Home of Rest for Horses

Several articles were printed in Hallmark about the Home of Rest for Horses created at Speen Farm in 1971. Click the following for more :-

1982 Horses killed in I.R.A. Bombing. Copy of letter in The Horses Trust magazine

1984 Sefton comes to Lacey Green (biography)

1986 Celebrating the Centenary of the First Home of Rest for Horses. by Miles Marshall

2011 Home of Rest for Horses Updated. copy of a newsletter by Peter Larson of The Horses Trust.

THE HORSES HOME OF REST   by Walter Stein researched in 1972

In 1971 The Horse Trust purchased Speen Farm and established a Home of Rest for Horses.    Walter Stein of Woodfield Road, Lacey Green visited it shortly afterwards: --

Information. I paid a visit to the establishment and will try to convey my impressions and the helpful information kindly given by the Secretary of the Society, Lt. Col. Lewis Bowen and his deputy, Major Cliff.  There are at the time of writing, 127 animals at the stables, but this number is expected to increase to about 150 during the winter months.   Most of the inmates are horses and ponies, but there are also 5 donkeys to complete the number of animals kept

Different Horses. There are different classes of inmates:  There are old horses, which are sent by their owners to spend the rest of their lives in comfort and proper care.   These horses are affectionately referred to as “old favourites”.   Other animals are sent to the home for a rest during their working life for periods from three weeks to three months.   These are working horses serving all sorts of trades.   “Jim” pulls holiday barges on the Grand Union Canal during the summer months, others are employed on the few remaining horse-drawn milk floats and there are some serving rag and bone merchants – “Hercules” of Steptoe & Son in reality.   Riding school horses come here for a rest – and don’t they need it!   Others are simply brought to the stables while their owners are on holiday.

Pit Ponies. A class particularly noteworthy are the pit ponies.   The first surprise on seeing these animals is their size.   One usually – as a layman – thinks of ponies as being relatively small, but these are full size horses.   There are 6 pit “ponies” at the stables now, pensioners, after serving in the coalmines of South Wales and 6 more are expected shortly.   It is a pleasure to be able to record that the National Coal Board sends these horses, when they are no longer fit for work, to this place of equine tranquillity and rest instead of shipping them to the continent for “bifteck”.

Old Age. Generally speaking, working horses are fit for their job up to an age of about 25 years, but may live longer and the oldest inhabitant at Speen Farm is “Bronco” aged 34 who, in his younger days, was a riding horse and also pulled a trap and later on was a “loan pony” to a greengrocer.

Food. The area belonging to the home covers 100 acres of which 30 acres are used as grass land for growing hay and the rest is used for grazing.   Horses are put out to look after themselves during the summer months, but shelters are provided and experience shows that some animals are happier in the field, while others prefer to stay in the stables.   Even the animals out of doors get additional feed and the stabled horses are fed on hay, chaff, bran and oats.   There is no rationing; the horses get as much as they will eat and I was told that one problem is that some may get too fat!

Health. The care and attention given to the horses is exemplary and it is obvious to the visitor that the animals are happy.   They respond by being called by their names and readily come to be petted or spoken to.   Lt. Col. Lewis-Bowen, who as the Society’s secretary in charge of the establishment, is a qualified veterinary surgeon and has at his disposal a fully equipped dispensary and “horse surgery”.   Major Cliff, who looks after the stables and their inmates, is a former army riding instructor and amateur competition rider and there is no lack of expertise in ensuring the welfare of the animals.   A farrier calls every week to inspect and trim horses’ hoofs, when required.   The horses do not wear shoes while at the home, in order to reduce the risk of an occasional kick.

Staff. The staff consists of about 15 people employed in winter and about a dozen in summer.   All but one are ladies and, as far as can be judged from a short visit, they enjoy their work with the animals.   The whole place absolutely exudes efficiency, as one would expect (but not always finds) in a place run by military men and the degree of cleanliness and order is of a very high standard.

My Pleasure. I found it a most pleasing experience to visit the Home of Rest for Horses, one of the examples that the expression of a “Nation of Animal Lovers” is more than an empty phrase and I suggest that anybody in the district having sympathy for horses, “man’s best friend” would do well to visit the Home, see how well the animals are looked after and how they send their well-earned rest.