“I THOUGHT it was a parking ticket!” Roly Owers says. “I’d been caught by cameras in a 20mph zone going into London early one morning.”
So when he opened the official-looking envelope and found he had been awarded an OBE for services to equine welfare in The King’s birthday honours list, he says he “couldn’t quite get my head around the fact that it wasn’t inviting me to a speed awareness course”.
Roly was shocked, and felt “almost guilty” for being recognised for doing his job, as the World Horse Welfare charity’s chief executive since 2008. When he had time to reflect, he realised it’s “a brilliant recognition of the journey that the charity has been on, and the continued relevance of equines to societies around the world”.
“The horse-human partnership plays such an important part of our lives; not just riders, people forget how relevant horses are to society,” he says.
The charity will celebrate its centenary in 2027 and its purpose hasn’t changed. The starting point has always been to promote horse welfare through education and awareness.
Roly says: “The world over, horses suffer mostly because of interaction with humans and a lot of that is down to ignorance. The basics of equine care are the same whether you’re in Guatemala or the UK.”
The charity exists to “do right by horses and tell people how; welfare and ethics, and then communication,” he says.
Its message has evolved in keeping with advances in our understanding – for example, how horses learn.
Denne historien er fra August 10, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra August 10, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
