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Blue Cross offers help for vulnerable horses during pandemic winter
Any horse can be considered for Home Direct, provided they pass a health check and are not on any long-term medication.

Home Direct scheme rehomes horses quickly while keeping centres clear 

Blue Cross is working to help horses and ponies that need to be rehomed this winter as a result of the difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for owners.

In the lead up to what is predicted to be a very difficult winter, most equine charities are already full and unable to help the public with their horses. Blue Cross is offering its Home Direct service as a welfare solution to help horses find new homes quickly and to take the pressure off struggling charities.

Vicki Alford, horse rehoming centre manager at Blue Cross, Burford said: “Home Direct is a practical and efficient rehoming scheme to help us support even more horses during this unprecedently difficult time.

“We understand the struggles that many horse owners may be going through as the pandemic continues. We encourage them approach us whilst their horses are still healthy rather than risk them being passed form pillar to post, potentially ending up in a welfare compromised situation.

“We are here to listen and help, not to judge, and with Home Direct we a can help people as much as we are helping horses.”

Every horse that goes through the Home Direct service is thoroughly assessed by a member of the Blue Cross horse unit team and then advertised on the charity’s website.

Blue Cross arranges and oversees initial visits with potential owners and then, if it’s a good match, the horse is rehomed directly from its old home to the new one. 87 horses have been helped through the scheme since its launch in 2015.

Horse owners looking for advice, support or guidance about giving up a horse should email helpmyhorse@bluecross.org.uk

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.