Animal Care

Our equine provision utilises the natural calming properties of horses and allows participants the opportunity to be ‘hands on’ with our beautiful animals. Horses are non judgmental and often mirror the behaviour and emotion of their handlers. This allows our participants to develop their self confidence, communication skills and expand their opportunities in a safe and no pressure environment. Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity offers intimate sessions on our brand new yard whereby participants can help with all daily jobs, grooming and handling the horses either to learn specifically or simply to unwind.

 

The challenges we face are to do with the safety of our participants, the 365 day nature of animals and also the weather. When handling horses we need specific safety equipment - hats, gloves and safety boots. We also need a handler with each horse we use and so are reliant on volunteers with horse knowledge to keep our horses happy and students safe. The space we use is largely uncovered and also beyond the concrete yard we would use the fields. Obviously in wet weather the ground can become too wet and so we then become restricted to the concrete yard.

 

Future plans include increased numbers of sessions and therefore additional horses and handlers would be needed. Also an all weather area that can be used, in addition to the concrete yard, to allow multiple sessions and a wider variety of activities that can be undertaken. There is also consideration of offering riding/driving but this has its own complications and complexities so is a distant plan and would require the all weather area. Future plans also include the provision of more facilities: toilet/washing facilities and improvements to the grazing paddocks for the horses. 

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One of the horses is called Desmond. He provides some much needed assistance to some of the charity beneficiaries. He has a calm demeanor and enjoys being groomed and cared for by those who visit him. As with all horses, the running costs are high and continuous. The monthly costs for Desmond are:

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• Livery Fee (Stable Rent) - £170

• Feed and supplements - £50

• Hay £62

• Bedding £60

• Insurance £35

• Health Programme (for vaccinations etc) £12

• Farrier £30

• Allowance for equipment £25

• TOTAL: £444 per month

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If you would like to support us by donating towards the upkeep and care of Desmond the horse, please click the button below. His presence is of huge benefit to those we help at Uncle Paul's Chilli Charity. Thank you.