We’re incredibly lucky in this part of the world. Driving through the lush green countryside, you’ll be able to spot livestock around every corner. In many of our fields, there will be horses, but the rich grass that benefits our dairy herds can actually be a problem for our equines.
‘We’re in an equine obesity crisis and we have been for a few years,’ says equine diet expert, Corrie Green. ‘It’s a massive welfare issue. It’s easy to turn a blind eye.’
I met Corrie on a course last year, where we were learning about how to keep our horses healthy. She works for family-run feed company Baileys and she’s been in the industry for 20 years. Her patch is Lancashire and Cheshire, with a bit of Cumbria thrown in for good measure.
‘It’s hugely varied; some days I will go to a professional yard, other days it’s the supply chain, every day is different,’ she says.
Corrie got into the job after training as a veterinary nurse. She loved horses and wanted to see if she could turn her hobby into a role that could help others. Over the past two decades, the industry has undergone massive change.
‘Horses are living longer than they did. We’re so much better at looking after them,’ she says. And this is where Corrie can really make a difference. ‘Horses, unlike most of our other pets, are doing a job. They are sometimes working quite hard and it’s not something people put much thought into, but a lot of our research relates back to humans.’
So, like diets in the human world, feed is changing; it’s not just basic pony nuts anymore. There are loads of things that can help to keep our beloved horses going. When Corrie comes onto a yard, she’ll speak to the owner, look at the horse, take its statistics and help to draw up a plan to keep them well fed.
‘For some horse/rider combinations, it has been life-changing,’ she says. ‘I’ve had horses that have gone from not being rideable, with behavioural issues. You change the feeding and then six months down the line they are back doing the job they love.’
Corrie has also saved animals with medical problems. So strong is the bond between horse and rider that, in many cases, Corrie’s help has changed customers to friends; she’s even been to weddings of those she’s helped over the years. She also thinks she’s doing the job in the best part of the country. She credits the region with having incredible facilities and more top riders able to offer support and advice.
‘One of the things I’ve seen in the past two decades is a big improvement in livery yards and how much support there is on those yards,’ she says.
She’d know, she spends many a day touring round them. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about feed either. She’s really proud of the company she works for. Baileys, based in Essex, has plenty of managers like Corrie, ready to offer free help and advice.
‘It’s family-owned, we’re all horse owners and everyone is focused on horse wellbeing,’ she says. Corrie is working hard to help raise awareness of the obesity crisis affecting our horses: ‘I love my job, I love horses too. You wouldn’t do this job if you didn’t. It’s a lovely industry, 99 per cent of people I meet want the best for their horse and that’s really good.’.
baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
