Spare a thought for the veteran horses

5:01pm Friday 12th September 2008

The charity, Veteran Horse Welfare, has started its new winter campaign to raise funds for its rehabilitation centre this winter.

Julianne Aston, who launched the charity in 2004, spoke from the centre in Pembrokeshire: “Summer has been non-existent this year and we have literally gone from spring to winter. This means our older resident horses like Timmy and Hercules have had no warm summer sun and this plays havoc with their arthritis. We are trying to raise funds to buy them an infra-red heat lamp to hang in the stable so we can offer them some artificial heat to really help their old bones. Unlike us, they cannot sit in front of a warm fire in the living room, so this would be the closest thing for them.

“We do have massage machines but that doesn't get warmth into their old bones. Apart from this we have had to feed winter feeds most of the year, and with feed prices doubling in cost, it is going to be so hard to find the funds to feed them all this winter. Hay making has just been impossible so, again, prices for corn will rise this winter. All-in-all we are asking the public to be as generous as they can this winter and help with the staggering costs.”

One way of helping the charity is to purchase their Christmas merchandise and this can be bought on-line, over the telephone or by post. They have a shop on ebay and all the merchandise is currently listed on their website veteran-horse-welfare.co.uk – for a brochure you can call or email them 01239 881264/881300 or info@veteran-horse-welfare.co.uk Every penny that is donated will go directly to the care and welfare of the horses this winter.