Dear Horses4Health Supporters
Here we are in the 3rd month of 2024 already – as the saying goes, ‘time waits for no man’…..nor horse!
I wanted to update you all on Horses4Health plans for the future, but first, let’s take some time to reflect on our Horses for Health journey.
For those who have followed and supported H4H from the start, you’ll remember that my little ‘idea’ started on 31 December 2020 when the world was so very different. The UK was in its second lockdown, in the grip of COVID and the four walls of our homes (and stables) had become our ‘cells’. Building a community of UK horse-lovers was a seed sown on a very wet & dismal New Year’s Eve in 2020. The idea galloped as literally thousands of you joined the Facebook Group and endorsed the idea of raising money for UK equine charities who were struggling to raise funds.
Over the last 3 years the community of Horses4Health has raised over £75,000 and supported over 50 equine charities across the country through the innovative Equine Welfare Grants scheme, offering a life-line to many smaller charities who were struggling in a really challenging financial climate. One of our great achievements was helping to facilitate the RDA ‘Tea with a Pony’, supporting expansion of its sessions at RDA centres around the UK.
Nationally, Horses4Health also helped Redwings with their Strangles Awareness campaign and partnered with BHS Road Safety Team and the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA).
Along the way I’ve met so many kind and generous people who have supported H4H, either by attending fundraising rides, supporting by promoting our events, engaging through posts and sharing photos as part of our 10,000+ Facebook Community and to everyone who sent ‘shaggy’ horse stories for our stylish website www.horses4health.co.uk
Thank you also to our media partner Horse & Rider Magazine and our corporate partners, SEIB, Rathbones, Equine Exceed, Horse Health Programme
Thank you so much to you all for coming on this journey with us, building a community and helping horses #peoplehelpinghorseshelpingpeople
So, what’s happening next? We’re embarking on a year of reviewing what Horses for Health has achieved, what’s happening elsewhere in the charitable equine sector and establishing how we can build upon the solid foundations we’ve laid thus far.
To do this we’re reflecting as follows:
Looking back at what we’ve achieved since December 2020
Insight analysis – what have we learned about our Horses4Health community?
Seeking to understand what the needs & drivers are in UK equine charitable giving
Testing our assumptions
Environment – what is happening in the world post COVID that will have an impact on H4H activities & plans going forward
Network – YOU! Engage with you all, seek your views and keep you informed
We have already begun this process and are busy developing some exciting plans for 2025 so do keep an eye out on the FB & website for updates. In the meantime, keep posting pics of you & your trusty steed(s) on the FB group – we love seeing what you’re all up to! Have fun this Spring & Summer in whatever horsey activities you intend to take part in – be that hacking, pleasure rides, competitions, showing, endurance etc. Hopefully very soon the rain will stop & the sunshine will re-appear!
Sophie Gifford, Horses4Health Founder
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