Me and Barbi are joining another 149 riders from "Horse Vets United" on August 19th on a 32km (20 mile) ride in South Derbyshire countryside to raise money for the horse and donkey charity, SPANA. Each rider has to aim to raise £150 to help the donkeys and horses suffering in Mali and Mauritania. 32km is the average distance these poor animals travel every day, often pulling a very heavy load. PLEASE SPONSOR ME what ever you can afford, you can change the amount after the £ sign to what ever you would like to donate THANK YOU

Horse Vets United are a group of currently 10 Vets (hopefully soon to be joined by many more!) coming from several different equine practices across the Midlands and Shropshire. We are performing a 32km endurance ride on Sunday 19th August around Lullington, a lovely village set in beautiful countryside in Derbyshire.

We are raising money to provide equipment for the only two equine clinics in Mali and Mauritania. These are two of the poorest countries in the world and the SPANA run clinics provide vital life-saving and preventative veterinary care for the working horses and donkeys upon which countless millions of people depend. The vets work incredibly hard under very difficult conditions but are hampered and easily demoralised by the lack of suitable equipment and facilities.

When a horse or donkey dies or is ill or injured, the women and children become the “donkeys” and have to bear an additional physical and social burden. It surely can’t be “right” or fair that a 6-year-old child can’t go to school because she has to fetch barrels of water every day because the family donkey is ill or has died? Illness is at least (usually) temporary so long as veterinary attention is given, but the death of the donkey from a treatable or preventable disease means there is little or no hope of schooling or a better future. The 32km Horse Vets United will ride represents the distance an average work horse or donkey in the developing world has to travel each and every day.

Additionally, we want to provide (further) funding to support the Disabled Riding Centre in Bamako, Mali. This little centre provides physical, educational and emotional support for orphaned disabled children; most have been abandoned at birth and few survive beyond 8-9 years. They must surely be some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the world! The centre provides a few of them with their only respite from an otherwise miserable and desperate life- more children need to benefit from it!!

Your donation, however small, is hugely appreciated and we are

extremely grateful!!!

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