Our New Surface Area
At Mane Chance, our various herds live out in our fields and tracks. We, like many other Sanctuaries, have a number of horses who suffer from lifelong conditions or sensitivities that can sometimes have a flare-up.
Many of these conditions (including Cushings, Equine Metabolic Sydrome, laminitis etc.) mean that the horse needs special dietary support, and to have them grazing out in fields where we can't monitor their eating, risks making their condition worse. Instead, they are usually brought into a stable where their diets are able to be controlled appropriately. Often with such illnesses, the horses also suffer from chronic foot pain (due to the physiology of an equine!) and without treatment, they can become very sore, so a nice deep bed in a stable also helps relieve any pain.
Bringing a horse inside (even though we do always bring a companion in to the stable next door so they are not isolated) is not the way that we choose to keep our horses at Mane Chance - we would much prefer them out in the fresh air and with their herd.
So last year, we designed a new space at the Sanctuary where we could replace grass with a non-edible surface allowing us to restrict their grazing as required - but also a soft surface to replicate a comfortable bed in a stable. The difference being it would be outside where they could still be with their herds and friends!
We were thrilled when two funders - Hilda Holmes Charitable Trust and Horses4Health granted us some money to start work on the area, and whilst this is a large project that will take time to finish completely, we have now been able to complete phase 1 and more excitingly, our horses already have access to the initial section.
They absolutely love it - it gives them cushioning for sore feet, plenty of space to lie, run, roll around and play - at the same time, we are making sure they get the right feed/grazing management to reduce and prevent any condition flare up! It's very exciting!
We have written a report on phase 1 of this project, which is attached here if you would like to find out more.
We hope you enjoy it!
