HRH The Princess Royal kick starts World Horse Welfare’s rehoming campaign in the midst of a horse crisis by rehoming charity horse

“I wanted a reliable horse that I could get on and off easily.

“Annie has a good temperament and I thought it was silly to look for something else when I’ve got the space here to rehome her.

“If you’ve got room then you can do an awful lot of good by rehoming. Sadly we read about the many horses that World Horse Welfare has rescued as part of the horse crisis at the moment, but we don’t hear about what happens next. It’s very disappointing to hear that the charity is finding it so difficult to rehome horses when people could rehome so easily, and make space for others that need help.

“Rehoming from a charity may be the best way of finding a horse because you know so much more about the animal you are getting. You get told about their quirks, how easy the horse is to manage, their physical limitations, if any, and what their needs are. All of this is important information when getting a horse that you rarely get when buying one.”

“Once again our President HRH The Princess Royal has shown outstanding support by rehoming World Horse Welfare Annie, especially now that Britain is in the midst of a horse crisis. Our Rescue and Rehoming Centres are full to bursting – and there are thousands more horses who need our help. By rehoming Annie, our President is making space for another horse to get their care it needs and we urge other members of the public who can to do the same before winter sets in.

“Everyone thinks of rehoming a dog or a cat from a rescue centre; it should be the same with horses. People are still buying horses when rehoming from a charity has so many advantages. If you can provide a good home for a horse, please come visit us or look at the horses available on our website. We are calling for the public to help, because without the public we simply will not be able to cope with this horse crisis alone.”

“I hope more people at least find out what is involved by calling the charity or visiting them because rehoming a horse is not as difficult as you think, especially with the degree of knowledge that World Horse Welfare has and the detail that the charity knows about each horse’s history.

“My advice to someone looking for a new horse is to go to the charity and see what is available.

“If you are lucky enough to find the right horse then you will get a lot of help with the animal. That help is always there no matter what happens.  And of course if it isn’t working for you, you won’t have all the agro of looking for someone to take your horse, because with rehoming you have not only the expertise of the charity to try to make it work, but if it doesn’t the charity will take the horse back into its care.  It is very reassuring to know that this backup is there.

“I hope Annie enjoys it here with me. We will be doing some hacking and she will be helping me herd the sheep and cattle.  I’m just really glad World Horse Welfare didn’t find somebody else for her!”