Community grazing project
In Swansea area, deprivation has led to fly-grazing activities being the norm for at least the last 45 years. This type of activity is carried out without the landowner’s permission (private or local authority) which makes a controversial and highly emotive subject in the local area. Not only, fly-grazing can cause problems to the landowner and even risk public safety, it also poses welfare issues as horses are left to fend for themselves without sufficient shelter, water and forage, and breeding is uncontrolled.
Community Grazing Project is an initiative by CFH to tackle fly-grazing and to increase horse welfare in the communities where we work. We collaborate with local authorities, landowners and other organisations and work hard to ensure that horses are maintained and cared for in line with equine legislation and are compliant with equine identification. Also, we help reduce indiscriminate breeding.
The project follows guidance provided by “The Five Domains”, a set animal welfare model centred on the following five categories:
- Nutrition: Provide ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
- Environment: Provide an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Health: Prevent or rapidly diagnose and treat injury and disease.
- Behaviour: Provide sufficient space, proper facilities, and the company of the animal’s own kind.
- Mental experiences: Ensure conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering.
Community grazing project serves as a model of good practice for how horses should be kept and enables the horse-keeping heritage of the area to be preserved. Besides improving welfare of horses, this project benefits both horse owners and non-horse owners in the area by creating a sense of community, identity and pride which also results in benefits such as a reduction in crimes.
The project is funded with grants and funds raised by Communities For Horses. Support us
For more information about responsibilities of horse owners and Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses please visit Resources.