Redwings Horse Sanctuary - Happy Birthday Finnegan!

A few years ago my parents gave me the great birthday gift of adopting Finnegan at Redwings Ada Cole Visitor Centre in Harlow, Essex. Since I still haven't achieved my life-long ambition of having my own horse, Finnegan is a lovely substitute and I enjoy visiting him when I can.

Last Saturday was his 17th birthday and everyone who had adopted him was invited to celebrate his birthday the day after. On the Sunday I took my sister and my boyfriend Conor's two second cousins Macaela and Enya along with me and we all had a great time seeing all the different horses at the centre. However no attention escaped from Finnegan, after all it was his big day!

At 1pm we all gathered around to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Finnegan at his special birthday parade and the carers then slowly brought Finnegan and Henry round to see everyone. We all gave him plenty of fuss on his big day and it was really nice to see how many people turned up to celebrate with him.

It's not just people who can have birthday cake either! Finnegan got to enjoy a scrumptious birthday cake made especially for him. The carers had soaked some pony cubes and then moulded them into a cake-like shape before adding polos, apples and ginger nut biscuits. Henry was also lucky enough to enjoy his own cake too so he wouldn't feel left out. As you can see, they both eagerly tucked in!

After the parade we had our picnic before making our way round the rest of the centre. There are quite a few fields to walk around with plenty of horses to look at and it's a great day out for all the family to enjoy. I even pretended to be a horse for a while to help entertain Enya, which I have to say I quite enjoyed!

At 15.2 hands, Finnegan is a handsome coloured cob who was rescued by the RSPCA along with two other horses, one being his best friend Henry. Found in London, all three were very neglected and thin but have made a full recovery with the help of Redwings. However, he is known as a 'good do-er' meaning his weight will need to be constantly monitored for the rest of his life to prevent him for developing any weight-related problems such as laminitis.

Celebrating 25 years of caring, Redwings is one of the UK's largest horse sanctuaries and and cares for more than 1,300 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. Funded entirely by donations, their visitor centres include: Ada Cole Rescue Centre in Essex, Caldecott Visitor Centre in Norfolk and Oxhill Visitor Centre in Warwickshire. For more information visit www.redwings.org.uk

 Factfile:

• Cobs are a sturdy animal known in the Medieval times as a rouncy  or roncey

• The ideal cob stands from 14.2 to 15.2 hands high (hh), has a thick crested neck, a short back with a deep girth, rounded highquarters, short legs and hard, round feet. 

• They can be any colour and has a generally smooth and comfortable gait.

• Usually safe and extremely strong, their unruffleable temperament is in high demand. 

Helping Your Pet - Flower Remedies For Behavioural Problems

With around 50 per cent of people in the UK owning a pet, this country is definitely a nation of animal lovers. With owning a pet comes the responsibility of taking it to the vet when there are problems, however more and more are looking into natural remedies and foregoing traditional veterinary treatment.

One of these alternative therapies I have discovered are the Bach Flower Remedies. Developed by Dr Edward Bach during the 1920's-30's, he wanted to develop a treatment to treat the 'real' cause of the disease and heal and restore the mind to a balanced state.

Comprising of 38 different essences which can be used on both people and animals, 37 are prepared from wild flowers, bushes and trees which include the well known Rescue Remedy and one from natural spring water. 

What makes these remedies appealing is how they help to treat a specific state of mind or way of thinking. This treatment does not directly help fix physical problems, but this could provide the solution you are looking for if you are experiencing behavioural problems with your pet. 

Available from health stores, the Flower Essences are be used to help treat common problems such as separation anxiety, firework phobias, car issues and excessive barking. As each essence has its own properties to help a particular condition or behavioural problem, it's simply a case of selecting the appropriate remedy or remedies based on your pet's emotional symptoms. There's no risk of harm if a remedy is incorrectly chosen and administered as it will just have no effect. 

In particular rescue animals can experience a number of different issues and certain essences are prepared to help them deal with ones including nervousness, bereavement, aggression or shock. 

Star of Bethlehem helps physically and emotionally traumatised animals and also gives comfort from shock.

Sweet Chestnut treats extreme mental anguish for animals who have reached their limit and given up or who have a long history of neglect and suffering.

For abandoned animals who may be disinterested in food or chronically sad, Wild Rose can help to remedy resignation and apathy.

Rock Rose helps to restore courage, bravery and calmness in animals that show signs of extreme fear and terror.

Red Chestnut will restore confidence and trust in others as well as provide calmness in emergencies.

Normally beginning to work with a couple of days, these essences can be given for long periods of time safely and can be added to food or water. The dose rate can vary depending on the size of the animal being treated, for example dogs are usually given four drops whilst horses between 10-15 drops. 

I managed to speak to Emma Styles the owner of Blue Sky Natural Vet - a Veterinary Acupuncture and Holistic Medicine in London about why she chose to use alternative therapies. She told me that after working as a conventional vet for 10 years she found herself at time disappointed and disillusioned with the results of traditional medicine, especially for long term problems. 

As well as using the Flower Remedies, she also chooses a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs and diet that best suits the animal's pattern. When deciding on the Flower essence she uses the Bach remedy guide and diagnoses the descriptions of emotional imbalance of the animals after examining them and also after carefully questioning the owner. 

One patient included a seven-year-old neutered cat travelling overseas on a long haul flight as his owners were relocating. Emma used the flower remedies as she wanted something to address the cat's emotional state and the owner had specifically requested this therapy. She used Impatiens, Vervain and Walnut for protection from change before the flight and Walnut, Star of Bethlehem, Aspen, Mimulus and Honeysuckle for the journey itself. 

The result - a happy cat travelling to a new home! 

What a Hoot - The Raptor Foundation in Cambridgeshire

Last month on the first April bank holiday my boyfriend Conor and I went away for the weekend and stayed at the brilliant Raptor Foundation in Cambridgeshire. What made this getaway even more exciting was that we were actually staying at the foundation and so I couldn't wait to get there!

The term 'raptor' means bird of prey and we saw plenty of these beautiful birds including Kestrels, Eagle Owls, Tawny Owls, Barn Owls and many more to keep us entertained. The aviaries they were kept in were pristine and it was amazing to see so many all together in the one place.

My Grandad bred owls for more than 25 years and since he sadly passed away in July last year birds of prey, in particular owls, hold special memories for me.

Whilst there we were lucky enough to catch a display and also photograph this moment! The European Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) is a very large and powerful owl and found in North Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. They have prominent ear-tufts, fully feathered talons and bright orange eyes. As you can tell they have a huge wing length which can range from 47.8cm for females to 44.8cm for males, making their wingspan reach up to seven feet! Their main diet is made up of mammals including voles, rats and mice, however these birds can even take down roe deer fawns.

Another beautiful bird of prey which many have heard of is the Barn Owl (Tyto alba). Native in this country, there are also more than 30 subspecies worldwide including Africa, Europe, America and Australia. A medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disc, they often live in open countryside near towns and villages. They are also much smaller than the Eagle Owl with a wingspan of 90-98cm (nearly three feet). When hunting their flight is noiseless and they eat mainly small mammals, although some specialise in hunting bats. What's lovely about owls is that they normally pair for life.

I captured this Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) whilst he was sleeping and he looks adorable. The commonest owl in Central Europe, they are medium-sized and live in forest clearings, parks and open landscapes with wooded patches. Their wingspan ranges from 91-105cm (just over two feet) depending on gender and they are generally nocturnal although they are sometimes active during daylight when they have young to feed. They eat a wide variety of mammals as well as birds, frogs, reptiles, fish and large insects.

Factfile:

• Female birds of prey are generally bigger and heavier than males.
• Owls can swallow their prey whole or tear pieces off, however indigestible items such as hair, feathers and bones are regurgitated into pellets. 
• They have no natural predators, however they are at risk from dangers including pesticides, lack of nesting sites, traffic and food supply.
• The Raptor Foundation provides medical care for injured raptors, helps return rehabilitated birds to the wild and is a sanctuary for those that cannot be released. For more information visit www.raptorfoundation.org.uk

Here are some more pictures of some more birds of prey at The Raptor Foundation.

The Mounted Police - Why They Should Stay

As a big fan of the mounted police, I was dismayed to hear last month that a football fan punched a police horse during the clash at the Tyne-Wear derby.

The man claimed that after walking out the pub he saw a spooked horse coming at him and simply reacted in order to defend himself. Now anyone would be pretty scared if a horse came at them, but to punch a horse is not on.

Thankfully the horse named Bud was not hurt, but this goes to show how animals at the front line can be put in harm's way and also proves the vital service they provide.

Sadly, not everyone feels that way. Just last year the Essex mounted police unit was disbanded for the second time, just five years after they had been reintroduced to Essex. In another sad example of budget cuts, the police cut this unit in order to save an estimated £600,000 a year. Now I know this is a lot of money, but surely there are other areas that could have been cut that are not as vital?

The mounted unit provide a service that the normal police cannot. Look at the way they helped during the Tottenham riots in 2011 and also at football matches, protests and concerts. In an article in the Evening Standard published on the 9th May 2013, the Met sent in the mounted unit to help with groups of Eastern Europeans sleeping rough in the West End.

Met police sergeant Simon Reason said in the article that "officers on horses have a specific role. It means increased visibility. They also have a different viewpoint and can spot things we don't." The police on horses were able to support officers on foot and the UK Border Agency at troublespots including Marble Arch and Walmer Place.

They can also help in times of security. When I was undertaking work experience at the Essex Chronicle in 2009, I had the pleasure of speaking to the mounted unit as they helped with security measures for the G20 summit. They were the only mounted unit at Stansted Airport and stood guard at the Harrods terminal when Air Force One arrived and departed with President Obama and his wife.

Only this month we heard how South Yorkshire's mounted police had been saved from closure after the county's police force confirmed last year that it was reviewing the unit. The number of staff and horses are to be cut down, but thankfully the main unit will still be in use.

Mounted police are used all over the world, particularly in America. This goes to show that more should be done to keep these units going. Who are you more likely to walk up to in a busy town centre - two police officers standing side by side or two police horses with officers? I know which one I'd pick!

Factfile:

• There are only 16 police forces in England and Wales that retain a mounted unit
• The horses used are more than 16.2 hands and can stand with a police officer at around 10ft tall to help provide high visibility in crowds
• Generally only one in 30 horses are chosen for the job and even then the horse still has a month's trial to see if it is suitable
• They must have a calm temperament and are usually quite stocky as it suits the job
• Some units even help to find missing people. For example in 2010 they were deployed alongside the marine unit to help find an Essex man with dementia who had gone missing from his home. 

London Pet Show 2013 - For Everyone Who Loves Animals

If you're animal mad, the place to be last weekend was at Earls Court for the London Pet Show! I was lucky enough to get a free pair of tickets and we bought three more so my whole family could discover what the show is all about.

We were certainly not disappointed! There were so many different stands, talks and shows to explore, by the time it got to 5pm we were glad to put up our feet for the journey home on the underground.

One of my favourite parts of the show by far was the rabbit showjumping. Unfortunately, my rabbit Simba's career as a showjumper was over before it even began due to the plate in his leg, so I couldn't wait to see what these fluffy bunnies could do. Dubbed the Rabbit Grand National, these specially trained rabbits had flown all the way over from Sweden for this demonstration and couldn't they jump! The fences at the show were 50cms high, but some of these talented critters could jump an amazing 80cms.

When walking around, there were so many animals of all shapes and sizes I didn't know where to start! What was great about this show is that there were so many experts on hand to help you learn more about your pet or to help you choose which breed or even species was the best choice for you.

I bought some lovely biscuits with carrot in for Simba from Katie's Canine Kitchen - her business has been such a success with dogs that she's ventured into making delicious treats for rabbits, cats and even ponies too.

The Duck Herding demonstation was another great addition to the programme. The handler of the border collies rounding up the eight Indian Runner ducks made it look so easy to herd them through a tunnel, but just remembering the commands for sending the collies a certain way had my head in a spin. The funniest part was when the second border collie kept steering the ducks away from the pen because she was having too much fun!

Sadly, the miniature horse display was cancelled due to unforseen circumstances, but watching the free flight parrots in the Parrot display from World of Wings was particularly inspiring. One of the handlers Nick explained to the crowd how to treat and get the best out of a socially bored, outgoing parrot and a very nervous and scared parrot. What was great to see was the trust they both had in the handler, especially afterwards when three other parrots were let loose and there could have been chaos!

Now I wish I had a dog as the Celebrity Doggy Dancing with Donelda Guy and the Heelwork to Music with Mary Ray was amazing! If I could do half the things they did with their dogs, I would be one happy owner.

Something I didn't know was that dogs are also left or right handed just like people. Mary Ray demonstrated this with one of her dogs Levi as when circling her, Mary pointed out that one circle was larger whilst the other was tighter and closer to her. This showed he felt more comfortable and was on the hand (or should I saw paw) he preferred going one way than when he on the other.

Dancing to 'Puttin' on the Ritz' from Top Hat, it was amazing to see the connection Mary had with her dogs. Simply by using clicker training, she was able to make a stunning routine with her dogs that many of us can only dream of.

The last show we watched was the Southern Golden Retriever Display Team. Obedience is a worthwhile skill to have with your dog, especially when you can make a routine to 'Moves Like Jagger'! Seeing 20 dogs all sitting still as their owners walk around the arena and with barely any hiccups is certainly amazing and what's more, they looked like they were having a great time too.

Completely worth seeing just for all the wagging tails!

Check out the London Pet Show website for next year's show at www.londonpetshow.co.uk