Could you give a young horse a 'Stable Future'?
Date published: 13 May 2012
The RSPCA has launched an emergency appeal to find foster homes for hundreds of young horses as the number in our care has doubled in the past year.
To tackle the growing horse crisis the RSPCA has launched the Stable Future appeal to find fosterers to temporarily look after some of their 270 horses that are too young to be ridden.
RSPCA chief inspector Cathy Hyde, equine officer for the North of England, said: “Over the past year we’ve seen a huge increase in the amount of horses being abandoned or allowed to get into an appalling state because the trade in horses has collapsed. We’ve heard of young horses being sold for £5 – less than the price of a bottle of wine. They’re being bought and sold in pubs and we’ve come across a case of someone keeping a horse on a tower block balcony and feeding it on kitchen scraps.
"We have a never ending tide of young horses coming into our centres. Fostering our youngsters is a way that horse lovers can help us with this problem.”
The recession, rising hay costs and irresponsible breeding are thought to be to blame for the rising number of horses being neglected and abandoned.
To help ease the crisis the RSPCA is urging horsey heroes to foster one a young horse until it is old enough to be prepared for work and they can find it a new home.
The youngsters available for fostering are aged between one and three and are all happy, healthy and handle-able. They are micro-chipped, will have passports and tetanus vaccinations.
Foster carers must have experience handling horses, grazing and be able to take in a youngster for a minimum of six months.
To apply visit:
www.rspca.org.uk/stablefuture
Comments
I had to laugh when I saw your comment, Charly. I think the RSPCA is well aware how much it costs to keep a horse as they have said they are struggling to cope after irresponsible owners have just dumped their horses.
I don't think that is unreasonable at all for a charity to ask for help - if you can great, if you can't don't knock them.
I'm sure if someone wanted to offer one of their horses a home instead of fostering it they would be thrilled.
Have Your Say
Blimey! Not asking for much are they.
My daughter has horses and I am well aware of how much it costs to keep one, especially in the winter when it needs stabling and feeding.
It wouldn't be so bad if they actually gave you the horse instead of it being fostered and then taken away to be rehomed - can't see the logic in that.
By charly @ 13/05/2012 18:35:30