Say No to 180km of Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons

Are you aware of the proposals for power lines and pylons over 180km of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex’s beautiful and historic countryside between Norwich and Tilbury? Find out more at the 38Degrees website.

Here at Remus Horse Sanctuary we are growing increasingly concerned by this proposal as the 50 metre high pylons will sit just the other side of our fence line.

There will be haulage roads put in for a huge amount of lorries and machinery, all coming and going on a daily basis and everything in their way, whether it be trees, hedges, wildlife and animal homes will all be destroyed. Can you imagine the amount of upheaval, noise and destruction in its wake?

It’s even possible that they could force us to move our animals to livery yards whilst this work is carried out.

There is just no way we could move our animals anywhere else – this is their home and, for the most part, the only place that they have ever known where they are safe from harm. The blind girls Holly and Grace cannot be moved, for obvious reasons.

Most livery yards would just not have our specific facilities to meet our unique needs. Let alone the number of different livery yards which would be required to house over 70 horses! Livery space is already like gold dust in the South East as it’s so densely populated, plus presumably other horses would also need to be moved along the route. There’s also all of our other animals to consider.

This will be a huge welfare issue if this is allowed to happen.

Annoyingly It is possible for this to go off-shore but this option is being ignored.

Development of our beautiful countryside continues at such an alarming rate, and now to further destroy it like this is beyond belief. This route will come from Norwich through to Tilbury. National Grid is made up of many shareholders from other countries and foreign interests, who have little or no concern for ripping up and destroying our beautiful English countryside.

Please, if you care, not just about Remus but the beautiful countryside of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, please sign the petition and share with your friends, family and colleagues.

Sign the Petition

Novelty Dog Show and Fun Day Out for the Family in Essex

Remus Horse Sanctuary will be opening its gates on Sunday 7 July to welcome members of the public for its Novelty Dog Show and Family Fun Day taking place from 1pm to 4pm. The Dog Show will commence at 1.30pm with bookings being taken from 1pm.

Open Days at the Sanctuary at Little Farm, Buttsbury, near Ingatestone, offer free parking on-site, with disabled access. Admission is charged at just £7 per adult and £5 for children. Cream Teas can be booked in advance for £15 per person, including entry. 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 (for example 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.

The 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.

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 new 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 way.”

To book tickets for the Open Day and Dog Show, visit the charity’s website at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-at-the-sanctuary-july

For anyone wishing to sponsor a dog class at the event, especially 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.

Sue Burton Founder of Essex Horse Charity Awarded BEM in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2024

Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary in Essex, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of the British Empire for her services to equine welfare. His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List 2024 recognises selfless and innovative service to others from people across the UK.

Sue founded the Sanctuary in 1983 following the plight of the horses on Rainham Marshes in Rainham, Essex, where over 100 horses were left on the bleak marshland. As the water inlets flooded, they became cut off resulting in 13 horses dying in the most awful conditions.

“There are two main reasons why I formed the Sanctuary”, said Sue.

“Firstly, I cared passionately about animals and the way they suffered at the hands of humans.

“And secondly, I have always had a great belief in wrong and right and total respect for all living creatures – be they animals or humans. I could not believe that in this country we could stand by and watch an animal suffer and die needlessly and that we would not all move mountains to ensure it never happened again.”

Sue continues to work tirelessly for the animals at Remus, for animal rescue and in raising awareness of the horse welfare crisis in this country.

Today, the Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and lifetime care for over 200 horses, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats and cats. It is a safe environment for these animals who have been victims of physical and mental abuse, whether because of ignorance or malicious intent.

Over 7,000 horses continue to be at risk in the UK and, in 2023, Sue launched her #BornToDie campaign, calling for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare – saving horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.

Further information on the #BornToDie campaign can be found on the charity’s website at: www.remussanctuary.org/borntodie.

Of her BEM award, Sue said: “I am very proud and honoured to be selected but have always loved the work I do and have been honoured to care for so many wonderful creatures who have taught me so much.

“Of course though, none of that would be possible without the help and support of all our lovely members and supporters, staff and volunteers over the years.”

Image: Sue Burton features with blind mares Holly, left and Grace right. Their stories can be found at: www.remussanctuary.org/what-we-do/animals-we-have-rescued/hollys-story and www.remussanctuary.org/what-we-do/animals-we-have-rescued/graces-story respectively.

The Sanctuary is only open on selected dates and the next event will be an Open Day with novelty dog show taking place on Sunday 7 July 2024. Details at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-at-the-sanctuary-july.

Is Your Horse Happy?

We all love our animals and want our horses to be happy – here’s five signs that can tell you if they really are!

Unfortunately when some animals come to us here at Remus Horse Sanctuary, we can see right away that they are anything but. We work tirelessly to turn things around and make sure all our residents are as content as they can be. You’ll find many stories on our website of the animals we have helped.

So how can you tell if a horse is happy?

Here are five signs to look out for…

1. Body language
   Watch how they behave in the field, in the stable and when you are riding. They can’t talk to us, but their body language will tell you a lot – especially if there is a marked change.
2. Nostrils
   You can tell a lot from a horse’s nose! Unhappy nostrils are tight, thin and drawn, while a happy horse will have round, soft and relaxed nostrils.
3. Tail
   It should hang straight, and should be quite loose, swinging freely as they move.
4. Mutual grooming
   Do you see your horse in the field with others? If they are grooming each other, it shows they are relaxed and happy, and bonding with their ‘friends’.
5. A tidy bed
   Happy horses keep their bedding in one place, while stressed animals might box walk or pace around their stall, kicking up their bedding.

For more details on how to tell if your horse is happy head to: www.yourhorse.co.uk/horse-care/horse-behaviour/13-signs-your-horse-is-happy.

Upcoming Events

• Sponsors Day: Sunday 23 June 2024 from 2-4pm. A special event for our sponsors only. Come and meet your sponsored animal. Please note spaces are limited and booking is essential. Please contact the Sanctuary to book on tel: 01277 356191.
• Open Day and Dog Show: Join us for our Open Day and Fun Dog Show on Sunday 7 July from 1 until 4pm. If you wish to take part in the Fun Dog Show, this starts at 1.30pm with bookings taken from 1pm. Class entry is £2 each and class information can be found on our website. Tickets for Adults £7 and for Children £5. Please book online via the Sanctuary website. Cream Teas are also available if booked in advance.
• Afternoon Tea: Monday 15 July 2pm. Included in your afternoon is a tour of the Sanctuary and an opportunity to meet some of the 200+ animals living at Remus in the beautiful Essex countryside. To book, please contact the Sanctuary on tel: 01277 356191. Tickets are £25 for a traditional Afternoon Tea and include a glass of Prosecco. Further dates 29 July and 12 August.

Keep Strangles at Bay

This time last month was Strangles week. Perhaps, with our ultra busy 24/7 lives, its something that has already fallen off your radar, but Strangles is highly infectious, and following some simple hygiene practices can stop it spreading.

Strangles is a really unpleasant disease, which can have a long recovery time, and it’s something we work hard to avoid here at the Sanctuary. Good management practices and hygiene are at the heart of keeping the disease at bay in your yard.

Should you suspect an animal has Strangles, they should be isolated immediately. This is an airborne disease so they must have a separate air space to prevent transmission should they cough or snort.

If your horse is liveried, you must also notify the yard manager and other horse owners, as animals who have had contact with an infected horse must also be isolated – even if they are not showing any symptoms.

Other safety rules to follow include keeping one set of equipment such as mucking out tools, grooming kit and feeding items etc for the isolated horse only. Keep other animals such as dogs away too, to avoid spreading infection, and dispose of waste such as bedding, feed and water in a separate area.

Humans caring for the animal should wear sturdy disposable gloves and change clothes after contact – overalls are useful here. Wash clothing and any other material items at 60 degrees to kill bacteria.

For more details about the disease itself, symptoms and treatment head to www.horseandrideruk.com/expert-advice/articles/put-stop-strangles.

Upcoming Events

• Harmony Brass Band: Harmony Brass will be celebrating the ensemble’s 40th Anniversary on Saturday 8 June by presenting a special fundraising concert in aid of Remus. The evening will include the usual eclectic and popular mix of music for all tastes and feature a selection of audience favourites enjoyed by the group’s supporters over the past 40 years. The concert will take place at Stock Village Hall from 7.30pm. If you would like to buy tickets please call 01277 622456. Tickets are £20 and you can bring your own drinks and nibbles.
• Afternoon Tea at the Sanctuary: Monday 10 June 2pm. Included in your afternoon is a tour of the Sanctuary and an opportunity to meet some of the 200+ animals living at Remus in the beautiful Essex countryside. To book, please contact the Sanctuary on tel: 01277 356191. Tickets are £25 for a traditional Afternoon Tea and include a glass of Prosecco. Further dates 15 July and 29 July.
• Open Day and Dog Show: Join us for our Open Day and Fun Dog Show on Sunday 7 July from 1 until 4pm. If you wish to take part in the Fun Dog Show, this starts at 1.30pm with bookings taken from 1pm. Class entry is £2 each and class information can be found on our website. Tickets for Adults £7 and for Children £5. Please book online via the Sanctuary website. Cream Teas are also available if booked in advance.

Essex Horse Sanctuary Invites Visitors for Open Day in June

Remus Horse Sanctuary, a leading authority in older horses, is looking forward to opening its gates and welcoming visitors to meet the 200+ animals for the first time this year, on Sunday 2 June from 1pm to 4pm. Due to the endless wet weather, Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary, had to make the difficult decision not to proceed with the May Open Day.

“Visitors to the Sanctuary park on the fields and they were just too wet in May”, said Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary. “We rely solely on fundraising, and missing such an important event was a devastating blow. We really need to catch a break!”

The charity has been beset by problems of late due to the extremely bad weather throughout Autumn, Winter and Spring, with a great deal of flooding and storm damage sustained, all of which hamper the important animal rescue work that the team provides and cost funds the Sanctuary just doesn’t have at present.

The Open Days at the Sanctuary are an important source of fundraising and are fun for the whole family.

In addition to the number of animals, there will be a children’s corner, roving magician and live music, plus a number of stalls selling a variety of items, a tombola and raffle. Dogs are also very welcome on a lead and parking is available on-site with disabled access.

In addition to the popular and traditional Cream Tea with two scones, cream and jam, a range of sandwiches and cakes will also be available.

Admission will be charged at just £7 per adult and £5 for children, or £15 per person to include the Cream Tea. Advance online booking is recommended via the charity’s website.

The Sanctuary organise a number of Open Days throughout the warmer months and further dates for 2024 are as follows:

• Sunday 7 July with a fun dog show
• Sunday 4 August
• Sunday 1 September with a fun dog show
• Sunday 6 October in celebration of World Animal Day

In addition to the Open Days, the charity also hosts a number of Afternoon Teas at the Sanctuary throughout the summer months and a variety of other fundraising events, Full details can be found on the Charity’s website.

Sue says, “We’re really looking forward to our June Open Day – it’s been a very wet and long winter and spring!

“We’re so immensely proud of what we achieve here, and love inviting visitors to come and meet the animals and learn more about what we do. When we can’t open due to the weather it’s such a blow to our fundraising and to our morale. Please do come and support us.”

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

Our thanks to Everything Horse for sharing details of our Open Day on their website.

Harmony Brass Celebrate at the Village Hall

The popular Essex-based brass ensemble Harmony Brass are preparing for their next visit to Stock Village Hall on Saturday 8 June at 7.30pm, when they will be celebrating the ensemble’s 40th Anniversary by presenting a special concert for the occasion.

The event will include the usual eclectic and popular mix of music for all tastes, and will feature a selection of audience favourites enjoyed by the group’s supporters over the past 40 years.

Regular visitors to Harmony Brass concerts will also see popular and humorous compere, David Hurrell, seizing an extremely rare opportunity to take over the conductor’s baton for this special occasion.

To mark this important milestone, Harmony Brass have chosen to donate all of the profit from the evening to a well deserving local charity, Remus Horse Sanctuary, which celebrated its own 40th anniversary in 2023. The Sanctuary has approximately 200 animals in its care at their wonderful home at Buttsbury, and never turn away new arrivals who may be suffering from abuse, abandonment, injury or non-coping owners.

The income needed to fund this magnificent work comes solely from donations and sponsors and, after a reduction of both during COVID, income has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels. As you all know, the cost of everything has rocketed and Remus has had to deal with serious increases in veterinary costs and winter feed, as well as general running costs.

Please, if you can, come and join the fantastic and friendly Village Hall audience on the 8 June. If you have not yet been to a Harmony Brass concert, it is a great night out. The band are all happy and talented human musicians (no AI), who will do their best to ensure that you return to your homes with at least one of these same characteristics. Bring your own drinks and nibbles. Tables for up to eight are provided for club-style seating arrangements.

Tickets £20, are on sale now from: The Box Office, telephone 01277 622456.

Strangles Awareness Week 2024

Ahead of Strangles Week, two new videos have been released to raise awareness of this devastating disease demonstrating just how quickly it can take hold.

Strangles Awareness Week in the UK is an annual event taking place from 6-12 May 2024, dedicated to raising awareness about the prevention and management of Strangles, a highly contagious and debilitating respiratory disease affecting horses.

During the week, horse owners, veterinarians, and equine professionals are encouraged to come together and share knowledge, best practices, and resources to help combat the spread of the disease and protect the welfare of horses.

Take the Temp Check Challenge!

We’re encouraging as many horse owners as possible to take their horse’s resting temperature as part of their routine and enter the reading onto the free online Temp Checker where their average temperature is calculated automatically. Monitoring horses’ temperatures is a great horse health habit that makes a big difference when it comes to preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

Throughout the week, there will be practical, informative content shared across the Strangles Awareness Week social media platforms to show horse owners how to implement this into their horse care routine.

Strangles Awareness Week plays a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of horses across the United Kingdom.

Learn more and watch the videos via this link to the original article published by Your Horse.

Follow Strangles Awareness Week on Facebook.

#SAW24 #Strangles

May Open Day:

It is with great regret that we won’t be proceeding with our first Open Day of the season on Sunday 5 May. The ongoing rain has meant that our fields where visitors park are just too wet. Instead we hope to see you at our Fundraising Fashion Show on Saturday 11 May or our June Open Day on Sunday 2 June.

 

Fundraising Fashion Show and Bargain Sale in aid of Remus Horse Sanctuary

Enjoy a unique afternoon of fashion at Stock Village Hall in Essex on Saturday 11 May in aid of Remus Horse Sanctuary. The fundraising fashion show will feature over 100 individual styles made up of timeless wardrobe essentials from leading high street fashion stores* such as M&S, Wallis, River Island, Mango, H&M, New Look, DKNY, Guess, White Stuff, Next, Dorothy Perkins and Oasis.

After the show guests will have opportunity to browse the rails and try on those items they’ve seen on the catwalk and purchase them at heavily discounted prices – generally at least 50% cheaper than the in-store price. A range of matching shoes and accessories will also be available to complement the clothes. And, in the event you change your mind, all items purchased can be returned within 14 days of the event for exchange or refund.

Catering for all shapes and sizes, the styles will be available in a range of sizes* from 6 – 22 ensuring there is something for everyone. During the show, the compere will describe what each model is wearing, the sizes available, and both the original and sale price.

Guests will have opportunity to win a £50 Colours Gift Voucher in the raffle, and refreshments will be available during the afternoon including tea, coffee, soft drinks, homemade cake and savoury snacks.

Doors open at 1pm for the Fashion Show to commence at 1.30pm. The fashion show itself will last approximately an hour and a half, followed by plenty of time to try on and purchase the items of choice.

Tickets cost just £6 per person, or three tickets can be purchased at the discounted price of £15. Tickets should be purchased in advance either by telephoning the Sanctuary on: 01277 356191 or via the website. Book your tickets online here for the Remus Colours Fashion Show and Pop-Up Shop.

The fundraising fashion show is being organised by ‘Colours’ a leading provider of professional fundraising events.

For further information, please contact Dee Shadforth at the Sanctuary via email: funding@remussanctuary.org.

*Subject to availability.

Enjoy the Ride!

Do you get nervous or uncomfortable riding in front of others at competitions, or even in the yard? Don’t let it spoil your fun. Instead, take some time to tackle the issues and you’ll be back to having fun, whoever’s watching!

Perhaps you worry about what others think when you’re riding, or that they’re judging you, looking for you to make a mistake or show poor performance? The reality is that they are probably not even paying you much attention and are much more focused on their own animal and riding ability.

Comparison is the thief of joy – so the saying goes – and comparing yourself to others is not healthy. For example, if you see someone at the yard who seems to be a more skillful rider than you – always remember that you are only seeing a small part of their riding life. You should remember that they may have more experience than you – it doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same level. You just need commitment and determination and a positive mindset.

Remember, at the end of the day, spending time with your horse should be fun!

For some excellent tips on fighting anxiety around horse riding, head to www.horseandrideruk.com/expert-advice/articles/sit-back-and-relax.

Look out for details of our upcoming Fashion Show! Can’t wait? Take a look at our Colours Fashion Show and Pop-Up Shop and book your tickets today.