Horse Trader

A horse centre located in North Cornwall is treating a record number of horses and ponies due to the cold weather.

Horse Haven Rescue, which was launched in 2008 and costs about £1,000 a month to run, currently has 24 of the animals at its stables and is appealing for volunteers to come forward and help.

Several of the horses currently at centre were taken in after their owners were unable to afford the cost of extra food and vet bills during the winter. Abi Mortimore, who launched the centre, hopes that volunteers and donations will help her to avoid having to turn future horses away.

She said that there has been a large increase in the number of horses at the centre due to the cold weather. “I have had horses all my life. This has been one of the worst winters I have ever seen,” she said. “Our numbers have increased dramatically. We have been inundated with calls to take horses in because owners can't cope.”

Miss Mortimore added that the centre has now got a large vet bill due to the amount of horses needing treatment. “We have got a substantial £3,000 vet bill because we have had so many horses come in with injuries that have needed treatment,” she said. Miss Mortimore is now appealing for volunteers to help care for the horses and donations to help with food and equine equipment.

The Haven is not the only centre to be struggling. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the number of abandoned horses due to owners no longer being able to care for them. Redwings Horse Sanctuary recently revealed that it had reached its maximum capacity and was struggling to take on more horses. However, the sanctuary said earlier this week that exceptions are made in special circumstances, one example being three Shire horses that had been left without a home after it closed down due to financial struggles.

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