Royal Visit to Commemorate 35th Anniversary
On Tuesday 26 June, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex will be visiting Remus Horse Sanctuary in Ingatestone, Essex, to help raise awareness of the ongoing horse welfare crisis in the UK as the charity celebrates its 35th anniversary year.
The Countess who will be arriving at the Sanctuary at 12 noon will meet all of the animals the charity has rescued including two blind mares, Hollie and Grace, and some of the many other ponies who have been dumped on roads or victims of cruelty.
The Countess, who joined the charity as a Patron in 2013, is committed to supporting horse welfare and will meet with the Mayors of Chelmsford and Brentwood, parish and local councilors and the Vice Lord Lieutenant, members of staff, volunteers and supporters. A plaque will be unveiled to commemorate the event.
Attendance at the event is strictly by invitation only – the Press are invited to send reporters and television crews. Arrival should be between 11am and 11.30am and names must be confirmed to Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary, no later than Monday 25 June by email to info@remussanctuary.org or by telephone on: 01277 356191.
For further information about the charity, visit www.remussanctuary.org.
The dreaded ‘L’ word
It’s a word that can strike fear in every horse owner – laminitis. We’ve enjoyed a lovely spring and early summer so far, but this seemingly constant threat to our horses’ and ponies’ health can be stressful. Many of us are in tune to the slightest niggle, off colour expression or uncharacteristic behaviour, but laminitis can manifest itself in many different ways, so it’s important that we arm ourselves with as much information and knowledge as possible!
We have experienced our fair share of laminitis cases here at Remus, but in the last few years we’ve successfully put steps in place to prevent and/or manage the condition for our residents. We have: big shavings paddocks as an alternative to them being at grass if required; a ‘no sugar’ policy on the yard; our own weighbridge to keep on top of their weight; and holistic care including aromatherapy, reiki and shiatsu to reduce stress (which can also be a trigger) and help our residents cope with any problems they have.
Every horse and pony’s needs will be different, but there are lots of resources online to help you out. This article from Horse & Rider is a great starting point: https://www.horseandrideruk.com/expert-advice/articles/laminitis-everything-need-know/ or why not refer to our own 4 page feature in Horse Magazine here.
Raise FREE funds for us this Father’s Day
Did you know that you can raise free funds for Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary when you shop for Father’s Day gifts via Give as you Live?
This Father’s Day, whether you’re buying DIY gifts, books, that must-have gift, please shop via Give as you Live and raise money for us, at no extra cost to you.
Treat your Dad this Father’s Day!
Rescued Foal Joins Open Season at Remus Horse Sanctuary
Remus Horse Sanctuary is delighted to open its gates and welcome visitors to the Sanctuary for the first time this year on Sunday 3 June 2018. Visitors will also be able to meet the latest little rescued foal – Jake.
Open from 1pm to 5pm, the Sanctuary offers entertainment for the whole family including competitions and games, bouncy castles and live performances from children’s entertainer Magic Dave, music from Midnite Blu, delicious refreshments including gluten-free sandwiches and homemade cakes, lots of stalls and a raffle.
Parking is available on-site, with disabled access and dogs are welcome on a lead. Admission will be charged at just £4 per adult and £2 for children. Members of the Sanctuary will receive a discount upon presentation of their membership card.
The Open Day poster is available to download and share here.
Visitors to the Open Days will be able to meet Jake, the newest rescue at the Sanctuary [Pictured]. He was dumped behind Buttsbury Church in Essex on a Sunday evening in March and was roaming loose for some days with no fencing between him and the busy road and the swollen river.
Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary said, “Jake is only a baby and when he arrived he was terrified! He is still skinny and was crawling with lice and infested with worms but such a sweetie. Because he is so feral, as are so many who are dumped now – more of the foals born to die – and indeed three died on Essex roads in March alone, it meant bringing in some veterinary experts to travel and dart him early one morning.”
We are so pleased that we were able to save him before he became another statistic. He had a very frightening few days before arrival, so we left him in a warm stable with food and water and deep bed to settle down and relax. He has now paired up with Heidi, one of the foals we rescued last summer, who at two months old was found tethered with her two baby friends, one of which was so poorly he died. They are both getting on well and it’s so nice to see them both relaxing and playing in the fields together.”
Donations for the foal can be made via a number of ways and details can be found on the website at: https://www.remussanctuary.org/donate/.
Further dates throughout the 2018 season can be found below:
- Sunday 1 July
- Sunday 5 August
- Sunday 2 September
- Sunday 7 October
The Sanctuary also host Afternoon Teas and Children’s Pony Days, the details for which can be found on the website: https://www.remussanctuary.org/events/.
The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for around 200 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep and cats. 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.
Sue says, “We love inviting the public to come and visit the Sanctuary and learn more about what we do. We always have such a great time showing off our facilities and our amazing animals and giving people an insight into the valuable work that we do.”
For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
Saying Goodbye to your Equine Friend
It’s never easy saying goodbye to our equine friends, however long they’ve been a part of our lives. We specialise in the care of veteran horses and ponies, and give them every chance to thrive into old age. Our animals are never euthanised for reasons of age or infirmity alone, but when we lose residents, such as Buttons at 54 and Shayne at 52, it’s still an incredibly hard time for the whole team, despite knowing they got to live out their twilight years in comfort.
Human feelings apart, what about the other horses left behind when your beloved equine passes away? Our horses spend everyday out in the paddocks enjoying each other’s company, as indeed every horse should, so a sense of loss is inevitable. There’s currently not enough research for us to be certain about how horses understand the concept of death, but there are things we can do to soothe the situation for them. This article from Horse & Hound has some great advice if you’re going through this hard time.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-care/horse-care-tips/do-horses-grieve-feel-loss-644513
Raise FREE funds for us whilst you shop for your home and garden
Did you know that you can raise free funds for Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary when you shop for home and garden products via Give as you Live?
This May, whether you’re buying new furniture, curtains or colourful plants to brighten up your garden, please shop via Give as you Live and raise money for us, at no extra cost to you.
Give your home a makeover this May!
Raise FREE funds for us when you do your weekly grocery shop
You can now raise free funds for us when you pop out to buy your groceries!
Whether you’re dashing out for milk or doing your weekly shop, our in-store cards are the convenient way to shop and raise money for us, at no extra cost to you.
Choose to shop at Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Tesco and ASDA, keep it topped up via our website, and use it again and again to keep raising free funds.
Fashion Show Raises £950
Our first ever fashion show took place recently on Saturday April 7th at Stock Village Hall. You can see some photos alongside! With 100 ladies in attendance, the event raised a fabulous total of £950 for the Sanctuary.
Our Founder Sue Burton gave an introductory talk at the start and thanked everyone for their support and talked them through the latest arrivals at the Sanctuary.
The fashion show itself was 90 minutes long and everyone was then given the opportunity to purchase clothing on the night – much of the merchandise was being offered at up to 50% off! The show and clothing were provided by Colours Fashion Company who had come all the way from Manchester! It was all branded clothing including M&S, Wallis, New Look, Top Shop, River Island and many others. The evening also included refreshments and a raffle, which alone raised £200.
Almost everyone treated themselves to clothes and some ladies left with armfuls!
Once again the event was run mainly by volunteers and without their support this, and events like this, could not happen. We are so grateful to them.
Statement from Leading Horse Charity on UK Welfare Crisis
Following the recent television coverage of the horse welfare crisis in this country, Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary in Essex, has made the following statement:
“The crisis in this country continues to deepen and Remus remains concerned re the apathy and red tape that seems to get in the way of helping them. There needs to be new updated legislation that is enforceable for all sectors of the community.
“Horses are suffering dying and being thrown out to take their chances on the busy roads. Last month two youngsters were loose in Aveley. One was killed and two were killed in Tilbury and we rescued a foal recently at a cost of over £1000 to the Sanctuary for specialist vets with tranquilliser dart equipment.
“The Government need to see horse welfare as a bigger priority and make laws adequate and enforceable and must debate tethering of horses. It seems awful that in a world where we can send men to the moon that we can allow gregarious sentient flight animals to be chained by their necks to the ground.”
Sadly, the horse charity is unable to open its gates to the public for the planned Open Day in May as the ground underfoot is still too unstable for people to drive and walk on. The first Open Day of the season, therefore, will be Sunday 3 June.
The newest rescue at the Sanctuary [Pictured top left] is Jake. He was dumped behind Buttsbury Church in Essex on a Sunday evening in March and was roaming loose for some days with no fencing between him and the busy road and the swollen river.
Sue Burton said, “He is only a baby and when he arrived he was terrified! He was skinny and crawling with lice and infested with worms but such a sweetie. Because he is so feral, as are so many who are dumped now – more of the foals born to die, and indeed three have died on Essex roads in the last month, it meant bringing in some experts to travel and dart him early one morning.
“We are so pleased that we were able to save him before he became another statistic. He had a very frightening few days before and on arrival, so we left him in a warm stable with food and water and a deep bed to settle down and relax.”
Another resident at the Sanctuary requiring special attention current is Sparkey, a 10-year-old Welsh pony that arrived in 2014 with terrible laminitis. He has recently undergone a serious operation to address problems with his mouth, teeth and nostrils, with both Diastema and Periodontal Disease.
Since the surgery, Sparkey is doing very well – he is having his sinuses flushed every day and is now on oral antibiotics with the vet visiting daily to check his dental plug is still in position. He is happy and enjoying himself out in the paddock and the vets are very pleased with his progress.
Says Sue, “We spent £2000 on Sparkey before the operation and subsequently a further £3000, including aftercare, but we have such a happy pony who should be able to enjoy the rest of his life now.
“We were hoping to introduce Jake and help raise sponsorship for Sparkey at our first Open Day in May. It’s a crying shame that we’ve had to cancel it until June.”
Donations for the rescued foal and Sparkey can be made via a number of ways and details can be found on the website.
For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
Remus Carriage Experience Packages
We’re very excited to be offering some fabulous experience packages in conjunction with the Horse Drawn Carriage Company. 25% donation to the charity on every booking when you quote our reference. Here’s a taster of what will be on offer. (more…)
Other Appeal
