Mayor Councillor Mark Ward will officially launch Fettercairn Horse Aware Week at 1:30pm on Saturday 29th September 2018, in Fettercairn Youth Horse Project. This is an educational week which is a joint project of the Dublin Region Horse Welfare Working Group – Education Task Group. This Group includes the Dublin SPCA, Irish Horse Welfare Trust, Fettercairn Youth Horse Project, Clondalkin Equine Club, Cherry Orchard Equine Centre, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine & representatives from the Dublin councils and Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine. This event is part sponsored by South Dublin County Council.
The aim of the group is to educate children about responsible horse ownership and the issues and needs of urban horses. The event will involve a presentation in Primary and Post Primary Schools in the Tallaght area and culminates in an Open Day at the Fettercairn Youth Horse Project on Saturday 29th September from 11.00am to 3.00pm.
Entry to the Open Day is free of charge but places must be booked first through Event Bright on DSPCA’s social media platform. The Open Day will include speakers and demonstrations from Army Equitation School, RACE Academy, Horse Racing Ireland, Irish School of Farriery, Saoirse Saddlery & Fettercairn Youth Horse Project. There will also be a number of information stands on the day plus the Garda Mounted Unit will be on site so members of the public can come and meet them.
This is the second Horse Aware Week to be run by the group following on the success of the Clondalkin pilot project last April where over 800 students and young people where reached during the week. This week is part of a concerted effort to increase awareness about responsible horse ownership in the Dublin area spearheaded by the DRHWWG (Dublin Region Horse Welfare Working Group), which is a regional group established last year by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and South Dublin County Council, others members of the group include Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council and An Garda Síocháná and Tallaght Travellers Community Development Project. The group is also made up of representatives from the various animal and equine welfare organisations including DSPCA, the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, My Lovely Horse Rescue (MLHR), Clondalkin Equine Club, Fettercairn Youth Horse Project, and the Cherry Orchard Equine Centre. The focus is on animal welfare and equine legislation, indiscriminate breeding, education and awareness relating to urban horse projects and programmes.
Pic Credit: Ben Ryan Photography
