spookypony
Well-Known Member
Hello again, everybody! I've reached most of my fundraising now for the sponsored ride across Scotland for World Horse Welfare, but I still have a little ways to go... I wanted to thank all those who have already donated, and put up another last minute plea to anyone who might feel inclined to help me out! 
http://www.justgiving.com/spookypony
For information, I'll reprint the original post I made about this, so you can learn about the reasons why I'm doing this:
In late August, I'm taking part in a sponsored ride for World Horse Welfare (ILPH), called the "Coast to Coast Challenge" across Scotland. We ride for 5 days, camping en-route, and seeing lots of wonderful mountainous country along the way. I need to find a total of 1500 pounds of sponsorship; 1000 pounds by 9 July. The proceeds go to WHW, of course!
Many of us enjoy competing with our horses; others simply enjoy their company in a more casual way. Horses are still part of multi-million pound industries, of course, and in many poorer countries, they still form an essential part of transport and agricultural work. Of course, the horses don't exactly get asked their opinion of this, but for the most part, they're remarkably tolerant of whatever we choose to do with them!
We've read a great deal in the past year or so about horrific cases of abuse all over the UK. There's "the-case-that-shall-not-be-mentioned-on-this-forum", "the-other-issue-that-shall-not-be-mentioned-on-this-forum", Carrot and Spud,
and many others. One particular welfare case, involving about 25 horses, ocurred not far from where I live. We've seen several times on this forum just how quick and effective the WHW can be, when they are aware of and able to respond to a situation.
Two of the horses ended up on our yard, adopted by our YM. One is now happily tyrannising the Spooky Pony when he's in the Big Field with his friends, rather than in pony jail, and is a happy and friendly horse, now.
Others, from that or a very similar case, are being socialised and treated for rehoming at the WHW's farm in Aboyne. I visited there this March, and was hugely impressed with the care and effectiveness of what I saw.
Beyond rescuing UK abuse cases, the WHW does a lot of excellent work in educating horse-owners both here and abroad. So much suffering occurs not through intent, but just through ignorance (think of all the obese horses one sees at risk of laminitis!), or through lack of resources.
In many countries, working horses are still an essential part of the livelihood of families. The WHW has programmes dedicated to providing training in farriery and saddlery, for example. What is impressive about these programmes is their focus on sustainable development: care is taken to adjust techniques and materials to the traditions and resources of the area, and tradespeople trained through these programmes then go on to train their own apprentices.
I think this organisation is a cause well worth my overcoming my embarrassment at writing this essentially begging post...is it worth a little bit of sponsorship from some of you, perhaps?
http://www.justgiving.com/spookypony
The link above takes you to my sponsorship page, where you can also find more information about the ride.
Thanks for reading!
http://www.justgiving.com/spookypony
For information, I'll reprint the original post I made about this, so you can learn about the reasons why I'm doing this:
In late August, I'm taking part in a sponsored ride for World Horse Welfare (ILPH), called the "Coast to Coast Challenge" across Scotland. We ride for 5 days, camping en-route, and seeing lots of wonderful mountainous country along the way. I need to find a total of 1500 pounds of sponsorship; 1000 pounds by 9 July. The proceeds go to WHW, of course!
Many of us enjoy competing with our horses; others simply enjoy their company in a more casual way. Horses are still part of multi-million pound industries, of course, and in many poorer countries, they still form an essential part of transport and agricultural work. Of course, the horses don't exactly get asked their opinion of this, but for the most part, they're remarkably tolerant of whatever we choose to do with them!
We've read a great deal in the past year or so about horrific cases of abuse all over the UK. There's "the-case-that-shall-not-be-mentioned-on-this-forum", "the-other-issue-that-shall-not-be-mentioned-on-this-forum", Carrot and Spud,
and many others. One particular welfare case, involving about 25 horses, ocurred not far from where I live. We've seen several times on this forum just how quick and effective the WHW can be, when they are aware of and able to respond to a situation.
Two of the horses ended up on our yard, adopted by our YM. One is now happily tyrannising the Spooky Pony when he's in the Big Field with his friends, rather than in pony jail, and is a happy and friendly horse, now.
Others, from that or a very similar case, are being socialised and treated for rehoming at the WHW's farm in Aboyne. I visited there this March, and was hugely impressed with the care and effectiveness of what I saw.
Beyond rescuing UK abuse cases, the WHW does a lot of excellent work in educating horse-owners both here and abroad. So much suffering occurs not through intent, but just through ignorance (think of all the obese horses one sees at risk of laminitis!), or through lack of resources.
In many countries, working horses are still an essential part of the livelihood of families. The WHW has programmes dedicated to providing training in farriery and saddlery, for example. What is impressive about these programmes is their focus on sustainable development: care is taken to adjust techniques and materials to the traditions and resources of the area, and tradespeople trained through these programmes then go on to train their own apprentices.
I think this organisation is a cause well worth my overcoming my embarrassment at writing this essentially begging post...is it worth a little bit of sponsorship from some of you, perhaps?
http://www.justgiving.com/spookypony
The link above takes you to my sponsorship page, where you can also find more information about the ride.
Thanks for reading!