Devon Equine charity raises nearly £200k for lifesaving training equipment

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has successfully raised almost £200,000 through its first-ever Crowdfunding campaign.

This achievement has allowed the equine welfare charity to acquire a crucial and unique piece of life-saving equipment.

Named 'Max', this life-size equine mannequin is fully articulated and has been purchased by the charity with the help of funding. 

Max is specifically designed to aid in training emergency teams for rescuing horses and ponies from various challenging situations such as trenches, ditches, cliffs, and water or mud entrapments.

With charity headquarters in Newton Abbot and sanctuaries scattered across Devon, including Holsworthy, Totnes, and Yelverton, Max will be relocated to different sanctuaries as needed for training purposes.

Engineered by the UK company Resquip, Max is crafted to closely resemble a real horse, featuring realistic joint articulation and muscle definition. 

The limited opportunities for realistic livestock rescue practice prompted the Mare and Foal Sanctuary to provide professional extraction teams with the chance to learn best practices in future training exercises alongside them.

The Crowdfunding campaign initially aimed for £8,802 and received generous support from donors, surpassing its target by raising £9,289. 

However, an extraordinary contribution of £175,000 by Lesley Willan, in memory of her friend Jeff Ward, greatly boosted the campaign. 

In gratitude, the charity invited Lesley to name the new mannequin, and she chose 'Max' in honour of Jeff's late dog.

Lesley said: ‘I wanted to help with the purchase because this was something that would have a direct impact on the welfare of the horses in the Southwest that Jeff cared so much about.

“I knew straight away that it should be called Max, after Jeff’s late dog. Sadly, Jeff’s partner Patricia passed away eight years before Max’s arrival. From then on, Max was always by Jeff’s side, providing comfort.

I’m proud that Jeff’s donation will make such a huge difference to the lives of horses, ponies and the people who care about them.”

Syra Bowden, Head of Equine Welfare at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary, highlighted the critical need for specialised training to handle situations where horses and ponies are trapped.

She said, “Too often we witness terrible cases of horses and ponies becoming trapped in tight spaces or stuck fast in rivers or bogs. Specialist training exercises using Max, our new horse mannequin, will help us to build emergency response partnerships and develop more effective extraction techniques.”

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary plans to collaborate with rescue teams in the Southwest for training exercises using Max later in the year. Additionally, Max will make public appearances to raise awareness about equine safety and welfare.

To learn more about Max and the Mare and Foal Sanctuary's work, visit their website at www.mareandfoal.org