Up to 6000 British horses face ‘winter of misery’

Excerpted from an article on Horsetalk.co.nz.

Equine charities in Britain fear a winter of misery is ahead for thousands of horses, and want authorities and the public to step up to avert what they call the approaching equine crisis.

The charities estimate about 6000 horses could be at risk as Britain heads into winter, and warn that they are already at breaking point in being able to care for neglect cases.

The six charities – the British RSPCA, Redwings, The Blue Cross, World Horse Welfare, HorseWorld, and the British Horse Society – have laid out the growing problem in a report entitled “Left On the Verge: the approaching Equine Crisis in England and Wales“.

It predicts that another harsh winter will leave animal charities physically unable to cope and asks what will happen to the increasing numbers of horses being abandoned or suffering from neglect.

They have called on the public to rehome more horses and for horse owners to take responsibility for their animals and not pass the problem on to local authorities, charities and landowners.

The charities have also called on the Government and other agencies to help rein in the problem before another winter takes its toll on horses.

Read the rest of the article here.