At HorseWorld, we care for around 100 horses, ponies, and donkeys at any given time. Each one has their own story, often marked by neglect, abandonment, or abuse. Our work doesn’t stop at rescue, we specialise in the gentle, patient rehabilitation of every equine, giving them a second chance at a meaningful life.
For some, that future means a safe and peaceful life here as a cherished sanctuary resident. Others find purpose through our Discovery programme, where they help transform the lives of vulnerable young people and children by building trust, confidence, and resilience. And many go on to be rehomed through our loan scheme, where they thrive in loving families who continue their journey of care.
Every horse, pony, and donkey that passes through HorseWorld’s gates is given the chance to heal, to grow, and to live a happy and fulfilled life.
HorseWorld's Herd
At HorseWorld our horses live in small, carefully balanced groups or herds to support their mental and physical health. Horses are social beings and by living in a herd, our horses are given a safe and stable environment where they can build bonds with each other and establish their own social hierarchy, allowing them to feel calm and mentally balanced. Horses that have learned to communicate and behave through social interaction with their herds are often more equipped to communication with other species and, especially, with humans. In the year 2024, there were:
279
Equines in our care
27
Horses rescued by HorseWorld
115
Welfare concerns reported
The number of horses on site in 2024 ranged from 109 in January to 87 in December, with us ending the year with capacity to assist with rescue situations when most other charities were over capacity. The number of horses on-site with us at the end of 2024 was a record low due to the great success of our rehoming team and the wonderful rehomers offering loan homes to the horses we rehabilitated over the year. This meant we could start 2025 with space for new rescues to come in, January to March is usually a busy time for many welfare centres and often finds them at capacity. As at end of March 2025 we have been able to take in 28 horses in desperate need.
A concentrated effort was made to focus on training horses for Discovery with the aim of 20% of horses on site able to participate in sessions. Due to the complex needs of our equines, and the importance of safeguarding the young people in our care, this is not an easy target, but we finished the year with 17% fully trained and a further 3% in training.
(2024 Statistics)
In 2024
We provided HorseWorld horses with...
710
Farrier sessions
165
Dentist treatments
64
Chiropractor sessions
Since we started providing sanctuary to horses in 1952 we have seen a dramatic change in the type of horses needing our help and the complexity of those horses’ needs. Originally, we were essentially a retirement home, but in the last 20 years there has been a huge increase in the number of horses abused, neglected and abandoned. Our limited space has had to be prioritised to those most in need. However, these equines come with more complex needs, which in turn, requires more resource to manage, more time for retraining and more veterinary intervention.
Our practical and pragmatic approach means that we assess every horse during their quarantine to determine the best course of action for each. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made to minimise suffering for the horse, however with specialist rehabilitation and retraining most horses are able to have a second chance at a meaningful life.
Our vets at B&W Equine Veterinary practice attend HorseWorld twice weekly for essential and routine care, and are on 24/7 call for emergencies. We also have a loyal farrier, Michael, who has been coming to HorseWorld for over 20 years with his expert farriery skills. He does everything from routine hoof trims, fitting horse shoes and even making special shoes for horses that need extra support.
All of this, wouldn't be possible without the generous help of our supporters, volunteers and staff.