This summer HorseWorld’s welfare team have been attending horse sales as part of their involvement with the Equine Welfare Protocol.

Late summer is the time for selling horses in our region, this is often when young stock is weaned and released for sale from common land or the moors. Horse auctions and sales have historically been a hotbed of animal cruelty and suffering. Some present day sales are run by bona fide auction houses and follow the rules laid down by the Livestock Auctioneers Association, others are illegal sales and can raise welfare concerns.

HorseWorld traditionally did not attend sales but under the new Joint Equine Welfare Protocol monitoring duties of horses sales are now shared amongst the regional equine welfare organisations. This year HorseWorld has attended sales in Banwell, Priddy, Malvern and Aust.

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Jerry Watkins has been HorseWorld’s Equine Welfare Manager for over 11 years. Prior to that he was a Captain in the Army Veterinary Corps, working as an Estate & Stable Manager. Here he shares his “Top 5 Lessons Learnt” in his role at this very special equine welfare charity.

Jerry enjoys his role at HorseWorld. Pictured here with Admiral Jim.

Here it is, my Top 5 Lessons Learnt (in no particular order)

How to deal with a training staff that is 100% girls. In my last job in the Army the soldiers were all guys.

That the magistrates in the UK seem to be very lenient with defendants who break animal welfare laws and regularly seem to deliver what appear to me to be very light punishments.

That you can never put too much land down to hay and equally; you can never erect a barn that is too large.

Never to take a potential loaners personal assessment of their riding abilities for granted. People often believe their riding to be far better than it really is.

“There is no time in a horseman’s career when he can say that he has reached finality of any department of riding and horsemanship” said by Lt Col I G Goldschmidt in 1929 but still holds true to this day.

Sarah Hollister is an Animal Husbandry Groom and a member of the Equine Welfare Team at HorseWorld, caring for the horses and ponies that rely on the charity for their survival. Joining HorseWorld was a dream come true - here she shares her story.

Sarah has her dream job at HorseWorld

Growing up I was your classic horsey mad girl, unfortunately my parents had the classic ‘we can’t afford a pony’ response! But I was lucky enough to have riding lessons and I can still remember the ponies Qeri and Zorro that I learnt to ride with when I was eight years old. My Mum and Dad would also take me to Exmoor to hack out as a birthday treat, unfortunately I would then have a tantrum after and they would often threaten to leave me on the moors!

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As the Equine Training Manager at HorseWorld, Sasha Holden is often asked what qualifications people need to work for an equine welfare charity like HorseWorld. Here she gives a quick overview of what she looks for in a prospective employee.

“Most employers will be looking for the BHS stages qualifications and for the more advanced work of rehabilitation probably stage three and above. The charity sector of the equine industry is quite small and specialized making the job market quite competitive. You would have to prove your riding, husbandry and behavioral knowledge to a prospective employer and would probably face stiff competition. As well as qualifications an employer would be looking for a strong track record in the equine industry (not necessarily welfare and rehabilitation). Taking employees from different backgrounds can really enhance the skills base on a yard, so the more experience you can get in different sectors of the industry the better".

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My name is Megan Ball and, alongside my role as Deputy Yard Manager at our Visitor Centre, I became one of HorseWorld’s Equine Welfare Officers this March. My responsibility is to ensure the continued welfare of each and every rescued horse pony or donkey that is re-homed with new loaners after completing its rehabilitation and training programme at HorseWorld.

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