Moorcroft Equine Rehabilitation Centre chief executive Mary Frances on giving horses another chance...
I grew up in Ireland and trained with the late showjumper and trainer Iris Kellett . I have 40 years’ experience with horses, having worked in Switzerland with top dressage horses and in the UK with eventers. When Moorcroft needed a manager, I was pleased to step in and help these very deserving horses.
I was only meant to be at the charity for a year, but have been with them for 12. I really love the rehabilitation side of my job, as so many horses need another chance in life. Not enough is known about how to rehabilitate after lameness and surgery or when things go wrong. Ex-racehorses, in particular, need time and understanding, plus lots of strengthening and muscle-building work.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
Horse & Hound's equine trainer and behaviourist blogger looks back at a challenging success story
Credit: no credit
Jay Johnson on learning from his time behind bars and how he’s repaying horses for saving his life
Horsehairdressing’s Lucie Holt on making fake tails for top horses, and why she prefers equine clients
Credit: Jon Stroud Media
How well do you know the dressage supergroom? Here are nine things about Alan that you might not have known….
Credit: Melody Ashcroft
Gary Coutts on growing up at Balmoral, runaway Highlands and working with The Queen.
Credit: Corinne Stokes Photography
Daniel Fowler-Prime on teamwork, wowing crowds and reuniting families, as told to Kate Johnson
