Today we celebrate our inaugural World Horse Welfare Groom Appreciation Day!
Following our Stamp Out Suffering appeal, we have received an overwhelming amount of wonderful messages from our supporters to our grooms, thanking them for their hard work and dedication to the horses in our care.
We would like to join our supporters in thanking all of our wonderful grooms for the incredibly special and difficult work they do – particularly as we approach winter when they work even harder to care for our horses in the dark and cold. We couldn’t rescue and rehabilitate abused and neglected horses without their passionate dedication and commitment to the cause.
Across our four rescue and rehoming centres, our fabulous team of 46 grooms changes the lives of horses, ponies, donkeys, mules and foals every single day. On Groom Appreciation Day we put them firmly in the spotlight to celebrate their invaluable and inspiring work.
Our diverse team of highly skilled grooms have joined the World Horse Welfare family from a broad range of backgrounds within the industry, some coming from high-level competition and racing yards, and some with experience in other rescue and rehoming organisations, veterinary hospitals, and riding schools.
Our grooms work methodically, often having to deal with some very challenging cases which they approach with compassion and patience working closely with vets, farriers and physiotherapists to implement treatment plans, administer medication, provide round-the-clock care, and retrain horses using science-based, welfare-friendly methods. As a charity, we take great pride in being realistic, compassionate and forward-thinking and our team shares these values.
Work in rescue and rehabilitation is often tough and emotionally draining, and each and every one of our grooms has spent countless hours nursing a sick animal that might not have recovered, and yet they continue their work with dignity and courage. They work outside in all weathers, contending with endless amounts of mud with professionalism and humour.
They are our often-unsung heroes, literally changing horses’ lives for the better every day.
We caught up with Emily, a Yard Supervisor at our Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, to find out more about what life as a groom is really like here at World Horse Welfare.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is Emily Wood and I’m a Yard Supervisor here at Penny Farm in Lancashire.
How did horses first come into your life?
I started loaning my first pony at eight years old and I’ve never looked back.
Can you tell us a bit about life as a groom at Penny Farm? Every day must be very different! There must be moments of sheer joy, utter heartbreak and everything in between.
Every day is very different! When horses arrive in a state it’s heartbreaking, but this is redeemed when we make them better so I’m both happy and sad when they are rehomed. When you see the small daily improvements in the horses you’re working with, it’s very rewarding.
When you get to work what is the first and last thing you do?
I make everyone a brew and then feed the horses and just before I finish for the day, I check all the horses in the stables and put dishes away.
At the moment which horses are you looking after and what are their stories?
I’m looking after Cherry who is one of a large group of Cleveland Bay horses who arrived into our care as part of a large welfare case. The owner had a large number of horses she was struggling to care for and was eventually prosecuted. Unfortunately, we see many cases where owners continue to overbreed and end up with more stock than they can manage. Cherry was very underweight and quite timid but soon responded to the daily attention he received when he arrived here at the farm. There have been ups and downs with his progress and it was originally hoped that we could back him as a ridden horse, however this has not been possible, so he is now looking for a home as a companion. He is a lovely boy who enjoys attention from staff and visitors alike.
I’m also looking after Doris, who is one of a large group of feral ponies that arrived at Penny Farm last year. They had no human interaction and were totally different to any case we have had in the past. Winning her trust took months of patient daily care but seeing her progress was incredible – she was especially nervous of the farrier, so I worked closely with him over many weeks to overcome this – she is now ready to be rehomed as a companion pony.
How does it feel to be able to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable horses every day?
It’s an amazing opportunity to give horses like these a second chance in life so they are loved and cared for.
Can you tell us some interesting things we might not know about a World Horse Welfare groom?
On average I walk 25,000 steps a day, we use a minimum of 120 large hay bales per year here at Penny Farm and we love it when supporters bring us cake as well as donations for the horses.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a groom?
It’s seeing the horses you’ve worked so hard with get rehomed. This is why I do the job.
What is your most challenging day-to-day experience as a groom?
Every day is different which is challenging – you have to be prepared for every eventuality. Horses are unpredictable and your day can change at any given moment.
As we head into winter, how do you cope with working outside in all weathers?
Definitely lots of base layers and a headband to keep my ears warm – and trying to avoid chilblains at all costs.
Can you sum up what it’s like to be a groom in three words?
Challenging, rewarding and uplifting.
Without our grooms, we wouldn’t be able to rescue more than 300 horses a year. If you would like to join the hundreds of supporters who have already sent a message of support to our grooms, you can email us via grooms@worldhorsewelfare.org
If you have enjoyed reading Emily’s blog and would like to hear about what life as a groom is like at our other farms, please click the links below to find out more.
Abi, Senior Groom at Belwade Farm
Nicole, Rehabilitation Groom at Glenda Spooner Farm
