WE’RE MOVING!!

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to bring our blog and our website together onto one site and finally, we’re ready! From today you can find our blog over at www.equinerescuefrance.org. We look forward to seeing you there.

This site will remain live for the immediate future but we will not be adding any new blog posts here or approving comments. We have transferred all our content to the new address so you can consult our archives there too.

APPEAL: Help us buy a Microchip scanner

As ERF visit markets and welfare cases, we often need to find the owners of animals or check the history of the animals that we see. As all equines in France now have to be chipped by law, we need to purchase at least one hand-held microchip scanner for the team.

The cost of scanners has fallen rapidly recently and they are now available for as little as 150€. If only 30 people give 5€ today then we will be able to make an even greater difference for equines in France. Just click the Paypal button on the right or leave us a pledge in the comments below and we’ll come back to you.

Please pledge a fiver today…thank you.

Corrie and Leo are off to pastures new.

Pastures being the appropriate word, the boys could hardly believe their luck when they were turned out into their new field full of grass!

On the journey to their new home with John and Carolyn, Leo was very stressy and didn’t travel well causing Corrie to become somewhat wound up too. We safely managed their ‘enthusiasm’ to leave the trailer (!), and after a cursory glance at their surroundings and a quick explore of their field and barn, they both settled to eat.

It’s wonderful to see them in such fantastic surroundings, but it was a wrench to leave them there. It’s impossible to not become attached to horses even though I know their time with me will end when they find their forever homes. I’m sure I’ll miss them far more than they’ll miss me though!

Got bots?

If you look carefully you may see little yellow eggs on your horses legs and stomach. These are insect larvae produced by adult bot flies. These bee like looking insects usually linger around the horses chest and front legs.  If licked off the larvae can get into the horse’s mouth, later attaching themselves to the stomach lining where they develop into full-grown bots. This can lead to ulcers in the stomach which can be fatal. Hard frosts will eventually kill off the adult flies but until then it’s important to try and remove the bots with a tool such a bot knife seen here or a grooming block. Ensure your Autumn worming routine addresses bots and tapeworms with a wormer containing ivermectin or moxidectin.

A specific knife for removing bot eggs

A bot fly depositing its eggs

The damage - bot fly lavae attached to a horses stomach

Journée du cheval-September 12th

This Sunday, September 12th, is officially classified as Journée du Cheval in France – Day of the Horse.

More than 1,000 clubs open their doors to horse enthusiasts and amateurs to discover or rediscover the world of the horse.  This year the main emphasis  will be the on  ‘quality of life and good knowledge of the behaviour of horses’.

Why not check out your local Centre Equestre, Club or racetrack to  see whats on this Sunday.

Desperately seeking….

We’re desperately seeking new Guardians. Rentrée has arrived here in France and we need to find some new homes for 3 pairs of gorgeous donkeys. We have deadlines for all of them – so please help us to find them new loving homes.

First up, we have Coco & Roma, two brothers who have been handled since birth. They are both gelded and very friendly, we’ve known them for 3 years and even have one of their brothers in our own equine family. Unfortunately, their current owners have had to return to the UK following a change in circumstances and so we need to find them a home quickly. They can be seen in the Charente (16) where they are currently being looked after. They are both in good health and have had no welfare issues, always having been part of families and whilst they have not been backed, they are both suitable for riding and/or driving in the future.

These photos were taken on a very rainy day, so they are looking rather sorry for themselves….

Next up are Manon & Rowan – Manon was a broodmare in the meat trade and was purchased by a kind hearted supporter when she was left at the end of a meat fair after she had seen her long term partner and latest foal loaded onto a lorry destined for Italy. Manon was pregnant with her eighth foal, Rowan, at the time. Rowan was born a month ago and is a stunning little foal and has been handled since birth. However, they cannot stay where they are and so we need to find them a home where they can live out their days away from the threat of the meat lorry. Rowan will need to be gelded as soon as he is old enough but they are both in good health and well-handled. They can be seen in the Lot (Dept 46).

And last but by no means least are our very own Wilbur and Piona who many of you will remember from back in 2008. They were welcomed into a wonderful home in the north of France who have now been hit by some unexpected circumstances and can no longer offer a longterm home to the pair. Piona is 75% Baudet de Poitou and is in the ‘B’ Studbook. She has always been with a loving family and adores nothing more than standing and being loved by all around! Wilbur on the other hand was rescued after being abandoned in a barn for 6 months. He had the worst feet we have ever seen and took many months to rehabilitate – you can see a video of him on the right. Given his background, it takes Wilbur longer to trust new families and he is wary of new people. Having spent a lot of time with Wilbur during his recovery, I can confirm that once he is able to trust, he is a lovely donkey and full of character. Both Wilbur and Piona are large donkeys and can be visited in Normandy by appointment.

Piona (L) and Wilbur(R)

How much do we love each other...?

Please help us find homes for these donkeys by sharing this blog with your friends. Somewhere there are new homes waiting for all these donkeys.

A happy ending at last for Vinnie…

Yesterday we took our lovely Vinnie to his new home in the Correze where he will now live with new adopters Helga & Paul….and of course Lulu the donkey. Helga had arranged to privately purchase Lulu from her previous owners due to their circumstances changing. Since she was local, we collected her so that Vinnie could have a companion immediately.
We currently have other donkeys looking for homes at the moment so please get in touch with us if you would like more info on becoming a donkey adopter.

As with all donkeys, Vinnie needed a little persuation to load!

A short while later and he's in!!

Off we head with Vinnie to his new home...

We're here Vinnie!

We then went and collected Vinnies new friend Lulu...who needed a bit more encouragement than Vinnie to disembark!

A meeting of 2 donkeys.......

Vinnie is soon playing follow-my-leader with Lulu, his very own friend at last

A wonderful happy ending for 2 very lucky donkeys

Corran Ard – His Journey To Safety

We left early last Monday to go and collect Corran Ard with a fair degree of trepidation. We had no idea what we were going to find, and the cloak and dagger atmosphere surrounding the location of the farm made us wary.

We had to telephone a number when we arrived at the nearest town to the farm, and someone came to guide us there. In the surrounding fields were heavy cob type mares, many with foals at foot. There seemed to be a lot of animals for such a ramshackle set up, and you have to wonder as to what their future would hold.

Whilst polite, this was all about business. The passport was handed over, the headcollar taken down, the horse brought out of the barn and the cheque changed hands. At this point the atmosphere mellowed and we chatted as they led the horse to us and gave us charge of him.

My first impressions were of a sad depressed horse with no hope in his eye,
and no interest in those around him. He wanted no contact, or attention, he turned his head away as I tried to communicate with him. He seemed as if he wanted to run away, but didn’t know where to go. He’d totally switched off from people.

I put a tail bandage on him for the trip, and when I went back to his head, he turned to put his nose gently against me, as if to recognise an act that he remembered from when life was OK for him.

He was caked with muck and stale bedding, so the priority was to wash him and have him feel better. It took two sets of lathering to run the water clear, and as we did it, again there was the recognition of something he was familiar with, and his trust and confidence grew unbelievably in such a short space of time. It was heartbreaking to see how obviously he had missed the kindness of a human touch.

He’s a few nicks and sores, and is very thin, but nothing that won’t fix. He’s alert and pricking his ears forward when he sees me now. Watching him relax, as the realisation dawned that he was safe and comfortable, was humbling.

What trust these horses put in us, and how often it is horribly betrayed.

UK Racehorses being Shipped To French Meat Yards

Very thin and dirty

Whilst monitoring the French ‘rescue’ forums over here, we saw to our dismay a racehorse from the UK, Corran Ard, at risk of going for meat.
On checking his details on the Racing Post site, we discovered that his last run on the 26th of March this year, was less than a month before his arrival on the site on the 20th of April.

His most recent trainer, Tim Vaughan, was promptly contacted and a series of emails ensued between us and the trainer’s assistant Mark Gichero, who assured us he was doing what he could to find out why the horse had ended up there.

Suddenly, on the 27th of April, the horse was taken off the site as no longer available. We then received an email from Mark Gichero saying that he had been in touch with his contacts in France who had assured him the horse would be found a home via them.

In the interim, after doing more research, we found other UK ex racers on that site from the same region of the UK. We alerted the BHA to the fact, and they have passed the details to their investigations team.

Imagine then, our surprise and horror when the horse reappeared on the website on the 15th of June, now at a lower price and in imminent danger of going to the abattoir.

We decided there was no time to waste. To ensure that the horse was given every chance of a future, but also very much to highlight the fact that this cross channel trade in unwanted UK horses and ponies to French dealing/meat yards is happening, we contacted the newspapers in the UK.

They in turn contacted Mark Gichero, who was understandably horrified that the horse had resurfaced back in the same place. After some discussion, Mark asked us how he could help to get the horse out of there, and generously funded his purchase price and transport costs. Corran Ard was collected on Monday 28th of June by ERF and now has his future secured with us.

He is a beautiful, sensitive horse who was obviously shell-shocked at the immediate change in his circumstances. Going from 5* treatment in a racing yard to being on the meat trail must have been bewildering and terrifying for him.

He will take some careful rehabilitation, he has been neglected to the extent that he was still wearing his racing plates when we collected him, over three months after his last race. Luckily, the attention being lavished on him was quickly accepted as his due, and the spark is back in his eye. The physical recovery will sadly take much longer.

You can read the Newspaper story in Wales Online.

We’ll update his progress in a couple of days. But just for the moment, here he is after a bath having a pick of grass.

EIA Quarantine Lifted in Montcaret

One of our ERF supporters had been unlucky enough to fall within the 2km radius for quarantining and compulsory testing for EIA, after two positive cases of the disease were identified locally. She was obviously very worried about her horses when she discovered that the disease is considered ‘notifiable’ under EU regs, and that any animal found to be positive is euthanased.

Thankfully the area has now been given the all clear, and you can read her BLOG about her concerns here.

It’s hard to believe that the lives of these two lovely girls in the photo above could easily have been at risk because of the knock on effect of the illegalities of the meat trade.

Until import and export regulations are properly adhered to, there is always going to be a risk of this disease spreading. It is so important to fight to restrict the journey times of meat horses across the EU, and campaign for slaughter in country of origin.

The Etcetera magazine fete at Lessac….

We had a very worthwhile day out on Sunday at the Etcetera re-launch fete, where we got to meet some of our present supporters and also gained some new ones. It’s always nice to put a face to a name and to show some examples of  how donations are being used. Despite the slightly chilly weather there was an excellent turnout with lots of interesting stands and car boot stalls to keep everyone amused. A huge well done must go to the editor Lorraine who managed to pull off such a great family day out. ERF are pleased to be writing a monthly column for the Etcetera magazine on equines (of course!) and all back issues can be read online.

The ERF stand at the Etcetera event

We would also like to appeal for potential fundraisers that could maybe run a fundraising event or have a vide grenier stand in aid of ERF to please get in touch with us.

The ERF website is down for a few days….

It’s only very temporary though, just whilst we make some improvements to the website!

We’ll let you know when the new site is live and in the meantime please keep visiting us here, on facebook and Twitter

Princess Haya Voices FEI Support for Equine Traceability

Princess Haya, in her position as President of the FEI, has spoken out in favour of compulsory microchipping and passporting. Speaking to top European Veterinary officials attending the third European Veterinary Week (EVW) in Brussels today, the FEI President highlighted the need to create a clear distinction between the sport horse as an equine athlete and livestock that is part of the food chain.
“As an industry and as an organisation, we completely support the EU requirement for the now compulsory passports of all equines within the community and the introduction of mandatory microchipping”

The whole FEI article can be read HERE.

At last this issue is being addressed by a wider section of the horse population. To date, those concerned with traceability and identification of equines have been mostly welfare groups and government organisations concerned about the health aspects within the food chain.

With the export of unwanted/unsound British horses to European abattoirs, and the import of well bred but unsound European horses from the abattoirs queues to be sold on as competition horses in the UK, this is a welcome and overdue raising of the topic.

We also support the suggestions for changes to the TPA in this INAGS ARTICLE.

A big thank you once again to AMCF…

The Animal Medical Care Foundation (AMCF) have once again brought a big smile to our faces at ERF when we recently received a parcel of  donated medical products from them.

AMCF are a  Netherlands registered charity operating from the Netherlands and France and run by volunteers who supply medicines, medical equipment and other care products to animal shelters.

The wormers, antibiotics, grooming products and other useful equine items are much appreciated as it means we can use what little finances we have elsewhere in continuing to help those equines that need us most.

ERF Vinnie checking out the latest parcel from AMCF...think he approves!

We are always very grateful to receive any unwanted but useable equine equipment or products. Headcollars and leadropes of all sizes are particularly useful, so if you have any laying about that you no longer use, please think of ERF.

Date for your diary…June 20th

Come along and say hi to us on the ERF stand, looks set to be a great day out for the whole family!

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

Within the space of a few weeks I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum of horse welfare from the extreme neglect of the unwanted souls at markets, to the minutest attention to detail paid to the horses behind the scenes at the Saumur 3* 3DE.

After recent outings to several Foires des Chevaux, it was wonderful to be going to a horse event simply for fun, with no intent other than to catch up with old friends and enjoy the competition ……. it’s been a while!

Watching the care received by event horses was just sheer pleasure. Riders not only pay great attention to their charges well-being in general, but also when on the cross country. At Saumur there were concerns about the ground, not only about the turf areas being firm, but also about the pull on the horses’ legs from the sand tracks. UK horses had left fairly chilly weather, so the French heat was an added factor to be considered.

The preparations for each horse before the riders get on takes about an hour. The horse is plaited, groomed, studded, booted, saddled then bridled, with last minute aesthetic touches of quartermarkers and hoof oil completing the picture.

As riders leave the stables, their faces show the focus for the task ahead, the horses march out purposely underneath them, supremely fit and gleaming, full of anticipation for the task ahead.

Grooms and helpers go to the main arena, with the kit for attending to the horses as soon as they finish. After warming up around the showground, the riders arrive at the start, last minute tack adjustments are made and the horses’ legs greased. The tension builds as the starter counts them down, then they’re off and connections wait anxiously, straining to listen for news of the rider on course.

After ten minutes of seeming eternity, suddenly the horse appears over the last fence and into the arena, and all hell is let loose…. tack off, the event vet takes the horse’s temperature, countless buckets of water to wash and scrape again and again, the horse is walked, given a drink, the XC boots come off and the cool boots go on and the horse is kept walking.
5-10 mins after the finish, when the horses temperature will be at it’s highest, yet another vet check to guage pulse rate, respiratory rate and temperature, then more washing, more scraping, more walking, studs out and finally the horse is taken up to the hoses in the calm of the stables to stand under cool running water.

Ice is then put under the boots or bandages to cool the limbs, the horse is throughly checked for any nicks or marks, and then left in the stable to rest with some food.
Any potential problems are treated or avoided with cooling products such as leg ice, various magnetic and pulse therapies and the employment of back and massage specialists. The horses are continually monitored until the stables are shut for the night.

Before the Trot-up

The vet check in the morning is a trot-up on a firm surface to ensure the horses are fit and sound enough to do the show jumping phase on the third day. Only one horse was spun, the riders’ worries having proved unfounded with most horses showing no ill-effects from the previous day.

The CCI3* was won by Germany’s Frank Ostholt on Mr Medicott, and the CIC2* won by France’s Nicolas Touzaint on Neptune de Sartene.

You can see the full results on the SAUMUR site.

Investigating Horse Markets – Our Findings

A poor looking horse awaiting his fate whilst a truck full of horses in the background wait to move off

Over the last few months we have been investigating some of the larger horse markets in France. We have invested heavily in surveillance equipment to record the evidence we need to effect the necessary changes. If we do not film or photograph unseen, then we run the risk of losing information. We were noticed photographing the huge sore on the female donkey’s hindquarters (see below), and when we returned to look at her, she had disappeared.

As ERF, our presence at the markets is to assess and report upon:

• The well-being of the equines offered for sale
• The conditions for the equines whilst at the markets
• The handling of equines at the markets
• The transportation to and from the markets
• The compliance with EU welfare regulations, in particular Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005

Armed with this information, we then take the appropriate steps to report offences witnessed to the relevent EU bodies.

Our findings to date have been shocking. With a little more common sense applied to the needs of equines, many of the issues we encounter could be avoided. Some would be simple to implement – less overcrowding in the pens could prevent many of the injuries we witness.
There is a clear disregard for many of the EU transport laws – highly unsuitable vehicles used for transportation (two ponies even came out of the boot of a car!), inhumane loading practices, mixing horses and donkeys, entires and mares with all ages and all sizes being crammed so tightly into vans that the doors needed a lot of force just to shut against them.
Several injuries we saw were obviously from the horses being crushed against the ramp, or each other. Eye and lower limb lacerations were commonplace. There was no partitioning in many of the smaller dealers’ vans.
It seems likely that the permitted journey times for the young heavy horses travelling to Italy are being exceeded. The market is at least 8 hours (maximum journey time for unhandled horses) from the Italian border, and many of the trucks originated from regions in the NE of Italy.

Exhausted foals at the markets have only concrete to lie on all day

This coloured mare desperately attempts to escape from the stallion she is sharing a pen with. As she tries to launch over the pen she is halted by the rope she is tied to the railing with

Bad handling and unsuitable transport are to blame for many of the injuries we witnessed

For many this is the beginning of the journey to Italy for slaughter……

We will continue to monitor, report and campaign for equines to be treated humanely within the current EU animal welfare laws. We cannot continue to do this without your help. We need you as our eyes on the ground to report cases to us, and as our financial support. Every little helps, so please consider making a donation to enable to carry on with our welfare work in France.

James Gray Disappears As Appeal Fails

Image taken from Bucks Free Press

The appeal against the sentencing of James Gray and his family was rejected on Wednesday the 12th of May at Aylesbury Crown Court. All sentencing was upheld, with Gray receiving a a lifetime ban from keeping horses, a 26 week prison sentence (sadly the maximum allowed for such an offence) and instructed to pay £400,000 costs. The other four family members had minimum disqualification periods from keeping equines increased from five years to seven.

The sentencing Judge, Judge Tyrer said: What the court has been listening to is a horrendous case of animal cruelty. It is the worst case ever experienced by the RSPCA. In our judgment, this was animal cruelty on a scale that beggars belief.

The trial transcripts of the extent of the cruelty are in this DOCUMENT, and make grim reading.

There is however a twist in the tale, as James Gray has elected not to face his punishment, and has disappeared, with the police now forced to issue a warrant for his arrest as the defending lawyer admitted to having no idea where his client was.
If you see him phone Thames Valley Police urgently on 08458 505 505 or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

We will continue to fight for the animals left to suffer at the hands of people like James Gray. The EU welfare laws are not strong enough to protect equines at the bottom end of the market.
Please support us in our work to monitor and change the situation at markets where dealers like James Gray ply their trade in misery and degradation.

Back Pain Study in French School Horses

A fascinating chiropractic study has been undertaken in two French riding schools. A worrying 74% of horses were found to have severe back problems, with only 26% with mild problems, or unaffected. About 60% of horses had problems in more than one area.

Nineteen horses were examined and assessed at work and rest, and the resulting findings then compared to the way the individual horses had been ridden, and how the riders had been taught.

The problems found in the resting horses correlated directly with both the horses’ demeanour in work, and the manner in which the horses were ridden. Significant differences in teaching styles between the schools showed a markedly different impact on the rider and horse posture.

A very brief summary of the data suggests that one of the schools focussed on control of the horses more than riders’ posture and technique. This in turn produced riders with higher heel positions and shorter reins/higher hand postitions, causing the horses’ way of going to be hollow backed with a high head carriage. All the horses in this school were found to have back problems.
The second school concentrated on rider posture, and lower heel position and longer reins allowed the horses to work with a low head carriage and round neck, which caused much less negative impact on the vertebrae, with a proportion of horses without back problems. The study also touched on the behavioural problems associated with back pain, such as head shaking and aggression.

It’s good to see such a study undertaken, lets hope that the message is received and acted upon.

The full study is HERE

Nanette…quite simply amazing!

We thought Nanette deserved a post all of her own as the transformation in her from the neglected little donkey we rescued in June 2008, is nothing short of inspirational! Those of you who remember Nanette will also remember the dreadful state her feet were in, they had been neglected for many years.

X-ray of Nanettes foot on arrival

After x-rays were taken of her feet to assess whether she has any pedal bone rotation, the arduous task  began of trying to get her feet back into a decent state again. We thought that it was important to show you just what can be acheived with these rescued equines with time and care.

These were her feet on arriving with ERF….

Nanette Front feet

And now…..

Nanette front feet

Nanette hind feet

We would like to thank Nanettes wonderful adoptive mum Caroline who has given this very special donkey so much time, patience and love since she has been with her….and also credit must go to her wonderful farrier!