Eleven RSPCA Inspectors and Animal Collection Officers from the Eastern Region have spent time at Redwings Horse Sanctuary’s Norfolk headquarters for two days of specialist equine training.
Nine Inspectors and two Animal Collection Officers, from Norfolk and Suffolk, attended classes and practical workshops on a wide range of issues from horse handling, basic signs of good health and emergency first aid for equines, led by Redwings Welfare Vets Roxane Kirton and Nicola Berryman and the charity’s Senior Field Officer Julie Harding.
“RSPCA Inspectors have to deal with a vast range of different types of animals,” said Roxane, “and although some may be experienced around horses, others may not. Horses are large, heavy and potentially dangerous animals, and some of the ailments and conditions they are susceptible to are not necessarily obvious to the untrained eye. We were working with these Inspectors to equip them with a more detailed understanding of what they are looking for when they go to investigate an equine welfare report, and how they can deal with the situation safely and causing minimal stress and danger to themselves or the equine involved.”
RSPCA Eastern Press Officer Nicola Walker said: “Large animal work is a vital part of our inspectors’ training and we’re so grateful to Redwings for their help.
“We are getting more and more calls about equine welfare so it is invaluable for our inspectors to work with other organisations like Redwings to make sure they are dealing with these concerns in the best possible way.”
