Save the Date: GivingTuesday 2024

This year’s GivingTuesday will be taking place on Tuesday 3 December 2024 and it’s the day for giving back. So there’s plenty of time to start talking about, thinking about and discussing ways in which each of us can contribute to a better society.

GivingTuesday is one of the few days of the year when people are actively seeking ways to support causes close to their heart. So be part of something special the world over and get involved on 3 December 2024.

How you choose to participate in GivingTuesday is up to you! Here are a few ideas on how you can support Remus Horse Sanctuary:

• Host your own fundraising event for Remus, whether it’s a coffee morning, a virtual bake-off, or a bring and buy sale – organise something within your local community to raise funds for animal welfare and help us ensure no animal is born to die.
• Share our posts on social media with your friends and family to raise awareness of our vital welfare work.
• Become a member of the Sanctuary and receive regular news and updates of the things we’re involved in.

In the meantime, you’ll find details of our events being held throughout the year and we look forward to seeing you soon!

If you would liketo support the important welfare work we do here at Remus Horse Sanctuary, you can make a donation online.

#GivingTuesday #GiveYourWay

Watch Your Horse’s Weight

Some simple checks to ensure your horse is dropping the pounds where necessary…

Horses, it seems, are just like people, and attempts to lose some weight and stay healthy can come to a halt.

We often have the opposite problem here at Remus Horse Sanctuary, as our rescues often come to us in very poor condition, and in need of adding on several kilos.

However, if you are struggling to keep your own animal at a healthy weight, especially after the summer when they’ve been snacking on all that lovely grass, here are some useful tips:

• Up the energy: If horses are eating more calories than they are burning off they will gain weight. They either need to be ridden more, or their calorie intake needs to be reduced.
• Review their diet plan: Horses eat a lot of grass in summer, which can affect their calorie intake. You can also check the nutritional content of hay and haylage that they consume. Choose a forage source that is low in protein, sugar and digestible energy, with more non-digestible fibre. You’ll find lots of feed advice on the Dengie website.
• Use a supplement: If your horse has a forage-only diet, ensure they are getting a vitamin and mineral supplement. A balancer designed for good doers offers a low-calorie way to meet a horse’s daily vitamin and mineral requirements.
• Get advice: If you are at all unsure about your horse’s diet or weight loss progress, seek advice from the nutrition experts at your feed company.

For more detailed advice on helping your horse achieve their healthy weight head to: www.yourhorse.co.uk/fit-not-fat/stubborn-weight-loss.

Although our Open Days have now finished for the 2024 season, we have lots of other fundraising events planned for the remainder of the year, including our new wreath making workshop in December, and would love to see you there!

Wellness Fair in aid of Remus Horse Sanctuary

As the weather and the days start to close in, Remus Horse Sanctuary will be hosting a delightful Wellness Fair on Sunday 13 October from 11am to 4pm at Stock Village Hall, near Ingatestone CM4 9NF.

During the day, visitors will be able to browse and buy from a range of stalls selling a wide variety of holistic and wellness products, plus jewellery, skincare, soaps, crystals, nutritional advice, and artwork. Stallholders will include the Maldon Soap Company, Buddhist Bubble, Soulful Creations and Lastone Stoneology to name just a few.

Additionally, visitors will be able to experience a range of treatments including reflexology, and readings from psychic and spiritualist mediums. Treatments can be booked on the day or in advance.

Essex Wildlife Trust will also be supporting the event and Remus Horse Sanctuary will be selling a range of merchandise including Christmas cards and the new Wall Calendar for 2025, as well as a variety of gifts and stocking fillers.

Entry is free. However, donations are welcomed on the door and a minimum of £5 per person is recommended. Light refreshments will be available throughout the day and plenty of free parking will be available at the village hall.

For further information about the event, please visit the website or contact Dee at funding@remussanctuary.org or call 01277 356191.

Celebrate World Animal Day at Remus Horse Sanctuary on Sunday 6 October 2024

Join the animals and humans for their last Open Day of the 2024 season and celebrate World Animal Day with them on Sunday 6 October from 1pm to 4pm.

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 for nationality, religion or political ideology.

Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary, Sue Burton says, “This year’s theme for World Animal Day is: ‘The world is their home too’ which we wholly support – sadly there are far too many people in the UK and around the world who forget this!

“At Remus we work tirelessly to care for our animals and raise awareness of animal welfare to ensure that no animal is born to die. We are proud to celebrate and support this global movement to raise the status of animals everywhere at our final Open Day of 2024.”

Visitors are welcome at the Sanctuary from 1pm to 4pm and can enjoy meeting over 100 animals and learn more about what the charity does and how it operates. There will also be a variety of activities for the whole family, such as walkabout entertainment, facepainting, live music, and many stalls to browse. Disney’s character Mickey Mouse will also be visiting during the afternoon!

Parking is available on-site, with disabled access, and dogs are welcome on a lead. Refreshments will be available, including afternoon tea by advance booking.

Entry is just £7 for adults and £5 for children, or £15 to include the Cream Tea, per person.

The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for over 100 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep and cats, and has been doing so since it was founded in 1983.

Sue continued: “World Animal Day is a day for animal lovers worldwide. It exists to raise the status of animals everywhere and to improve the standards of their welfare around the globe. It’s a day to take action against animal cruelty, neglect and unfair treatment and aims to make the world a better place for all animals.

“We hope you will come and celebrate World Animal Day with us on Sunday 6 October.”

Tickets can be booked online via the website at www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-sanctuary-october.

Your Business can Make a Sustainable Difference

Does your business want to help create a more sustainable and equitable world?

The ‘Good Thing’ website says that a recent study identified around 1.2 million desks and 1.6 million office chairs end up in landfill each year. The study couldn’t count the amount of IT equipment, branded merchandise, surplus products and other items that also go to landfill, but if it could, we’re pretty sure the number would be staggering!

To work towards a more sustainable world, we all need to work towards a circular economy – both in our personal and in our business lives. We’ve shared lots of ways in the past how you can help Remus with your personal recycling, so we’re excited to bring you this opportunity for your business too!

So we have signed up with ‘A Good Thing’ a not-for-profit organisation matching businesses who care, with amazing local charities – like Remus Horse Sanctuary!

It’s very simple process:

• Business creates an offer
• Offer emailed to local charities
• Charities submit requests
• Business selects a charity
• Details exchanged
• Charity picks up items (though we may need assistance with this)

What can be donated?

Anything from the business can be given to or shared with us, such as IT equipment, furniture, new products, food, meeting rooms… and much more. Please note, however, that the ‘Good Thing’ platform isn’t designed for volunteering or donating money. You can visit their website to find more information on their donated items policy.

Does it cost anything?

The app is completely free for charities to receive donations. It is also free to use for businesses to make small offers. For large offers (such as a complete office clear-out) ‘A Good Thing’ ask businesses for a small fee.

You can see here how the app works and how a business can donate items to a charity.

Who collects the items?

The expectation is that the charity will collect the items, but the business may offer to deliver if more convenient. ‘A Good Thing’ acts as a matchmaking service, they do not collect or deliver the items directly.

What regions does the service operate in?

The initial pilot was run in the Thames Valley area, but the service has now been expanded to the whole of the UK.

If you’re a business, sign up and start helping Remus Horse Sanctuary today!

And finally, don’t forget we’ll be hosting our last Open Day of the season on Sunday 6 October – come and join us and celebrate World Animal Day at the same time!

 

Join Our Team of Dedicated Volunteers!

Have you ever thought about volunteering? We’re always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our amazing team. Whether you’re interested in working in the office, helping with the animals, assisting with maintenance, or even tackling some cleaning tasks, we’ve got a role for everyone. Your willingness to help, the ability to spare a few hours, and a flexible, team-oriented attitude are all you need to make a big difference here at Remus Horse Sanctuary.

If you’d like to become a volunteer, simply print and complete the forms provided below and return them to the Sanctuary. Once we receive your forms, we’ll notify you about our next Volunteer Induction. This Induction session is designed to introduce you to the Sanctuary, walk you through important Health & Safety information, and give you the opportunity to meet fellow volunteers. After attending the Induction, you can start volunteering as soon as you’re available.

We’ve just updated our list on the website, so please click on the link to view a list of our current volunteering opportunities.

And, if you would like to support the Sanctuary by volunteering, please complete an Application Form as mentioned above and return it to: Remus Horse Sanctuary, Little Farm, Buttsbury, Nr Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9NZ.

If you would like to learn more or view opportunities for children, please visit the Volunteer section of our website and also our Microvolunteering opportunities.

Our next Open Day celebrating World Animal Day will take place on Sunday 6 October.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Novelty Dog Show & Fun Day Out for all the Family

Remus Horse Sanctuary will be opening its gates on Sunday 1 September from 1-4pm to welcome visitors for its Novelty Dog Show and Family Fun Day. The Dog Show will commence at 2pm with bookings taken from 1.30pm.

Open Days at the Sanctuary at Little Farm, Buttsbury, near Ingatestone, are a lovely way of meeting the rescued animals and learning more about the important work provided by the charity.

The Sanctuary offers free parking on-site, with disabled access, and admission is charged at just £7 for adults and £5 for children. Cream Teas can be booked in advance for £15 per person, including entry. And 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 (such as blind, deaf or with a life-changing illness) and of course, the ever-popular Best in Show. The 1st – 6th winners will each receive a rosette and class entry is £2 per class, payable on the day.

These events at the Sanctuary are always fun and interesting for the whole family, with a children’s entertainer, live music and sing-a-long entertainment, delicious refreshments, lots of stalls, a tombola and a raffle. Mickey Mouse will also be making an appearance as the guest star!

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 Burton, founder of the Sanctuary says, “Our novelty dog shows offer a different dimension to our Open Days and we always look forward to inviting visitors to come and visit the Sanctuary and learn more about what we do here.   

“Young and old always have such a great time. They get to meet some of our amazing animals and we give them an insight into the valuable work that we do in a fun and relaxed 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, either in memory of a loved one, or a local businesses, please email: fundraising@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.

Keep Their Feet Sweet!

Hoof care is not just for winter. Keep hooves in good shape all year round for a happier and healthier horse…

When you look after as many animals as we do at Remus Horse Sanctuary, you know how important it is that they are cared for from tip to toe – and that means healthy hooves!

While you may think that’s a job for winter when they are hacking through mud and wet bedding, looking after their trotters all year round will make your – and their – lives easier.

One of the worst cases of hoof overgrowth we have seen, was with rescue horse Blax, as you can see from the photos. Thankfully she responded well to treatment and now loves her life at Remus. Click on the link to find out more about Blax and become her sponsor.

Here’s a few things you can do…

• Picking out feet daily not only keeps hooves clear of stones, but gives you a chance to check for any problems such as crack or splits.
• Be mindful when riding on hard ground in summer and watch your speed as this can cause cracks in hooves, and damage joints.
• Watch moisture levels. Changes from wet to dry and back again can weaken hooves. Limit how often you wash them, and research topical hoof products that can retain even moisture levels. You can also provide a dry area for standing and of course, keep the stable clean and dry.
• Find a good farrier who can help to maintain good hoof health.
• And finally, ensure your animal has a good-quality diet – there are also hoof supplements if needed. Your farrier can advise on these.

Find more detailed advice at: www.horseandrideruk.com/expert-advice/articles/6-steps-to-healthy-hooves

Appeal to Help Grace, Our Blind Mare

Gracie, one of our two blind mares has, over the last two years, really started to struggle in the heat, often seen in the shade panting and clearly not comfortable.

We would like to get some fans fitted in her areas and have been quoted £600 by our electrician for the fans, the electrical wiring and the switches etc.

Can you make a donation towards these fans to help us to help dear Grace? Anything you can spare will be greatly appreciated.

If you don’t know about Grace, she was found wandering loose on the roads of Romford. She was terrified, pregnant and blind. She eventually found her way into the local kennels’ grounds which were unfenced. Unfortunately it also had a massive pond in the middle of the premises and we were terrified that she would spook and run into that or the road! It took 12 of us four hours to catch her.

Animal Health Trust Ophthalmology Vets believe that she was deliberately blinded by her owners – that something was actually put into her eyes to blind her. We believe she can see light and maybe some faint shapes, but that is all.

A few months after coming to us she gave birth to Jess, her mule foal. She was unable to produce milk to feed her and so we had to bottle feed Jess around the clock for the first five months.

Grace is still incredibly nervous of people and has to be sedated for veterinary and farrier work as she is simply too strong to handle.

Another way you could help Grace would be to sponsor her for the next 12 months. You can do that by clicking on her sponsorship page.

On behalf of Grace we thank you so much for your support.

Special Guest Minnie Mouse to Visit Horse Welfare Charity

Visitors attending the Remus Horse Sanctuary Open Day on Sunday 4 August will be able to meet special guest Minnie Mouse! The horse welfare charity will be open from 1pm to 4pm for visitors to meet Minnie and all of the rescue animals to learn more about the Sanctuary.

The Open Days take place at Little Farm, Buttsbury, near Ingatestone and 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.

Admission will be charged at just £7 per adult and £5 for children. On-site parking is free, with disabled access. Cream Teas can also be booked in advance for £15 per person, including entry. Dogs are welcome on a lead.

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.

Founder, Sue Burton, said: “We love opening our gates during the summer months. Sadly we’ve already lost two dates due to bad weather, so fingers crossed for August.

“The Open Days provide a great opportunity for us to share the vital work that we do here in terms of both rescue and rehabilitation.”

To book tickets for the Open Day, including the Cream Teas, visit the charity’s website at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-at-the-sanctuary-august.

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.