Author: Jan Hughes

The charity is urging an end to the private sale and use of fireworks, warning of the risks to horses, livestock, pets and wildlife ahead of Bonfire Night. The Scottish SPCA is calling for a UK-wide ban on the private sale and use of fireworks, warning that unpredictable displays can cause animals significant distress and put them at risk of injury. The charity is urging the public to support professionally organised displays in controlled environments, arguing that advance notice would give farmers, horse owners and animal carers more time to prepare. A recent survey of 1,625 Scottish SPCA members found

Teenager Theo Charnley and his beloved rescue pony, RSPCA George, are celebrating another milestone after being shortlisted for the Horse & Hound Awards 2026 Unsung Partnership of the Year. The remarkable pair have come a long way since first meeting six years ago, building a special bond that has taken them from dressage championships to international success in carriage driving. Theo, 14, from Shropshire, was just eight when his family adopted George from the RSPCA’s Gonsal Farm Equine Centre in Dorrington, near Shrewsbury. Born in RSPCA care, George was only three years old when the pair first met. At the

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has officially opened a new welfare and education centre at its Coombe Park site near Totnes, Devon, providing 13 stables for rescued horses and ponies with complex needs. Around 100 guests attended the opening of the Rosemary Kind Barn, named after the charity’s founder, who died in 2022. Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon Grania Phillips cut the ribbon to mark the occasion. The opening follows five years of planning and construction and marks a significant development for the equine welfare charity, which cares for around 550 horses, ponies and foals across four sites in Devon.

Sycamore Auction’s Breeders United Auction takes place on 13 October 2026, with a collection that ranges from three-year-old prospects through to established competition horses. There is something for a wide range of riders, from juniors and amateurs to professional riders, and the horses are all discussed in an accompanying podcast by Joanne Sloan Allen and Sameh El Dahan (Sam). Joanne and Sam talk about the breeding and development of the horses, as well as what they like about each individual. They feel the six-year-olds are one of the strongest groups they have had, although some have become firm favourites and are

On April 1st this year, the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) announced that it would ‘embrace’ the new hobby horse craze by the introduction of a competition where competitors could win prizes of up to £300! Initially considered by some to be an April Fools Day prank, which appeared on the pages of H&H website, this is actually a genuine, bona fide competition. After publishing the article, H&H had to release a separate statement confirming that this was not an April Fool’s day prank and clarifying that this was a true story.    The craze, which originated in Finland, is quickly

Social media tributes are pouring in for British Eventing star, Caroline March, who took to social media to announce the reasons around her heartbreaking decision to opt for assisted suicide. The letter, which is both frank and poignant, powerfully portrays Caroline’s strength of character and pragmatic approach to her situation.   Caroline emotionally wrote “I’d rather have a short life that’s full of what I love doing” in the letter.  “I’d rather have a short life that’s full of what I love doing”  31 year old Caroline from Colchester had sustained life changing spinal injuries after falling from a horse during a cross-country event at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market in Norfolk on April 16,

Self-proclaimed horse whisperer Christine Rawle, 69, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years after she stabbed her 72-year-old husband, Ian Rawle, in the back at their £800k home in Braunton, Devon, in 2022.  It was heard that, on August 21st 2022, Mr Rawle had been cleaning out their horses at home when, during a heated argument. Christine then went on to stab him in the back with a knife, causing a 10cm wound and a punctured lung. The couple had been arguing over selling a section of land on their smallholding in Devon. Christine pleaded