The Horse Trust celebrated 140 years of supporting working horses by hosting a reception at Hyde Park Barracks in September.
The anniversary celebration was attended by HRH The Princess Royal, who is a patron of the charity, as well as supporters, partners, and representatives of the British Army. The event celebrated The Horse Trust’s history of supporting London’s working horses and the partnerships helping it continue this work today.
The reception also served as an opportunity to celebrate the charity’s relationship with the British Army which has been further developed since the incident where five Household Cavalry horses ran loose through London in April 2024.
Following the incident, the two organisations explored how additional respite care could support horse welfare and help reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.
New chapter
A successful trial allowing serving horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery to spend time at The Horse Trust on a rotational basis has shown encouraging results and will be expanded over the coming months.
The Respite Programme has been part funded by The Horse Trust’s Home for More Horses project which raised £90,000. This funding allowed the charity to increase its capacity for horses on respite while continuing to care for its retired and rescued residents.
‘Valuable opportunity’
“We were delighted to celebrate The Horse Trust’s 140th anniversary with our Patron HRH The Princess Royal, alongside our partners in the British Army and the many supporters who make our work possible,” said The Horse Trust chief executive Jeanette Allen.
“It was a valuable opportunity to showcase the lives of these horses while they are still working, and to demonstrate how respite can enhance their welfare long before they reach retirement.
“Our partnership also brings us back to our founding mission in 1886, when The Horse Trust was established to provide respite for London’s working cab horses.
“It’s wonderful to see this principle being revived for a new generation of service horses, helping us to enhance their wellbeing both during and after their working lives.”
Image © The Horse Trust.
