Greatwood To The Rescue

I am aware that there has been a bit of a silence from this end. Last week was HECTIC. It began all very well with a successful meeting at Newbury Racecourse. We finalised the details for our Charity Raceday on March 21st. All seems to be going according to plan, with tickets sold out...all is sponsored apart from the champagne, so we have been supported really well. We then had a busy time preparing for the children to receive their certificates for the Greatwood Horse Power OCN accredited course. Everyone, as usual, applied their hand to get everything ready.
The classroom was cleared, seats were found and cleaned, and everything was tidied.
Luckily, we were able to squeeze everyone in the classroom (parents, teachers and children). Mick Fitzgerald gave up his time to present the certificates, the children were delighted to meet him and were fascinated when he explained that he had risen to jockey stardom despite not coming from a horsey background. It was then a dash off to look at some horses that had been reported to us by another horse welfare charity.
The plight of these horses has resulted from the current economic clime. The horses were greatly loved but financial constraints had put their welfare at risk. We decided that we had no alternative but to try and help as much as we could. We arranged to pick up a couple that week but we will have to try and sort out the remaining ten.......oh dear... and we are choccabloc. Sadly, there is no-one else to help, not only the horses, but the poor people who are at their wits end.
Our team here rushed around to build a couple more boxes...(out of straw), and Sue, Robbie and I went to pick them up. We arranged to meet the horse box and our vet at the yard. We sedated them for travelling. One little fellow was in quite a sorry state, and Sue and I are still suffering having practically carried him into the lorry. Robbie stayed with them for the journey in case there was any mishap.
Both horses breathed a sigh of relief when they got to Greatwood, took one look at their deep warm bed, and settled down to tuck into the haylage.
The poorest horse (a two year old colt) has then spent the last few days either sleeping or eating.
A hurried visit to London and more meetings saw the week out...hopefully this week will be a little saner. Watch this space to find out how we house the remainder of the horses that need our care.