The Working Horse Trust - from Humble Beginnings

Bess at work in the woodland

With a more defined focus, on the traditional, heavy working breeds, Richard and Jo were really able to concentrate on what needed to be done.  The Working Horse Trust regrouped and set about helping to aid the recovery of the heavies in several ways – by breeding horses, by training people in the care and handling of these horses, by demonstrating that horse-power is still a sensible option in certain situations and by encouraging wider interest in and ownership of the heavy horse breeds.

Getting the Trust off the ground was an enormous undertaking.  Having moved to Eridge and rented 100 acres of somewhat derelict land, the first priority was to make a proper base and get some buildings up. Relying entirely on a small band of committed volunteers, and  severely under-funded, it was a major challenge to create a working farm out of nothing.  Everything had to be done the hard way from creating permanent pastures out of poor quality set-aside land, fencing paddocks and getting mains water to constructing housing for the Trust’s 23 horses, barns for hay and equipment, and workshops. 

If this weren’t enough, behind the scenes a whole new administrative and fundraising framework had to be put into place as The Trust had no office, a very low profile and negligible income. Gradually though, through sheer hard work and determination, everything started to come together.

Whilst Jo put her marketing and public relations skills to use in building office systems, promoting the Trust, recruiting new members, introducing fundraising activities and making grant applications, Richard concentrated on developing the horse and farm side of the Trust – training horses and handlers, building a programme of events and demonstrations and taking on contract work, as well as attending to the infrastructure of the farm. 

It has been a long, hard road and the Trust has encountered some major set-backs along the way, not least of which have been two serious burglaries (the latest just before Christmas last year), but over the past thirteen years, with the help of some extraordinarily dedicated people and extremely generous supporters, the Trust has become established and developed into a busy organization and successful breeder of Suffolk and Ardennes horses.  It now has 700 members and more than 70 registered volunteers, 20 horses and a flock of Southdown sheep.  Its year is packed with a mix of fundraising events – Sponsored Rides, Barn Dance, Sponsored Walk, Race Night – Open Days at the farm, outside shows and workings and its own Eridge Heavy Horse Show which was launched last year. 

© Sue Wingate - The Joy of Horses 2006