HorseWorld is a charity dedicated to saving and improving the lives of horses, ponies and donkeys in need, while creating positive change for vulnerable or disadvantaged children and young people through our Discovery equine-assisted learning programme.
Since 1952, we have rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed abandoned, neglected and mistreated equines, specialising in the care of those who have experienced severe neglect or abuse.
We care for more than 100 horses, ponies and donkeys at our rescue site in South Bristol at any one time, while providing ongoing support for around 200 more who have been rehomed with families across the South-West of England.
Funded entirely by the generous support of our donors, we rescue horses from some of the most challenging circumstances, including feral and fearful animals who need time, patience and expert care to recover. Our dedicated team works with each horse to help them rebuild trust, regain their health and reach their potential, with the aim of giving every animal the chance of a safe and fulfilling future.
For some, that future is finding a loving loan home through our rehoming programme. Others remain at our sanctuary, where they become companions and role models for horses arriving from difficult backgrounds. Some of our rescued horses also play a special role in our Discovery programme, where they help young people develop confidence, communication skills and life skills through meaningful interactions with gentle rescued horses.
HorseWorld is not open to the public every day, but we host special events throughout the year where visitors can meet our horses, learn more about our work and see the difference their support makes.
HorseWorld’s Registered Charity number is 1121920.
What we do at HorseWorld
HorseWorld Trust was founded as The Friends of Bristol Horses Society in 1952 by Mabel Cocksedge, whose vision was to rescue retired working horses from slaughter and give them the happy retirement they deserved, free to simply be horses after years of hard work.
A year later, in 1953, Marjorie Pelling and Madge Checkley joined the charity after reading about one of its rescued horses in their local newspaper. They dedicated their lives to the cause, running the charity on the outskirts of Bristol for the next 45 years and helping shape the HorseWorld we know today.
Today, HorseWorld operates from its 180-acre rescue and rehabilitation centre in South Bristol, where around 100 horses, ponies and donkeys receive expert care. While some remain with us for life as sanctuary residents, many are rehabilitated and carefully prepared for rehoming with approved loan families across the South-West.
Working alongside local authorities, the police, the RSPCA and other equine charities, we rescue horses, ponies and donkeys whose welfare is at serious risk. Every rescued animal receives an individual rehabilitation plan, helping them regain their health, confidence and trust before being matched to the most suitable future, whether that's a loving loan home, life at our sanctuary or a role supporting our Discovery programme.
Our Discovery programme gives rescued horses another opportunity to make a difference. Alongside our skilled facilitators, they help vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people build confidence, develop communication and life skills, and improve their emotional wellbeing. Discovery provides a safe, nurturing and non-judgemental environment where every young person feels valued, respected and able to thrive, while our rescued horses continue their own journeys of purpose and healing.
Horses not only provide companionship, but there is strong evidence to support their therapeutic role to improve the well-being and mental health of people. Together with about 15 of our rescued horses, the Discovery programme provides a safe, nurturing, and welcoming environment, in which every young person feels valued, loved, and respected as a unique individual. Discovery is a non-judgemental space where every child, young person, and horse are accepted; a place where they can belong and achieve.
Alongside our rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming and Discovery work, we are committed to improving equine welfare through research and education. By sharing our expertise, supporting evidence-based practice and helping owners and professionals better understand horse welfare and behaviour, we aim to create lasting, positive change for horses far beyond those in our direct care.
Our charitable work aims to address 3 priorities:
- Provide and promote a good life for horses by using the best welfare practices underpinned by evidence.
- Enable positive change in the life and social skills of vulnerable young people and their families through a connection with horses.
- Ensure staff, volunteers and those involved with the Charity have the appropriate skills and support to progress our mission.
Our values
Our values define how we structure our charitable programmes, how we implement our work and how we communicate. They guide everything we do.
At HorseWorld we are:
- Caring
- Collaborative
- Proactive
- Adaptable
- Inclusive
Our ethos
Our Ethos statements support our 5 year Strategy and underpin everything we do:
- We will design our programmes based on the needs of our beneficiaries, both horses and young people.
- We will ensure our approach provides a quality service which is externally validated.
- We will make decisions based on evidence.
- We will be a partner of choice, creating a safe community for everyone involved in our charity.
- We will ensure the importance of nature and conservation is woven into all our work.
- We will be environmentally responsible in our land and buildings management.
- We will be inclusive in our treatment of staff and ensure they have the skills to excel in their work.
- We will establish a sustainable funding model to ensure our charitable work endures into the future.
- We will be locally significant, recognised as a much loved charity serving the South West region for over 70 years.
Our supporter promise
All the charitable activities at HorseWorld are only possible due to the kindness of our supporters, for which we are incredibly grateful. In addition to our newsletter which is distributed both by mail and through electronic means twice a year, we also raise funds via our sponsorship scheme and lottery. During the year we hold special events for supporters to visit our site and see the difference their support makes.
Our primary source of income is from individual donors through cash gifts, regular giving or legacies, resulting from the generosity of someone choosing to remember HorseWorld by leaving a bequest in their Will. This important source of income enables us to continue our life saving work long into the future.
We are in regular contact with our supporters, via email and telephone, and aim to respond promptly to any enquiries. We enjoy meeting our supporters face to face and welcome them to events at our farm throughout the year.
To ensure we are compliant with fundraising standards and activities, we have appointed a Data Management Officer and our policies are constructed in line with best practice. Our Complaints policy is published on our website, and we are registered with the Fundraising Regulator which demonstrates our commitment to maintain fundraising standards in accordance with best practice.