Equine table top sale sat, 17th aug in ropley: 10am to 12 noon

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Lochinvar

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Hi - I thought you might be interested to read Carolines experience of her week helping Ashleigh at The Egypt Horse Project who the Table Top Sale is in aid of xx

Today I arrived back from Nazlet, Egypt, helping The Egypt Horse Project.

I arrived in the evening one week ago to find a dead horse in the yard. The horse had been shot in the hind leg and the owner was desperate to save him. A difficult fact to understand is that no matter how injured or sick a horse is, without formal permission from the owner, you can not PTS. You would be at risk of arrest, the charity being shut down, and god knows what happening to stables and horses. All we can do is make them as comfortable as possible, and wait for the vet. Unfortunately, this was too severe and he would have died quickly. I cant remember what colour he was, or his name - to me it was a dead horse. the first one I have ever seen. We had to move him out the stable and I had the injured leg to move around a post. Within moments of arriving my hands were covered in blood and flesh. I just has to grit my teeth through the tears. My first thought was the it was all my fault, because the guys were picking me up. But then you get over yourself and realise that its not about you, that its bigger things at work.

The next few days gave me hope, the amount of street horses at the feeding clinic, the level of medical care given. We exchanged many horrific bits for gentler ones, exchanged girths for hand made ones that cause dreadful sores, and exchanged chains for lovely soft halters. Most nights several people would come to the yard and ask for help which shows a lot of compassion. We would be travelling through the street to pick up feed or bedding in the carriage and every 5 minutes someone shouts "Ashleigh" - sometimes to ask for help, sometimes to just say hello. Not only does she do tremendous work for the horses, she has made may friends, and some amazing ones.

The living conditions weren't easy. It was between 46-48 each day and we had to be covered from the shoulders and above the knee. It was so hot and dusty. At night there were so man flies, it was very hot as no air con and Ash and I shared a bed with three kittys and a large dog. There was no bathroom - a sink, a hose and a hole. You can do nothing except for find whatever you can to laugh at - and there is plenty!!!

I loved the country, the people, the culture, always having the pyramids in my sight. I will never forget the carriage rides on the busy roads at night and the bomb proof Jon Sina. The crazy Abdula, and the Angel Akhmed. But most of all, my new and very special friend, Ashleigh. She has a huge heart, a thick skin and the determination of a Ox!!!! I loved spending time with her. And OMG - you do so much WAITING there. "ten minutes, ten minutes..." - TWO hours later. And someone says they will there at 5, so you wait from 4-6 and no show. Them when you see them 2 days later the say they turned up and you weren't there.....grrrrrr!!!!!

It was lovely to have a bath and a bacon sandwich, but I wish I was back there.

Sindibad, Michael Jackson, Prince, James Bond, Champs, Valentino, Romeo, Mish Mish, Foaley, foaley with poorly leg, oh ****** I forgot one, Jack, Bella, Amira, Misty and DONKEEEEEEEEEEEEY!!! RIP Spanish, Shae, and all the horses with no names - you all stole my heart! I cant think of you without crying. Not for your future, but for your past. But no more suffering. And I know that so many more that come with have the same light at the end of the tunnel.

There is a lot of controversy, with many of the wealthy owners not wanting us there, or for it to be implied they use charity help. For this purpose I would like to say, we do not provide feed or medicine to the pyramid stables. Some of the Arabians there are stunning!!! However, if someone leaves a dying horse on the street, that has only had methylated spirit to PTS (as they did not have anything else) and will prob take between 12-24 hours to die, because its isn't proper medicine, definitely not to us. The owner was there and told us we could get medicine. As it was Ramadan we could only get the medicine to kill the brain, so the horse was suffocated with a plastic bag in our arms when its head had gone, and died in seconds. It was then supposed to be taken to the desert and burnt, which is commonplace. Unfortunately, she was only taken half way and left on the rubbish tip with some many others. I also saw two dead in the canal. Countless in the desert.

There are also corrupt charities. Using money they get donated to buy big strong carriage horses. They enter them in carriage pulling contests, where they tie the wheels of the carriage, load it up and whip the horse until it a, pulls it b, collapses or c, breaks it legs. The noise of the whip and the sparks on the road from the horses shoes were too much for me. We tried to film the charity entering their horse, but we were prevented. They say "horse is so strong its worth 10, 000LE" - It will be worth nothing with a broken leg.

It was an amazing experience with definitely more ups than downs.

I will be going back, I cant wait to go back. To see my friends, my dear friends.

https://www.facebook.com/TheEgyptHorseProject
 
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