Sunday 3 May from 1pm until 5pm, to be shared across its Facebook and Instagram platforms.
Ordinarily, the charity would be a hive of activity right now, getting ready to open its doors to the public next Sunday for the first time this year to receive some 3000 visitors, for what would have been its first Open Day of the 2020 season. Instead a small skeleton staff are caring for the 200+ rescued animals at Remus Horse Sanctuary.
As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the team at Remus Horse Sanctuary have decided to open its doors virtually for the first time.
“Instead of coming to us, we have decided to bring our first Open Day of the 2020 season to our supporters, by social media,” said Founder Sue Burton.
Via video, the charity will be sharing messages from the humans that work at the Sanctuary and from its animals, with a little bit of history too. It will also have merchandise for sale, information on conservation, enrichment, a tour of the yard and much more!
The Virtual Open Day coincides with #GivingTuesdayNow – a global day of unity and generosity, taking place on 5 May 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.
Research by the Charities Aid Foundation who lead #GivingTuesday in the UK has found that many charities are struggling to survive due to COVID-19, with 37% saying they will not be able to last beyond 6 months. It also found that there are significant levels of generosity, with more than half of people saying they expect to help their neighbours or friends with shopping/errands or check on their vulnerable or elderly neighbours.
To shine a spotlight on this incredible generosity and to support charities at this difficult time, CAF has launched this special #GivingTuesdayNow as a chance for people to show their gratitude to all the people who have supported us through these difficult weeks – their friends, families and wider communities.
Charities of all sizes have been playing their part in this battle, harnessing the goodwill of so many to help meet vital needs which have not gone away in the face of coronavirus. With fundraising events cancelled and many volunteers self-isolating, charities are facing an uphill struggle to continue to be there for those in need.
This #GivingTuesdayNow is, above all else, a day to thank all essential workers from everyone in the NHS – medical staff, cleaners, porters, laundry staff and caterers – to the food chain staff, delivery drivers, bin collectors, public transport workers, teachers, milk and post men & women, emergency services, community volunteers, workers making PPE and tests, your neighbours and of course, charities.
We are encouraging everyone to share a message of thanks on social media and a heart in their front window (or a combination of both!) to demonstrate our collective gratitude to all the people who are helping us through these difficult times. And of course, for those who are able, to think about giving to a charity close to their heart.
The UK’s #GivingTuesdayNow lead, Grainne Mathews, said: “The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is proud to lead #GivingTuesdayNow here in the UK and to join wholeheartedly in this celebration of the people who are helping us through such dark days – charities have taken their place in helping to deliver for our communities and we could not be more inspired to support them in all that they do.”
Ms Burton went on to say: “This is not something that we’ve ever tried before, but we are having an extremely tough time at present – as are many small charities – with zero fundraising activity so, we hope, that by bringing our event to our supporters directly, we can achieve our target of raising £5000 during the day.”
Those interested in joining Remus’ virtual Open Day and #GivingTuesdayNow efforts can visit: www.facebook.com/RemusHorseSanctuary and www.instagram.com/remushorsesanctuary.
For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
Virtual Open Day at the Sanctuary May
Instead of coming to us, we have decided to bring our first Open Day of the 2020 season to you, by social media, on Sunday 3 May from 1pm until 5pm.
It’s not something that we have ever tried before, but as you’ll know if you’ve been keeping up with our posts on social media and our email newsletters, we are having an extremely tough time at present – as are many small charities – with zero fundraising activity so, we hope, that by bringing our event to you, we can achieve our target of raising £5000 during the day.
Via video, we’ll be sharing messages from the humans that work at the Sanctuary and from our animals, with a little bit of history too. We’ll also have our merchandise for sale, information on conservation, enrichment, a tour of the yard and much more! We hope to entertain you throughout the afternoon and would ask you to share the details of our first ever virtual event with your friends, family, and groups on social media.
Join us on Facebook or Instagram.
We and the animals look forward to seeing you!
Learn more about #GivingTuesdayNow.
Raise Free Funds When You Download Home Entertainment
Did you know that you can raise FREE funds for Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary when you download or stream home entertainment for the family via Give as you Live Online?
- It’s free
- There’s a handy app
- There are over 4,400 stores!
If you haven’t signed up for your Give as you Live account yet, it only takes 2 minutes and is totally free!
Help spread the word and get others raising free donations when they shop online through Give as you Live. Use Twitter and Facebook to tell all your friends today.
Caring for our horses during the pandemic
Coronavirus has changed our lives beyond anything we thought possible. Thankfully our animals, for the most part, remain oblivious to everything going on around them. That’s how we want it to be, but for many who own or care for horses, routines have been affected and even life at the yard has been unable to go on as usual.
Depending on your yard situation, you may have had to turn your horses away for the foreseeable future, or you may be able to continue with their usual routine but on a buddy system with other liveries. Either way, this time of year presents lots of challenges with weight and grass management, which have now been made even trickier. Plus, as we all know, horses thrive on routine and some have had to endure sudden but inevitable changes.
So there is a lot to think about regarding our four legged friends – from managing farrier visits to coping with reduced exercise to getting hold of essential supplies. Among the reams of information out there, this checklist from Horse & Rider is a good place to start and will help make sure you’re on top of everything that still needs doing despite Covid-19.
Here at Remus we are now reliant on a small but dedicated group of yard staff and continue to give our residents the very best day to day care amidst more and more challenging circumstances. In the meantime we’re enjoying sharing pictures of the horses and ponies with you on our social media pages and if you are able to help support us in any way possible, you’ll find links below:
- Please make a donation, even if its only to set up a monthly direct debit for £5 a month! remussanctuary.org/donate.
- If you prefer you can donate food and bedding via our online shop www.remussanctuary.org/product-category/animal-treats.
- Please share our posts on social media with your friends and family www.facebook.com/RemusHorseSanctuary, twitter.com/RemusHorse, www.instagram.com/remushorsesanctuary.
We and the animals thank you!
London Community Engagement Agency Supports Essex Horse Charity 2020-21
Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary – the horse rescue charity located at Buttsbury, near Ingatestone in Essex, is delighted to receive a £500 donation from London-based Skyline Comms Ltd, during this very difficult time. Despite the recent statement from the Government, there was no olive branch for animal charities and furloughing staff is not an option due to the wholly necessary care of the rescued animals.
Ms Burton said: “We need our staff to care for the 200 horses and donkeys at the Sanctuary and they still need paying and the animals still need feeding and caring for. No mention was made by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak about animal charities. We are disappointed that we have been overlooked as a sector.
“It is a relief that companies like Skyline Comms are stepping forward, recognising the important work that we do here and helping us to remain open without any prospect of fundraising or event activity.”
Skyline Comms take their CSR responsibility seriously. They aim to support smaller charities that ensure donations where made have the most impact. Whilst being a national company, a significant proportion of their activity is in the Eastern Region, so they tend to support charities in that geographic area. In this challenging time, they know that Remus Horse Sanctuary has been hit hard by not being able to hold open days and fundraising events – which is why Skyline Comms is stepping forward now.
Skyline Comms Ltd specialises in the community and political engagement on planning projects working with developers. This ranges from scientific commercial hubs to homes for the elderly to residential housing estate developments.
Managing Director James Hockney (pictured top left with his wife) said, “We are delighted to be supporting Remus Horse Sanctuary with this donation. Many charities have been hard hit – and especially smaller charities like Remus who rely on open days and fundraising events to cover their costs. When they are spending thousands of pounds a month just on medications – before you even consider feed, hay, staff, rent, repairs, utilities – we at Skyline Comms felt the need to step in and help right now.”
Ms Burton concluded, “I can hardly express how thankful I am to James Hockney and Skyline Comms as I am even more concerned for the long term future. Clearly we’re going to be in this state for some months, not weeks. Please do support Remus. Our animals rely on your support and need you now more than at any other time.”
For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
We’re Still Here
Amidst this Coronavirus outbreak, we wanted to let you know we are doing all we can to care for the rescue animals as normal. But it’s not easy.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW THE SANCTUARY IS AFFECTED BY THE OUTBREAK HERE.
If you are able to support us, whether it be with a one-off donation or perhaps by setting up a monthly repeat direct debit, you really could make a vital difference. If you are a UK taxpayer, don’t forget to tick the Gift Aid box when prompted, which means we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate, at no cost to you.
| Donate now > |
If you’re unable to make a donation at this time we totally understand, and are so grateful for your support. If you are able to make a donation – thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Improving equine welfare through changing habits
The 2020 National Equine Forum took place on 5 March with a focus on how changing our own habits as owners can improve equine welfare.
Here at Remus we provide lifetime help and care for horses, ponies and donkeys. We also advise owners of older horses in all aspects of care through our Elderly Horse Campaign and advise members of the public through our Horse Welfare Watch. So we’re very conscious of the need to encourage better awareness within our communities.
Veterinary, equestrian and behavioural change experts came together at the Forum to discuss how the welfare of our horses can be improved by changing our habits in relation to disease prevention and control.
One of the welfare issues they looked at was colic risk. The ‘REACT now to beat colic’ owner campaign was developed by The British Horse Society and the University of Nottingham and is helping to ensure colic cases are more appropriately and rapidly responded to in order to ensure more effective treatment.
Another issue discussed was worming. There has been lots of debate surrounding regular worming programmes and the message from the Forum was that the more we worm, the more resistance we will experience to the drugs we currently use. Instead, if owners turn to targeted worming – in other words, only worming if a faecal worm egg count shows it is needed – then this could decrease the use of the drugs by 80%, therefore delaying further resistance.
You can read more about the discussions from the National Equine Forum on the website: www.nationalequineforum.com/changing-our-habits-nef20/.
You can learn more about our Elderly Horse Care and Welfare Watch on our website.
Remus Horse Sanctuary Concerns for Animals
The outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19) is putting a major strain on local, national and global resources. At Remus Horse Sanctuary in Essex, the stark reality – so far – is that all fundraising events have been cancelled and many of the older volunteers have had to stand down. The charity is now reliant on a small group of yard staff maintaining their own health to continue to feed and care for the animals residing at the Sanctuary.
If you would like to donate and help support and care for our animals, you can do so online.
Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary, said: “We are all living through very difficult times at the moment due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Its impact is showing in all aspects of life and business and I want to offer my well wishes for everyone’s health and wellbeing.”
Whilst the position surrounding Coronavirus changes daily and continues to create fear and anxiety around the world, the horse welfare crisis in this country also remains unchecked. In fact, many more animals will likely be in need of help and rescue.
From a financial perspective this puts the charity in a very worrying position. Not least, because the Government advice of social isolation also means no fundraising, whether on the street or as a result of organised events, and yet Remus still have animals at the Sanctuary to feed and care for. The staff are hoping that its suppliers can still supply the quantities of feed, hay and straw required.
Many larger charities may be able to withstand this type of business interruption, but Remus simply don’t have the reserves to do so – financially or otherwise – especially given even the experts can’t accurately forecast how long this situation might continue.
Ms Burton commented, “It’s strange here, everything goes on as normal and the animals still have their same set routine and are oblivious to what’s going on around them. Thankfully they are all in good health.”
The horse welfare charity is calling on people everywhere to help by making a donation to the Sanctuary or by setting up a monthly standing order. Remus’ rescued animals need help and support now more than at any other time.
Any help that can be offered will be gratefully received by the charity.
Ms Burton said, “I know times are hard for everyone at the moment but if you can do something to help us during the coming months, we really would appreciate it. With your help and support we will get through this and come out the other side.”
Remus Horse Sanctuary offer many ways to aid donations, as listed on their website at www.remussanctuary.org/donate. You can also donate food and bedding via the online shop.
For further information about the charity, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
Remus Drought
Other Appeal
