Portrait emotion finds his forever home

Christina, one of our volunteers has re-homed Portrait Emotion AKA Buddy.

“I hadn’t planned on getting another horse, but nearly four years after losing my beloved Fen, who was with me for 27 years, I began to realise that it wasn’t just him I missed, but the special connection between human and horse.

Buddy arrived at the Sanctuary in late June 2025, and as a volunteer, I spent time with him, just as I do with all the horses. One day, after Nigel finished exercising Buddy, he remarked, “This one would be perfect for you.” The rest, as they say, is history. By September, I found a yard and became Buddy’s keeper. It has been brilliant; he’s a true star and a contented soul. My happy hacker, he has restored the joy of horse and rider partnership. I feel like myself again, and he will be a delight until I am truly too old to climb aboard. It’s comforting to know that when the time comes, he will return to the safety of The Racehorse Sanctuary and Re-homing Centre.

Latest fundraising efforts

Some of our supporters have also been busy during the winter months raising donations for the Centre.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Badgers Public House at Coultershaw Bridge, Petworth. In December and January, Jules and Simon generously donated the proceeds from their Sunday lunch raffles, and they also held a New Year’s Eve auction for us. The total amount raised was an impressive £723.

Our main fundraising event at plumpton – cancelled

We were deeply sorry for having to cancel our annual fundraising event last November due to insufficient ticket sales. This was very disheartening, especially considering all the hard work put into organising the event by both Plumpton and our team and volunteers here at the Centre. As a charity, we depend entirely on the kindness of our donors, sponsors, and the general public to fund the care and re-homing of the horses we look after. Financially, the winter months pose the greatest challenge of the year.

So, with free wills month fast approaching, we would be grateful if you would consider leaving a legacy in your will, however small, to the Racehorse Sanctuary and Re-homing Centre so that we can continue our valuable work with ex-racehorses.

What is Free Wills Month?

Free Wills Month runs twice a year in the UK, during March and October, offering individuals aged 55 and over the chance to have simple wills written or updated at no cost via participating solicitors. The campaign encourages, but does not require, the inclusion of charitable legacy gifts. Appointments are limited, filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and the offer applies to basic estate planning in selected locations.

If this might be something you would like to consider then take a look at our Free Will Month page for more information. You can also find more information on leaving a gift in your will by downloading our free Will Guide

Free Will Guide

The post Winter News 2026 appeared first on The Racehorse Sanctuary.

– your donation will make all the difference.

To donate £5, text HORS001 to 70970
To donate £10, text HORS001 to 70191

Please support our Winter Feed Appeal to keep all our ex-racehorses in good health during these cold winter months.

Winter has really hit the Racehorse Sanctuary and Rehoming Centre hard with the extended freezing conditions on top of the usual cold, very wet and windy weather. This has led to the horses needing extra feed, supplements, and in some cases, medication which is essential in keeping them healthy and happy during these long winter months.

The increase in costs comes in the form of extra good quality hay, plenty of fibre rich feed and bedding such as straw and shavings, all of which have dramatically increased in price since the summer due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the cost of energy crisis.

In parallel to this, the horse’s wellbeing relies on them being able to have a degree of turnout every day so that they can move freely and have the all important grazing time which helps keep their gut and mental health at its best. This daily turnout helps avoid stress and joint stiffness as well as gut issues such as colic and excess acid, which some ex-racehorses suffer from, a legacy from their time in racing. So to keep the paddocks in a fair and safe condition regular maintenance of the fields such as repairing fencing is essential. And with the cost of post and rail also increasing dramatically we really need your help.

Please donate now whatever you can

Every donation, whether £5, £10 or any amount of your choice will quickly add up and mean so much to us and the horses. We don’t have a crystal ball to see if the weather will continue to be as bad as it has been so far this winter so, if you can, please help us with a donation today. Thank you.

DONATE ONLINE

To donate any amount, please visit our Winter Feed Appeal Just Giving Page.

DONATE BY TEXT

You can TEXT donations to The Racehorse Sanctuary’s Winter Feed Appeal.

• To donate £1, text HORS001 to 70201
• To donate £3, text HORS001 to 70331
• To donate £5, text HORS001 to 70970
• To donate £10, text HORS001 to 70191

Please follow the message instructions to register for Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer.

DONATE BY POST

You can send a cheque payable to The Racehorse Sanctuary to us at:

The Racehorse Sanctuary
Admin Office: 2 Crouch Farm Cottages,
Barlavington
Petworth
West Sussex GU28 0LQ

DONATE BY BANK TRANSFER

Please state Winter Feed Appeal in the payment reference and transfer to:

Account name:             The Racehorse Sanctuary
Account number:             03592497
Sort code:                         30-94-41

Fundraising, payments, and donations will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme (Charity No: 1149800), operating as DONATE. Texts will be charged at your standard network rate. For Terms & Conditions, see easydonate.org.

The post Our Winter Feed Appeal 2023 appeared first on The Racehorse Sanctuary.