An equine sanctuary is looking to raise at least £10,000 towards the cost of installing specialist mud control matting at its centre in Devon.

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise the funds which will allow the charity to begin the project at its main rescue intake centre in Newton Abbot immediately.

The project will install 700m² of specialist matting across field entrances and training arenas at the charity’s Beech Trees Centre in Newton Abbot. The mats will provide dry, stable footing through the winter months and allow staff to keep handling sessions running safely, despite challenging weather conditions. The total cost of the project is estimated to be £20,000.

“Installing mud control mats in the fields is a vital step to support our winter training programme, improve equine welfare, and ensure health and safety for staff working in challenging conditions,” says Amy Dearlove, sanctuary manager at Beech Trees Veterinary and Welfare Centre. 

“These mats will allow us to safely and consistently work with feral ponies over winter which is crucial for progressing their training and enabling them to move out of quarantine. During winter, muddy and uneven ground makes this work difficult.”

Some of the residents at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary.

Busy stables

The Beech Trees centre has been home to 38 horses and ponies over the last 10 months. Seventeen of those were rescues, one foal was born onsite and 20 ponies were returned from the charity’s rehoming scheme. The charity took in 13 Icelandic horses and foals after a multi-agency operation in Devon which lasted 15 months.

As many of the new rescues this year were unhandled or feral ponies who rely on consistent, gentle training to prepare them for sanctuary life, the matting is imperative to ensure their training can continue through the winter.

“We’re hugely grateful to all our supporters because without their help we simply couldn’t rescue and improve the lives of hundreds of equines,” Emma Platt, digital fundraising and activities manager at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary.

“Mud control mats have already made an incredible difference to the ponies and team members at our Yelverton Moorland Rescue Facility, so we know the huge benefits they bring. 

“We hope this crowdfunder builds on the recent public interest in the Icelandic welfare operation and helps create safer, more productive surfaces at Beech Trees to speed recovery and move vulnerable horses on to their next stage of care.”

To donate to the crowdfunding campaign, click here.

Images © Mare and Foal Sanctuary.

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