We’re here to help
We offer free support and advice to anyone, whether you're a BHS member or not, are new to looking after horses, have been looking after horses for years, or have a concern about a horse you pass on your daily walk.
Contact us on 02476 840517* or email welfare@bhs.org.uk – You can also get in touch with us via our social media channels.
Opening times are 8:35 am - 5 pm from Monday – Thursday and 8:35 am - 3 pm on Friday.
*Calls may be recorded for monitoring purposes.
On-the-ground advice and support
Our experienced, friendly, and compassionate Horse Care & Welfare Field Officers and Volunteer Welfare Advisers provide advice, education, and support to equestrians to improve the lives of horses in their care.
Welfare concerns
We investigate any welfare concerns you report to us. Our Horse Care and Welfare Field Officers and volunteer Welfare Advisers understand that there can be many reasons for a welfare concern to arise. By working with the owner of the horse we support them in getting back on the right track and make sure the situation improves before it becomes more serious.
Horse Health Days
Worryingly 50% of the UK equine population is overweight or obese.
We’re available to visit yards across the UK to provide tailored advice suited to the individual horse. On the day we’ll weigh, and fat score each horse and offer individual support and advice to owners and carers on how they can improve their horse’s health. We also run sessions at riding club and pony club camps to help educate and support the next generation.
Healthcare & education clinics
We’re hugely worried about Britain’s equine welfare and overpopulation crisis. The stark truth is that there are more horses and ponies than responsible owners, leading to horrendous cases of neglect, suffering and abandonment and charities are left to pick up the pieces.
Due to the impact of Covid-19 and the ongoing cost of living crisis, owners in desperate need of support are contacting us for help. We’re supporting more people facing financial difficulties, struggling with their mental/physical health or experiencing family problems. We want to keep horses with their owners and prevent more horses going into rescue centres.
The aim of the clinics is to support vulnerable horses and their owners by making veterinary care & advice more accessible.
Horse passports
Passports are a vital piece of documentation as under current legislation, all equines must be microchipped and have a passport. It’s important for horse owners to comply with all the guidelines and keep the passport updated with changes to food status, castration, addition of a microchip, changes of ownership and when the horse passes away. All changes need to be made by the passport issuing organisation who oversees that particular passport.
Our passport office can issue passports and also give advice on all passport-related issues.
Friends at the End
We’re not just here to help horses, we’re here for people too. ‘Friends at the End’ is our support scheme which helps to make sure that no horse owner or carer must face the loss of their equine companion alone.
We offer free, confidential support to horse owners, carers, sharers, and loaners before, during and after the death or loss of a horse. You don’t need to be a BHS member to get support. The BHS Friends at the End team can be contacted by phone or email, and you’ll receive support from trained BHS staff or volunteers.
We recently helped Elaine, who contacted us for help with the tragic loss of Blue through court order in 1980, when she was 15 years old.
