The Horse Trust  look after many of our heroic horses who have served the public, whether working for the police or military.   These horses receive no government support once their working lives end, and the charity is fighting to be a safety net for them, and give them the retirement they all deserve.

The Trust was founded 138 years ago, and during World War 1, it pioneered the creation of the first-ever motorised horse ambulance, thus saving the lives of thousands of war horses.  The Trust provided expert care and a loving home to Sefton, Echo and Yeti after the terrible Hyde Park Bombing.  And for those of you who remember the five military horses who bolted through Central London, the Trust was there for them.  It also cared for Urbane, the Metropolitan Police horse who was viciously mauled in a dog attack.

I have visited the Horse Trust and I sponsor a horse – Trojan who worked for Thames Valley Police.  It is the most amazing place, full of love and goodwill, kindness and care.  And they re-opened on the 6th February 2025 - find out about visiting the Trust here.  I love the Black Beauty Tea Room! 

Running the Home of Rest costs £134,000 every month – even more in winter.  Many of the horses need more complex veterinary treatment, expensive feed and medicines.  There are some huge horses there, 18 hands plus so you can imagine the food bill!

So if you are able to donate to the Trust, please do.  

You could sponsor Hyderabad, who served with the Household Cavalry

The Trust also take in ponies who have done their bit with Riding for the Disabled and also severe welfare cases, and examples include Star who came from Spindles Farm and Bear  and Shetlands Fidget and Widget who were found in a field with only a puddle to drink from and no grass to eat.

Fidget and Widget are two very cheeky Shetlands.  
They love running circles around the grooms!
You can find out more about them and sponsor them here.

You can sponsor these horses and ponies to help the Horse Trust care for them.   Visit their Sponsor A Resident page here.

And please visit if you can - the times and open days are here.  The Trust is in Buckinghamshire.  It's an incredible place to visit - full of love, goodwill and kindness.  (I find the most difficult bit is not to try to smuggle any four footed friends into the car and take them home, but I know they receive the best care possible at the Trust, so I drive home alone, but but with happy memories of a lovely visit.)  Find out more about visiting the Trust here.

Our thanks to everyone looking after these wonderful horses, ponies and donkeys, and thank you too to the animals themselves for their service and love.  

Hot on the heels of Ben Fogle’s:  New lives in the Wild programme from Sri Lanka, when he visited the inspiring Dr Janey Lowe (Channel 5, 2 April 2024) comes World Stray Animals Day.

The day was founded by a group of over 100 Dutch organisations  which met at the Dutch National Stray Animals Conference back in 2010.  

If, like me, you wish to win the lottery in a very major way, and help every stray cat and dog I the world, we all know that such a win is extremely unlikely and in any case, with about 600 million stray cats and dogs in the world, even if you won the Euromillions when it was about £180 for the first prize, that wouldn’t go very far.

So what can we do on World Stray Animals Day to make a difference and help?

There are a number of organisations which are working to neuter strays and you can find them here. 

• Donate to help them with their work
• Volunteer – a number of them have volunteer opportunities for vets and veterinary nurses
• Sponsor a dog
• Spread the word
• Spread the Adopt, don’t shop, message, although I’m suspect most animal lovers are already doing this. 

Cats Protection once worked out that one female can be responsible for 5,000 offspring over a five year period, which just shows how not neutering can lead to a deluge of kittens.