QUEST EQUINE WELFARE INC.

As awareness of Quest as an organisation has grown, so have the contacts from people seeking assistance.. for such a range of reasons. This is great, as this is exactly what we're here for, and in every case we always do all we can within our power, using what knowledge, skills, and resources we have to be of help and to achieve a positive outcome for the horse/s and (sometimes) people involved. Sometimes we succeed in doing this, and sometimes there are reasons/obstacles than mean we don't. Being unsuccessful in achieving a positive outcome in the world of equine welfare often means continued suffering and/or death. Being compassionate people, the effect of these instances is always deeply saddening for us, it never gets any easier. Aside from caring for whatever horses we have in care at our shelter, this aspect of Quest's work is one that is evolving to be one of our primary activities.

The increase in the amount of time spent on the phone/email has meant that we are not able to keep everyone updated as frequently and thoroughly as we'd like, so there is much that takes place on a daily basis that we simply don't have the time to share. We do not begrudge one minute spent on the phone/email to people seeking assistance/support/suggestions/ideas, we actively encourage it, but it does mean that there is a lot happening on a daily basis. The only shame in this is that there is probably a lot to be learned from these many and varied scenarios through sharing them.

The latest call I took today was a perfect example of something that has become very clear to us through our work, and that is that equine welfare is inextricably linked to human welfare. This can be seen in the vast majority of cases where we accept an equine for care, or visit a situation where horses are suffering. The root cause of the condition of horses whose well-being is at risk can more often than not be traced back to a human welfare problem. Some examples of this that we have encountered ourselves are, for example, scenarios where an owner has aged, and adequate up-keep of their horses has become just too much for them to manage - situations where an owner has a mental illness, (sometimes very subtle), which has created a perceived need to continually accumulate horses to an extent that is well beyond reason, and well beyond their ability to cater to their welfare needs - situations where an owner’s domestic or financial circumstances have changed and they no longer have the means to care for their horses. Of course there is much suffering caused by owners who are simply indifferent to their horse’s welfare, and those who just don’t know any better… but we are finding that in becoming involved in seeking solutions, it is often necessary for us to factor the welfare status of an owner into our problem-solving.

Yesterday’s call really brought this home to us. It was from a person not much older than myself who has recently been given the news that they have a terminal condition.. their time remaining is unknown. They have been told that it could be a week, it could be a six months. This person visited our shelter a couple of years ago… a wonderful human being, and staunch advocate for animal welfare. They have many animals of their own, care for them beautifully, and love them as family. In fact, the animals are the only family that this person has. This person was calling us as they are methodically going through the process of making arrangements for all of their much loved animals, so that when they pass, the horses/dogs/cats all have good homes to go to and their future well-being is assured. They wanted to discuss their horses with us, (which of course we will help them with), and I will be visiting this person soon. We will ensure that their mind is at rest re the future care of their horses. This person’s main concern seemed to be the actually physical parting from their animals. When I have visited, we will have a chat about how we can possibly maintain the horses and ponies at their property until such time as their owner is no longer there. A tragic human welfare situation which, to this person’s mind, puts the future well-being of all of their animals at risk and is causing them a lot of stress.

Please keep this person in your thoughts, and take a look at the ‘problems’ that you think you have. Doing so may help you to not waste any time in your life with pre-occupations that actually mean nothing. I know my conversation with this horse owner really sat me on my ass, and put a lot of my ‘problems’ in perspective. It is very disarming to discuss somebody’s death with them in a matter of fact manner and plan for it with them, but I so admire this person’s practicality and their devotion to their animals.

So, I guess a few things can be taken from my ramblings… one of them being that if you are aware of some horses who appear to be struggling and un-cared for, in some cases, you may be able to improve their welfare by reaching out a helping hand to their owner.

Another point to think about is the reality that life is full of surprises and the unexpected… set plans in place for the care of your animals in the case that you should you not be around to care for them, make provisions for them now while you are well and present. The person I spoke to yesterday has time to make plans, this isn’t always the case.

The increasing contacts from people who are needing help with their ‘human’ problems in order that their horses do not suffer neglect has also prompted our committee to consider that there may be a need for at least one of us to undertake some training that will equip us better to respond appropriately in these cases, beyond what our basic compassion and care provides us with.