World Horse Welfare is celebrating a record total of 378 horses and ponies rehomed during 2021.

This smashes the previous record of 357 rehomed by the charity in 2020 and continues a positive trend of more people offering horses and ponies a new home and a new life.

Tony Tyler, deputy chief executive at World Horse Welfare said: “It is our aim to rehome all the horses and ponies that come into our care once they are fit and ready. Each one that is rehomed helps two horses as it releases a space at our farms for another equine in need but none of this could happen without our incredible rehomers who offer them a vital second chance.

“Anyone rehoming one of our horses or ponies not only receives the full honest facts about them and a lifetime of support, but the rewards of knowing that they are giving that horse perhaps its first ever loving home – while making space for another vulnerable horse to receive the care it needs.”

World Horse Welfare retains ownership of every horse or pony that comes into its care for the rest of their lives, meaning there is no danger of them once again becoming welfare cases. Importantly, it also means that rehomers have the reassurance that if their circumstances change, the rehomed horse can always be returned to World Horse Welfare.

World Horse Welfare’s four rescue and rehoming centres are Belwade Farm in Aberdeenshire; Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset; Hall Farm in Norfolk; and Penny Farm in Lancashire, and equines are taken in and rehomed across the country.