The team from an East Sussex equine vet practice are taking on a 550km challenge to raise funds for the Ukraine Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation.
Since starting at the beginning of the month, the six vets and six office staff have raised more than £2,000. The group are tackling the miles — the distance from Kyiv to the Polish border — by a combination of running, walking, cycling and riding.
Sarah Whittaker and her husband and lead vet Reuben run independent practice RW Equine Vet in Northiam. She explained how the team are taking part.
“We are mainly tackling the distance with running and walking,” Sarah the practice manager told Your Horse. “Some staff are cycling and riding, but we are then only counting half of that distance, as it is easier.
“Reuben managed to lose nearly three stone building up his fitness. Our office manager, Clare, takes her three teenagers and two dogs with her — the dream team as she calls them. Jane has a treadmill and her husband, Scott, does the rowing machine next to her to spur her on.
“Katie has taken to galloping our practice horse along Camber Sands and our vet Barbara pinches her landlords bicycle to help get the kilometres underway. I do the school run and then go to Bedgebury and like to run cross-country outside, three times a week. Occasionally I join the Bedgebury Running Group who have helped to teach me stretches and techniques to help.
“My sister Nicky, who works for us from her home in Essex, has been pushed by us to go on longer dog walks. Giulia, who loves investigating lameness and performance issues, is a natural runner and always amazing us with her speed and distance.
“Harriet, who is about to undertake her advanced practitioner exams in internal medicine, has also assisted the team by running and riding her lovely horse, Hazel.”
The team is updating its social media regularly with photos of the team members running.
“We are all finding we enjoy getting fitter, keeping us even more fresh for work,” added Sarah. “It also has contributed to our team-building efforts.
“Being a small, independent practice, based from our home in Northiam, we are a close team and our customers often comment on how we all work so well together. We treat our customers as individuals, not numbers, and our biggest aim is to provide excellent customer service as well as the best in veterinary care.
“Reuben and I have had to expand very quickly to keep up with the growth of our practice, whilst also caring for our five children (two sets of twins in there!). Our garages are now the surgery and office and we have just added lameness work up facilities and better car parking facilities.”
To support the RW Equine Vet team click here
