Touchdown Memorial home for horses

“ latest arrival is Lauder, a beautiful gentle giant ex-police horse who has settled very well and leads the other horses in every night into their stables.”

“I didn’t know you were here!”

If Touchdown Memorial Home for Horses, a charity caring for rescued horses in the Moray hills, had a pound for every time someone made this statement, they would not need to worry about funds ever again. Yet Touchdown

Memorial Home for Horses, a registered charity set up in Shropshire 23 years ago and operating in Scotland for fourteen years, nestles in the beautiful hills and is home to twelve horses ranging from ponies to Clydesdales, age four to thirty six. They come from a range of backgrounds including racing, eventing, showjumping and showing. Their latest arrival is

Lauder, a beautiful gentle giant ex police horse who has settled very well and leads the other horses in every night into their stables.

When the charity moved here from Shropshire they started building the equestrian centre and have now created a wonderful facility with 16 four arenas, forty acres of post and rail fenced paddocks, twelve large airy indoor stables fitted with rubber flooring, staff facilities and a nature trail. Two permanent staff are employed who provide excellent care for the horses ably assisted by a dedicated group of volunteers and trustees. The setting allows horses to go out for walks on lanes and roads and enjoy the peaceful woodland and moorland safely. The charity’s team are delighted to have gained British Horse Society accreditation, being the first charity in Scotland to achieve this.

The horses are accompanied on site by ex battery hens Rachel, Rebekah, Susannah, Deborah, Ruth and Naomi who are loving their new lives and by part wildcat Aoife. There are some real characters amongst the horses including Roisin who has beautiful blue eyes and loves to break fences; Cyd who is a natural leader but is always lost; Dave who is a successful ex racehorse and the star of the yard; Reaping who is a long-legged supermodel and adores Dave; Sasha who is always the model for

demonstrating the digestive system; Ciara who is a little tubby; Fox who is a gentle old boy; Lydia who is looking amazing for her 36 years; Tango who keeps them all in order; and Donnay who constantly plots escape. On arrival they all go through a rehabilitation programme and where possible are then placed on the rehoming scheme ready for going to new approved homes on a loan basis. Horses that cannot be rehomed remain at the charity for the remainder of their lives at the end of which they are laid to rest in the hilltop cemetery to continue to enjoy the view. Horses remaining at the charity can be sponsored through the charity’s sponsorship scheme. Countrymens Club runs here, providing rural activities for older gentlemen with various conditions such as dementia or Parkinsons so the men can “be what they used to be”. As well as working with the horses the countrymen grow vegetables in special raised beds, complete woodwork projects such as making wooden games and enjoy a fly cup, a fancy piece and a blether.

At the other end of the age spectrum the Blue Unicorns programme provides equine facilitated learning for children through activities with horses, learning stable management and enjoying horse agility on the specially constructed horse agility course. Not only does this teach responsible horse ownership and love of animals but it also encourages transferable skills such as confidence, teamwork, communication, literacy and numeracy. The charity’s Lark Rise project helps women with barriers to employment by developing transferable employability and life skills through equine facilitated learning and therapy. Women are particularly affected by the economic downturn and greatly benefit from the confidence and skills imparted by the programme. Victims of abuse also find it beneficial especially in the safe all female environment. All the above programmes can either be self funded or covered by Direct Payments. COVID has impacted the charity greatly as activities had to either cease or adapt. Programmes have now resumed with strict hygiene and isolation measures in place suitable for the outdoor setting. Visitors are welcome by prior arrangement and there is a small admission charge. Demand for horses to come to Touchdown Memorial Home for Horses has suddenly increased again with the onset of winter and due to people being unable to keep their horses through furlough or redundancy so the charity is operating a growing waiting list and still has all the costs of keeping the horses through winter: feed, haylage, vet, hoof trimming, dentist, worming, field maintenance, fertiliser, weedkiller, fences, staff and so on. If readers are able to help in any small way then all donations are greatly appreciated and go straight to the horses. Full details can be found on the charity’s website www.touchdownmhh.org or their

Facebook page Touchdown Memorial Home

for Horses. Also on the Facebook page is the online shop where craft items can be purchased from the charity including crochet horses and unicorns, leather horse tags and keyrings.