The BHS has raised over £1 million for riding schools across the country.
The money was raised as part of its Covid-19 Hardship Fund in order to provide support after the coronavirus pandemic meant many businesses, including riding schools, had to close during lockdowns.
In a statement, the BHS thanked the community for the “generous donations” that have allowed them to “provide as much tangible support as possible” to the equestrian industry.
The COVID Appeal has been the most successful fundraising appeal in BHS history. It was made up of four rounds of public funding and after being combined with the BHS’s charitable reserves and the waiving of centre fees for 12 months, over £1 million was made available.
This was a “lifeline”, according to the BHS, that has enabled many centres to continue working.
In total, 358 riding schools claimed £791,000. Calculations made to determine how the money was spent revealed that:
- £435,000 was spent on feed and forage
- £182,000 went towards farriery
- £79,000 went towards bedding
- £95,000 went towards emergency veterinary care
Vital work continues
The pandemic hasn’t slowed down the vital work the BHS provides to the equestrian community. In addition to the COVID-19 fundraising appeal, the charity has launched its Pony Stars Junior Challenge Awards, which encourages children to discover their love for ponies, and the BHS Masters’ Series 2021, in which Fellowes of the BHS focus on their top training tips in informative videos.
Other programmes, such as Be Horse Aware, have emerged to help educate after a number of horses died from being fed by members of the public.
Their new app, Horse i, has seen the number of hacking incidents reported double since its launch in March.
If you’d like to find out more about the work the BHS does or donate, click here.
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