A local charity with 23 mouths to feed . . . Hoofbeats Equine Rehabilitation Sanctuary
H
aving officially been set up in 2000, Hoofbeats Sanctuary has gone from strength to strength; rehabilitating a range of horses and ponies from their yard on Dartmoor. But restrictions brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the finances of this small charity, which is now appealing to the public for help. After rescuing her first horse at the age of 18, founder Sharon Vieira’s passion for the rehabilitation of horses hasn’t been without its learning curves. Former racehorse ‘Second Chance’ was the unplanned beginning of an ever-growing sanctuary for unwanted equines. Sharon told Plym Links about her first rescue: ‘At the time I thought I was so lucky to be given an exracehorse; I remember thinking to myself “How could anyone abandon a horse that has worked so hard for humans?” Little did I know how tough it can be to own an ex-racer, yet how rewarding working with a rescue
horse can be.’ From these humble beginnings, Sharon has remained devoted to giving horses and ponies of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds a ‘second chance’ at life, in memory of her first rescue. Now, more than 30 years on, together with a team of like-minded, dedicated volunteers, Hoofbeats has rescued more than 150 equines, finding them lasting and loving loan homes which are regularly monitored. With every penny donated and fundraised going towards the horses and ponies in their care, it has been no mean feat for Hoofbeats to reach this impressive total. Working all year round, and with an average of around 20 horses awaiting homes or being rehabilitated on site at any one time, the costs can really mount up – the charity’s running costs alone adding up to £1,600 a month. It’s a task made even harder by the unavoidable effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As Sharon said: ‘When
Your dream bathroom starts here... Bathroom Design Part or Full Installation Tiling & Carpentry Showers & Wetrooms Easy Access & Disabled Bathrooms
CALL: 01752 242897 07786 864375 8
info@dreambathroomsltd.co.uk • www.dreambathroomsltd.co.uk Showroom: Unit 12, Sugar Mill Business Park, Plymouth, PL9 7HT
To promote your business to 16,100 readers - call 07450 161929
advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk
