World Horse Welfare members' day provides an insight into the essential work of leading charity

By Kirsten Binnie

WORLD Horse Welfare have held their annual members' day at their only Scottish rehabiliation and rescue centre, Belwade Farm, Aboyne, where a large number of members enjoyed a day of talks and demonstrations from staff, vets and farriers who work with the organisation.

A delegation of staff, including Chief Executive Roly Owers, travelled to Aberdeenshire for presentations and talks, highlighting the charity's work at home and abroad.

After welcome tea and biscuits, the day started with a talk from Mr Owers, who greeted members by stating "each and every one of you gives a huge amount of support and this is your day."

He outlined some of the background and current work of World Horse Welfare (WHW), which not only rescues and rehabilitates horses, but also donkeys and mules - many of whom are working animals in the international countries WHW operates in.

Founded by Ada Cole to help working horses and equines left destitute after World War I, the charity was originally known as the ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses) and 2027 will be its Centenary Year.

From December this year, WHW will start the 100 year celebrations and these began with the charity announcing a new logo designed to reflect its work more effectively, launched at Bughley 2026.

"We have made some changes to the logo," Mr Owers said, showing members the current logo and the new one. It had been noted that the horse head style of the 'old' logo looked tense and this has been changed to make the horse used look more relaxed and the colour has been altered to just one main colour, rather than multiple colours.

Mr Owers reported that in 2025 there were 3,480 welfare reports for horses, ponies and mules. He highlighted a case where eight horses, including a foal, were brought to Belwade as part of a rescue mission of 22 horses in the north of England.

Long reiining at the members' day.

A number of these horses sadly had to be put to sleep, but seven of them now have new homes and the foal, Toast, has become something of a poster girl for WHW.

Toast, a bay filly, was the youngest and the most timid of the group of neglected horses who arrived at Belwade but groom Jodie MacLennan worked closely with her, discovering that as Toast was food-motivated she could build her trust and confidence.

As her confidence grew, Toast loved attention and was put up for rehoming. It is hoped that in time she will make a ridden horse.

Mr Owers explained that WHW has a 24/7 advice line for anyone who is concerned about an equine, the charity has a webinar and a 'Horses Explained' series as well as field officers on hand to check on any reports of neglect.

WHW's international work and partnerships extend to 16 countries. The charity is still involved in the long-running campaign to stop live animal transportation for slaughter, where equines are often left with no food, no water, are transported in cramped conditions with suffer from rough handling. They are exhausted and scared and kept in dirty trucks with a high risk of disease.

"We need better ID, better welfare checks and proper enforcement," said Mr Owers, who added that WHW is engaging with Ministers, MPs and civil servants in Scotland, England and Wales and working on 50 pieces of legislation to improve horse welfare.

Looking at finances as part of his presentation, Mr Owers reported that in 2025 WHW invested £8.9 million. Its income was £11.1million and the expenditure £12.2 million.

"Of each £1 donation, 73p goes to the horses and 27p to fundraising and publicity"

Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare

"We are hugely supported by gifts in wills. Leaving £500 in your will can pay for five dentals for horses and we have a free will writing service. Income is also generated by members selling gifts, sponsorship and raffles," he added.

Field Officer for South of Scotland, John Burns, who is supported by his fellow field officers in the North East and on the West Coast, has a background with the SSPCA and the Police. He has experience of handling and transporting horses and he is qualified to dart unhandled/feral equines.

World Horse Welfare also works with other agencies including the Police, the SSPCA and the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), and works within the new Scottish guidelines on equine welfare.

He discussed an example of two unhandled Shetland ponies roaming on the Isle of Skye - there is no farrier based there and the feet of these ponies were badly neglected.

WHW were asked to step in and they contacted a vet and farrier who were willing to assist. Two field officers armed with a set of gates, the vet for sedation and the SSPCA for assistance, managed to contain the ponies, sedate them and then they were trimmed by the farrier, had a dental and a general check.

They have now managed to persuade the farrier to return regularly to horses on Skye, to trim a group of horses, including the Shetlands, which will make his journey worthwhile and help to keep horses on the island in better condition.

By working with horsescotland and BHS Scotland, WHW have also been involved with the Scottish Equine Guidance Document as a legislation group which will work with the Scottish Government to improve horse welfare in Scotland.

The document provides guidance on the needs of equines - covering their health, their mental state, their transportation and ID, among other aspects, and was launched at Scone Palace International Horse Trials 2026.

John also highlighted the story of 'Keenie', an ex-racehorse who came to Scotland as a rescued horse. Keenie had raced in Ireland, in 32 flat races, 13 chases and 12 hurdles with six wins.

He ended up in a sale in England, but was bought and transported to Turriff, Aberdeenshire, and went to someone who had little experience of horses.

The SSPCA contacted WHW for guidance as Keenie was found to have rain scald, ulcers, lameness behind, he was underweight, had behavioural issues and required a dental. He is now safe, but his story shows how better ID and an equine welfare charter and more awareness of how racehorse rescue charities can help, can stop horses becoming as neglected as Keenie by discovering their plight sooner.

John also highlighted the dearth of young farriers coming into the industry with only 177 Apprentice Training Farriers available and a lack of opportunities for young farriers to train - there are currently just eight apprentice farriers in Scotland.

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The horse physio at Belwade Farm explains more about the work done to help this horse recover.

Project officers with the international teams, Sebastian and Izzy attended the members' day and discussed their work in Cambodia, South Africa and Haiti.

In these countries, WHW works in partnership with local representatives to help to educate locals on horse welfare. Sebastian said: "We work with local partners because they know the area and the people. These are working horses and we have to work with the owners and train them."

Field officers in these countries visit as regularly as they are able and have trained 2,875 partners in better care for equines, and they in turn have trained 11,392 owners, which has seen 31,227 horses benefit.

Through legislation changes, education (by putting equine welfare on the curriculum in schools) and research with students, WHW have worked with organisations and the police in these countries to improve rights for the animals and they are now more protected than ever before.

In Lesotho in South Africa, staff from WHW travellled to a hospital trust where they work in partnership with the National University of Lesotho and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, where an annual clinic for 30,000 livestock and 3,000 equids is held.

There are 19 'chiefs' in the area who act as community representatives and help to improve equine welfare through training and mentoring.

During a 10 month period, 10 workshops were held in a number of remote communities covering equine behaviour, wound care and disease prevention. There was a 90 per cent increase in knowledge and the workshops enable WHW to work with 800 community members.

After the presentations members were shown around the main stabling area at Belwade Farm, where they met with the centre's horse physio and discussed a Highland/Clydesdale cross's rehabilitation; heard about rescued donkeys whose hooves had been neglected and spoke to staff about how to de-sensitise a horse to vets' needles.

They were able to quiz the centre's vet and Belwade farrier, Donald Nicol discussed some of his tours to international countries and how the people there have been trained in hoof care and harness/bridle fitting to help improve the lives of the horses, donkeys and mules they use in their everyday lives.

Bringing on young horses and ponies and finding them homes means more equines can be rescued.

The day was rounded off with a demonstration in the indoor school of long reining, lunging, working with a 'dummy' rider and flatwork under saddle with a rescue horse.

WHW also work with Police Scotland through Policing Together and the RAB Prevention Team, SPARC (Scottish Partners Against Rural Crime) and provide assistance to the Port Authority Cairnryan.

For further information contact:

World Horse Welfare HQ: 01953 498 682.

WHW at Belwade Farm: 01339 885398.

To report a case of neglect 0300 333 6000.

Website: http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org