Features

From skin and bone, to having a foal, and transforming into a champion show pony, Buttercup’s story has another chapter.

Irish showjumper and his family have been dealing with the aftermath of a life-changing fall sustained while competing last summer which has left him wheelchair-bound.

The Welfare Aggregation and Guidance (WAG) tool, an accessory to The Donkey Sanctuary’s welfare assessment questionnaire EARS (Equid Assessment Research and Scoping), has been published by the peer-reviewed scientific journal, “Animals”.

“Without sufficient fat reserves and finely tuned mechanisms of its expenditure, horses cannot survive the Yakutian winters.”

A change in the owner’s circumstances has led to a group of Poitou and miniature Mediterranean donkeys heading for a new home with The Donkey Sanctuary.

Voting tied in SEIB Giving Virtual Awards, with Bransby Horses Rescue and Welfare and Redwings Horse Sanctuary sharing the honours.

The researchers in the US also explored its impressive energy dissipation mechanisms.

“On arrival, I could see the group were in very poor body condition and some of their basic needs weren’t being met,” an animal welfare officer says.

Equid Assessment, Research and Scoping (EARS) tool is being used to gather welfare data on equids across the world, including those working in areas with limited access to resources.

When one of the 7000 residents at The Donkey Sanctuary needed urgent veterinary treatment during lockdown, staff at the charity made sure he got the best care possible.

Petra Ingram is leaving working equine charity Brooke after 11 years to take on new role as chief executive of HorseWorld Trust.

Coronavirus came at the worst possible time for The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, with more than 200 resident horses and ponies requiring expert care at the end of a very long, wet winter.