A message from our Chairman!

A local RSPCA Officer called on EHPPS for help on in middle of last week to take in a small, underweight pony who had been left tethered in the deep snow with no hay or feed.   The pony was very underweight and obviously had a heavy worm burden given the size of his pot belly.  The snow reached up to his stomach and he was visibly shaking with the cold.  No-one in the locality knew who the pony belonged to, so he was brought into EHPPS for some immediate first aid.  He is obviously not been well cared for – through total ignorance or cruelty we don’t know – although very often the two go hand in hand.  He is terrified of people so, again, we don’t know if this is because he has not been properly handled or whether this is as a direct result of abuse.  The little mite couldn’t believe his eyes when he was given a straw bed AND hay to eat – he didn’t know where to go first for comfort!  During the week he’s been with us, the youngster has settled down well, although he remains wary of humans being around him.  

This pony is the 70^th resident we have in at EHPPS’s Pitsea based Sanctuary at the moment.  Our winter stocking levels are 38 maximum.   Because of the huge increase in numbers, our complete winter hay supply is down to 100 bales – this will last us just under a week.  Hay prices have risen dramatically this year  – EHPPS pays £3.50 per bale as we buy straight off the field which keeps the cost down.  We are now having to source hay wherever we can get it from – this is costing us between £5 and £6.50 per bale depending on the supplier.  We estimate that we need in excess of £6,500 to buy enough hay to get us through this winter.

Christmas is a time of giving …. and what better gift to give than the gift of caring for others less fortunate than yourselves.   Make a donation on someone’s behalf or buy someone a EHPPS Membership Gift.  All details are on our website at www.ehpps.org.uk.

PLEASE PLEASE help the EHPPS horses and ponies – we are absolutely desperate for funds, more so than ever before. 

These 70 resident horses we have at the Sanctuary have nowhere else to go and no one else to look after them.  We have no option but to carry on with our work, but we don’t know how we can continue with insufficient funds - which is why we are appealing for help from all you animal lovers..    We need £10,000 per month to keep the Sanctuary running properly – that figure does not include the ever necessary veterinary care we have to provide.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those people who support our work and to those people who have responded so favourably to our recent appeals through the Echo.  On behalf of us all at EHPPS – two legged and four-legged, I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Peaceful New Year.  Bless you all.

(Donation cheques should be made payable to “EHPPS” and sent to EHPPS, Pitsea Hall Lane, Basildon, Essex SS16 4UH.  Payments are accepted through our website too – www.ehpps.org.uk).

Sue Allery
Chairman
Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society
Charity Registration No: 297893