THE IRISH Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT) has purchased a 68-acre farm and raised almost €700,000 last year from donations and through a mortgage, writes Séan MacConnell.
Located near Woodenbridge, Co Wicklow, the farm comprises 68 acres of good land, a house, stables, an exercise track and other facilities.
The trust has been operating out of rented premises for the past 10 years in the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of neglected and abused horses and ponies throughout Ireland.
It also runs the country's only former racehorse retraining-for-rehoming programme and promotes the welfare of equines through education programmes.
The trust at present cares for 39 equines at the new farm - 16 former racehorses and 23 horses and ponies of various types.
Yesterday the organisation acknowledged the donations from bodies such as Horse Racing Ireland, the National Stud and the associations of Irish racehorse owners and racecourses.
It said support had also come from bookmakers, stud farms and various individuals throughout Ireland.
The trust can be contacted at its new premises: IHWT, Ballinamona, Woodenbridge, Co Wicklow.
Telephone (0404) 45720 or email: info@ihwt.ie or visit the website for more information at www.ihwt.ie