New initiative to support horse owners
The British Horse Society has set up a network of volunteers to support horse owners who are struggling with the decision of whether to put their animal to sleep.
According to Lee Hackett from the welfare department at BHS, the charity regularly receives calls about "old much-loved horses" whose owners seem unwilling to have them euthanised. He adds that owners have a variety of reasons for avoiding euthanasia, but tend to find the decision even more difficult when the horse is not old but suffers from a chronic injury or behavioural issues.
"More and more people simply cannot afford to have field ornaments," he says, "yet often the horse is not suitable to be sold on. Some people assume a charity will be able to take the horse on, but this is hardly ever the case."
The initiative by the BHS is in part a response to the growing number of neglected or abandoned horses being referred to charities. British charities do not have the resources or room to handle the numbers being referred.
The BHS has trained 100 of its welfare officers around the country to act as advisors and provide support to owners considering euthanasia. They have been trained in bereavement counselling as well as horse welfare. Named "Friends at the End", the volunteers will also attend the euthanasia if the owner feels unable to.
More information can be found by contacting the BHS welfare team via email.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
