Dear friends, horse lovers and kind people,

I would like to thank each and every one of you for your incredible support, in particular the many people who have telephoned, written and visited us at this very stressful time - it has really helped. 

I'm also extremely grateful for the incredibly generous donations we've received so far. I hope to get back to you all individually to say thank you in the near future.

A special thanks too to Katie Price, who you will know, visited us on Thursday, 5 August 2010 and made a public appeal for the sanctuary and for the gifts.
 
Despite our shouting and screaming for over a year, the eviction process is well under way and I am trying to a find safe home for our animals. 

The fundamental problem, as those that visit know, is the fact that the horses here are mostly 'special needs', and cannot be re-homed safely.  I re-home as many as possible, but many have suffered such severe abuse in the past, it is likely they would become scared and aggressive when taken from their comfort zone and social groups.  Horses often form very strong relationships with each other and it is I believe cruel to remove them from these.

How would you feel if forced apart from those you hold dear?! In any event it would be completely wrong of me to put even one person in danger. 

What's more many of the horses just can't manage the physical aspects of moving - poor arthritic limbs cannot balance in a lorry.  Others cannot go out in daylight due to eyesight problems, we have  four that need to be checked regularly, even throughout the night, as they suffer from narcolepsy causing them to fall into positions where they can't get up.  Another gets colic every time he gets stressed, and many are rigs that cannot go near mares. The list is endless.

So it goes on ... And as a result if and when we are evicted, we'll lose at least a dozen of these dear creatures who are too sick and old to be moved.  A tragedy that can only be averted by remaining at the current site of the Horse Refuge.
 
Although we have always been a charitable organisation, we are currently applying for registration with the Charities Commission. We only recently qualified and as such as we have been under the required donations threshold for registration. Therfore to date, we've relied on your private funding, and sold everything we own (including our house and all but our essential possessions) to keep supporting the rescued animals.
 
There is a sense or irony in all this - in March we won an award for being the Best Horse and Shire Sanctuary and here we are in August facing eviction!
 
Finally it is with great sadness that I have to tell you that our beloved Duke lost his long battle. It is still too painful to talk about and he is deeply missed by everyone here but I am certain his spirit is still with us.
 
Please come and see us all while we are still here - there are horses of all sizes to see from Shetland to Shires!
 
Thank you once again for your support - I truly believe that, with all of you behind us, we can win through. 

Yours with great affection,

Sara xx