HOME OF REST FOR HORSES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—May I once again beg your kind insertion of a Christmas appeal on behalf of the Home of Rest for Horses, which is now honoured by possessing the Duke of Portland as its President P Last year I asked for funds to develop the different branches of the Society ; now my appeal is for help to carry on a work the value of which has been fully proved. We are essentially a self-help " Society. We do not give doles of charity of any kind; we do not legislate for paupers ; but we do strive, to the utmost of our power, to aid honest hard-working men who are suddenly overtaken by that dire misfortune, the break-down of the animal which has hitherto been the bread-winner of the home, but which in hard times has to suffer with his master. To both, the struggle assumes the form of longer hours of labour, with often insufficient food ; the gallant beast will do his best, but his strength, though not his will, gives way at last. Then our Society comes forward, receives the exhausted steed for rest and good feeding, and when one of our small loan steeds is at liberty, a deserving man is permitted to hire a substitute on moderate terms, which animal, while on hire, is protected by being shown once a week to Mr. South, the veterinary surgeon of the Home.
Last year we received ninety patients on subscribers' letters; this year we have kept up an average of from twenty to twenty-five through the summer months ; but, alas ! we found we were going too fast, and now many a case of urgent need has to be held over till perhaps too late for succour, because, unhappily, our funds are not equal to the demands made upon them. It is very sad for us to have to refuse the aid so urgently needed by those who have striven hard to help themselves ; and at this bright season of feasting and rejoicing, is it too much to ask for a Christmas-box of half-a-crown from all your readers who can spare that sum for the Home of Rest for Horses, or one shilling from those who can spare no more ? Let none hold back thinking their gifts too small; they signify, at any rate, sympathy with the cause, and encourage us for our work through the coming year. Any wishing for details of the work can obtain an annual report on application to S. S. Safford, Esq., 13 Victoria Buildings, Victoria Station, S.W.
One other point I should like to touch on. When the Home of Rest was first founded, numerous suggestions were made that a branch ought to be added for the reception of old favourites of the wealthy whose owners might wish to pension them off, after having grown old in their service. This has been done, in a small way, it is true; still, the farm at Sudbury, near Harrow, is capable, when required, of any amount of development, and Mr. Sivell, the manager, in whom I have thorough confidence, having known him many years, has long been accustomed to old pensioners requiring special care, belonging to private clients of his own. Truly wonderful it is to see how horses discarded as almost disabled, come round again by rest, and a run on the clay soil of the farm ; their legs go down, but their spirits rise, often considerably too high for the comfort of those who have them in charge ; take, for instance, the case of one of onr old pensioners a few weeks ago. On being brought in from the meadow to a loose- box, and thus separated from a favourite companion, he was so enraged that, in spite of the efforts of three men in front of the box, he hurled himself against the door, and sent it flying to the other side of the yard. This troublesome old fellow never likes being shut up, and it seems impossible to invent a fastening he cannot undo. It is a questionable kind- ness letting old. favourites run at grass or in a strawyard, in the ordinary way, after being accustomed to every comfort in ""Letterstedt a. Breers," L.R., 9 A.pp. Cas. 371; "Riddingh a. Denyseen," 12 aid. 624. food and shelter ; but at our Home, though higher terms must be paid, the poor brutes are as carefully watched and tended as they could be under the eye of their owners themselves, and it has been a great disappointment to me that so few care to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded them. We also (by request) receive members' horses for short periods of rest, or during their owners' absence from town ; but again I grieve to find that so few really care to give their horses a few weeks of freedom and country air, which equally with themselves they would enjoy and benefit by. We cordially invite visits of inspection to both the homes. The patients' home is at the Stud Farm, Neasden, near Willesden,—proprietor, Mr. William South ; and that for old favourites and members' horses, which I am so anxious to develop, is at The Poplars, Sudbury, near Harrow,—proprietor, Mr. Sivell. Trusting I may not have encroached too much on your valuable spaces and that your kindness will induce you to insert my appeal, 20 Westbourne Park, Bayswater, December 8th.
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