Horse and Donkey
Shows
Sally Barron and Vicki Miller's
experience in The Gambia, December 2007.
We arrived in Banjul, the capital of The
Gambia, on 7th December and set off on the long journey for Chamen on North Bank early the
next morning where the first show was to be held. Our approach to Chamen was up a very
dusty dirt road. As we drove closer to the village, a police Land Rover overtook us and 10
men on horseback cantered out of the bush to provide a ridden escort into the village.
As we drove closer to the village we noticed
hundreds of people lining either side of the road. As we drove on it emerged that the
whole village were there, all cheering and waving to greet us as we passed by. They were
holding banners and placards which said things like "thank you for helping make
poverty history". It was such a moving welcome that we all shed a few tears!
The first show was a great success and many
people attended with their horses and donkeys. The numbers certainly exceeded our
expectations! On the whole, all the entrants seemed to be well cared for, which was very
encouraging to see. A few were referred to the vets for minor treatments.
The people we met in Chamen couldn't have been
more welcoming. They were so grateful for all the work that The Horse and Donkey Trust
does for them. In comparison to other areas that we had driven through on the way to the
first show, it was very clear what a big difference the charity has made to the local
people there and to the welfare of the horses and donkeys. As supporters of the charity it
was reassuring to know that our fundraising efforts and donations of things like head
collars were being put to good use, and that you, reading this, are making a massive
difference to people's lives through your support.
There were classes for both horses and donkeys
separated out into mares/stallions. The winners were given prize money and beautiful
rosettes.
Judging classes and working together for the
whole week were Ann, Alex, Virginia, Gill, Jean and Sarah, and we all became good friends
and worked well as a team over the week.
From Chamen we had another 4 hour journey up
to the Horse and Donkey head quarters in Sambel Kunda, which is where the second show was
to be held a few days later. It was dark when we arrived, however the next morning, we met
all the famous equine faces of the charity, such as Lazarus. The mares welcomed us by
galloping around their field, showing us how well they looked and how different they were
to some of the awful pictures we have seen of them in the past when they were first
rescued.
The Sambel Kunda show day arrived. It took a
while for people to arrive. Unlike our shows when everyone comes in their horse boxes,
everyone has to come on foot, horseback or donkey and cart. It took a long while for full
capacity to be reached. Once everyone did arrive, there was a big turn out and we were
pleased that people were going to be rewarded for taking good care of their animals, and
that they also had somewhere to go for advice and assistance.
We had set up a tent where people could come
for veterinary treatment, worming, head collars, bit and harness fitting and this was
taken up with gusto. We helped with weight tapes and worming, referring any horses and
donkeys we thought needed help to the vets. Generally the horses and donkeys were in good
condition and this was largely because most of the people in the Sambel Kunda area have
access to the GHDT staff. They benefit from the training and advice that comes with it.
One thing was evident though, and that was that the majority of horses seemed to have poor
conformation and were very weak and narrow in the chest and hindquarters. We did on
occasions see people riding youngsters, which was a bit shocking and we wondered if this
was where the development/physical problems start. The judges gave this feedback to
entrants who had young horses, advising them that the animals need time to mature and this
would help them increase their crop productivity and in turn their income.
Like the show at Chamen, we had various
classes for the horses and donkeys, and we all took it in turn to judge them and give
feedback and advice to the owners. The highlight of the 2nd show was without a doubt the
stallion's class. There were 4 or 5 stunning and well cared for stallions and they had
minimal signs of scaring or wounds which was nice to see. Ann, who was judging this class,
explained to the crowds what it was we were looking for and why we had chosen the horses
we had.
The horse mares were not in as good condition
as the stallions, and this was true of both the shows that we assisted with. They seemed
weaker and had more conformation problems. This would mean that unfortunately these good
stallions only have poor mares to cover but hopefully in time the standard of mares will
improve and so will the general quality of The Gambian horses. Having said that, we felt
that a lot of the physical problems are caused by poor nutrition and over working the
horses and donkeys at too young an age, so again, education is the key.
Whilst we were in the Gambia we spent quite a
bit of time chatting to the local people and they spoke with enthusiasm about what the
charity has done for them and what a difference it has made to their lives. They were
thankful not just to the charity staff in The Gambia but also to everyone in the UK who
has assisted with fundraising and made donations.
We spent time with the paravets, who do a
sterling job in patching up horses and donkeys both brought to the centre and also when
they are out and about at local markets. We should not forget that the Gambian people
depend on their animals to make a living, so the vets are crucial to them. If their horse
or donkey is sick, they might not have an income.
In all, it was very evident from our
observations that things are changing for the better and that most importantly the local
people are behind the project all the way and are seeing massive benefits to the community
through GHDT, not just in terms of providing working animals and education to families,
but also by bringing the community together with other projects and thereby assisting with
the development of schools and medical centres. The GHDT vehicles have also been used in
emergencies to save lives by getting people to hospital when needed. a task which
previously would have been impossible due to distance and lack of infrastructure.
The local boys who seem to take responsibility
for the family's animals on most occasions clearly 'love' their donkeys. and proof of this
was seen when we were invited into one village compound by a young boy called Cali. It was
just incredible, the donkey had its own little paddock and beautifully made hut with
thatched roof for protection from the flies and sun. The effort put into caring for his
donkey was heart warming. Cali was a great example of a child being educated to care for
his donkey, so much so he had been given a very troubled donkey and its foal to look after
by GHDT after his own donkey had died from natural causes a month or so previously . A big
responsibility for a young boy but one he had undertaken with utmost care.
We would like to thank everyone for their
donations of tack and veterinary supplies, much of which we took out with us (and this is
also still very much an on going project with regular shipments being sent out directly).
We would also like to thank those very kind
people who helped us exceed our target on our www.justgiving.com website. It is very
generous and the money is being used exactly where it's needed in The Gambia. Unlike many
of the bigger charities all the money goes straight to where its needed most with nothing
wasted and we saw this first hand.
As founders of the charity, both Heather and
Stella have done amazing work over the years, which is mind-blowing to see: their
achievements are incredible. We were both very saddened by the loss of Stella, and were
grateful to have managed to spend some time with her out in Africa in the weeks before she
died. She truly was an inspiration.
In summary, the work the charity is doing is
life changing for the people in The Gambia and to have the privilege to be able to go and
see it first hand was one of those great life time experiences. We will both be back out
later this year for the 2008 shows and it will be great to see how much more things have
moved on since last December. We will continue to support and work with the charity and
hope to see it grow and develop into other areas/communities in The Gambia, so that they
may benefit and reduce poverty in their areas in the same way that it has been reduced in
Sambel Kunda and Chamen.
Gill Tyler also writes about her visit
to the shows:
I have long desired to return to West Africa
where I spent 3 of my best years including the birth of one of the children. The reality
was up to or exceeded expectations, especially the people and their great friendliness. To
go with the charity one has supported was marvellous, particularly to see the work on the
ground. To see the tack in use, to see the money well spent and to note the improvement in
the equines who have been touched by the Trust against others who have not is spectacular.
The shows were both serious in promoting pride
among the people for their animals and GOOD FUN. To have the bonus and privilege of
travelling with Stella, among the wildlife, so soon before her death, was wonderful and a
highlight in my life.
Horse and Donkey Paravet Students -
Modules 1 and 2
Sambel Kunda April 08 Ann Varley
One of the problems in The Gambia has been the
lack of vets or paravets with specialist equine qualifications. Thanks to the support of
several organisations including The Donkey Sanctuary, World Wide Vets, the university
veterinary colleges and numerous individuals, we have access to top class professional
help but they are not there all the time. For the project to grow, trained Gambians
working in the field are essential.
Thanks to wonderful sponsors, the Trust has
funded an equine specific animal husbandry course through The Gambian College. The
students completing this course will have a qualification that will allow them to become
general Paravets but for the first time, they have will have received additional
professional training in managing and treating horses and donkeys.
I am quite used to running courses for
students but when I was invited to join with Professor Ramsay Hovell in delivering the
first 2 modules of this course, I did begin to wonder where to begin. On my December
visit, I discovered that all but one had no knowledge or experience of equines. At least
that gave us a starting point and Ramsay and I planned the course with this in mind.
Anyone who has visited The Gambia and Sambel
Kunda will understand what is meant be 'coping with a culture change'. I never quite
expected Gambians being party to the same experience in their own country. None of the 17
students had lived in huts before, with water brought from the wells and without the
luxury of electricity. Although something of a shock (and some amusement) I heard no
complaints once they discovered that there was a method of charging their mobile phones.
The first part of the course involved the
students discovering and needs of equines in Gambia. Practical learning was something new
and how they enjoyed participating and being actively involved. The community gave
permission for access to the compounds to see how the village animals were managed. The
students quickly became aware of the different systems of management and the problems that
had to be overcome. They saw ingenious ways that had been found to construct stables which
provided shelter from the sun, heat, the rains and the numerous insects that greatly
contribute to the animal health problems. They saw how different families provide the
animals with water and how food is stored for the long dry season.
This was a baptism of fire as they then had to
present their findings. Some management was good and some was lacking. In Sambel Kunda and
the surrounding villages things have come a very long way in quite a short time - not all
animals have these luxuries and some systems are far better than others. Part of their job
was going to be spreading the message of good practice.
We then had to get the students to handle and
manage the animals. As there is no castration, our 'models' were all stallions - not a
good starting point for beginners. The daily feeding and mucking out schedule was part of
the assessment process and although students did not have to turn up until 7.30 am, most
were in the yard at dawn and relished taking the stallions out of their boxes each
morning. The more difficult the reputation of the animal, the broader the smile and sense
of achievement. The staff had a lovely time as the feeding and mucking out was all done in
record time as continual assessment was taking place.
Each day, Ramsay and I gave short input
sessions followed by practical sessions. They had a week before they were required to go
to the lumos (markets) where the students were to assist and to be party to 'triage'. They
had a lot to learn in a short time. Basic identification caused some amusement - "Why
are there all these names for different shades of brown?" However by playing 'selling
our horses at the lumos', they quickly managed to summarise the description and desirable
qualities of their animal, even if they didn't fool the buyers - Ramsay and I.
Soon we got to the more technical things where
their motivation and enthusiasm became evident. Assessing the condition of the animals,
condition scoring and body weight (with tapes), followed by temperatures, pulse and
respiration rates brought out their 'white lab coats' and with stethoscopes around their
necks; they looked quite the part if nothing else. Taking respiration and pulse rates were
quickly mastered and they were quite happy to work together with one counting and someone
else timing. They learnt about 'feet' and when to recommend the services of the farrier.
Ramsay also taught them how to identify the
place on the neck where it was safe to inject. (They didn't have the knowledge to inject
but we wanted them to look critically at everything going on at the lumo.
Injection abscesses - not from our staff - are
one of the problems we see all too frequently. I had taken out some chalk blocks to draw
things on the horses and although our horses looked more like zebras at first, everyone
soon learnt how to recognise where to inject and why doing this in other places can cause
problems.
One of our afternoon activities involved the
students bringing out the Trust's animals and going through the 'triage' process in
groups. All the animals are there because they have problems so there was plenty to
record. They had to deliver their findings to Saloom and Yobi, our own paravets. Again the
way they worked together was remarkable. One of our students had only one arm and Amie,
the only female student, brought her 5 week old baby on the course. Both of these students
participated in full and the group gave them the support they needed to enable them to
demonstrate their skill and knowledge.
By the end of the week everyone could groom
and wash the horses. They could prepare and provide feed, hay and water. They could put on
headcollars and bridles and could lead out and tie up. (If this failed they had to go and
catch the stallion out in the bush, so it paid to get it right.) They knew how to restrain
both horses and donkeys. Their observation skills were well tuned, they could recognise
the normal and abnormal and they could fill in the paperwork. As for mucking out and
tidying up the yard, never had it been tidier. Everyone had a go at driving.
Part of the training given to our staff by
vets from the UK involved taking blood samples and using solar microscopes to look for
trypanosomes in the blood. These are parasites from the tsetse flies and cause many of the
health problems we encounter. Our staff were involved in a BMC research project
which looked at the prevalence of trypanosomes in the horses and donkeys. The students
enjoyed a session where blood was taken from one of our horses and using the solar
microscope they discovered that there were no trypanosomes but that the animal was
anaemic. What advice could they give to the owners?
We then set off to the lumos. Now a new skill
was required - not only did they need to have good observational skills, they also had to
communicate with the farmers to find out the problems. Teams of students doing triage and
acting as the secretary (we record all treatment for data purposes) meant that the
paravets, our harness maker, farrier and dentist could all get on with their work very
quickly. The students really enjoyed being involved and seeing the work they will
eventually be doing. They saw so many things that were totally new to them and some that
would be totally unknown to most of us; treatment of Trypanosomosis and Epizootic
Lymphangitis amongst them.
The second module was Draught Animal
Technology. Gambians use a 2 wheeled 'flat cart'. These are ideal for their purposes but
there are some design amendments that Professor Ramsay has identified which make them more
user friendly. The students looked at these amendments and discovered by practical
experimentation why these changes make the carts easier to use and more effective.
The addition of a swingle tree remains
something we find difficult to implement in The Gambia. Practical experiments by the
students discovered that the performance improved approximately 15% with the use of a
swingle tree. The addition of a basic design of shaft fitting enabled the harness to be
used effectively. Our students had no preconceived ideas but their trips to the lumos had
shown the damage caused by a lack of breeching (the part of the harness that acts as the
brakes). They now discovered it was quite possible to stop a cart without driving it onto
the animal's back and tail.
The design of traditional harness had always
caused us concern. Any new design of harness has to be efficient but also cost effective.
A lack of sustainable materials to make harness has proved a problem but Ramsay and ILPH
have come to an agreement on how harness can be made locally. The harness makers have to
be able to afford to make it and the farmers must be able to afford to purchase it - long
term. The local design of driving saddle has been difficult for us to comprehend and
although all the problems have not been resolved, the students appreciated now why we find
the traditional design more appropriate for local use. What they need is sufficient
padding in the right place and broader straps instead of rope.
We discovered the weight of the unloaded cart
on the animals' back. This had been easily reduced by one of Ramsay's 'amendments'. The
carts were later loaded up with 'groundnut sacks' - live students actually. We had the big
advantage of 'talking donkeys' who could register a complaint when the vehicle was
unbalanced. They discovered that they could carry a much greater load quite easily if the
cart was loaded correctly and the driver took care to ensure everything remained in
balance. Our donkeys were very busy instructing the drivers as to where to sit and where
to put the load!
All too quickly the course was over. It was
amazing that our class regarded this as a wonderful holiday and they are all planning
their return visits to Sambel Kunda. We had some fun times, going driving with our carts,
visiting the chimps and hippos at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust and visiting the
wonderful Badi Mayo visitor facility.
It was time to hand out the certificates. And
so we returned to Banjul to fly home. Ramsay and I have handed over the course to staff at
Liverpool Vet School who will take the students on the next stage of their learning. We
are now a few steps further towards our dream of there being Equine Paravets serving
communities throughout The Gambia - reducing poverty and feeding families.
The students are grateful to all the
individuals and organisations who sponsor this course. For Horse and Donkey, this has to
be the way forward and our future. If anyone reading this would like to help us with
sponsorship or resources it would be welcomed.
The Donkey Project - Changing Times -
Moving on
The last year has been something of a
challenge for us as we have had a number of staff changes. Two members of staff are on
sabbaticals at The Gambia College, Janet left us and Michelle very kindly agreed to move
down to The Chimpanzee Rehabilitation camp to help out as Stella became increasingly ill.
The remaining staff struggled on valiantly with the donkey project, checking the donkeys
and training prospective carers but it became clear that we would need someone dedicated
just to the project, to ensure that it ran smoothly and that we had the information far
more quickly to pass on to the donors.
Thanks to a grant from The Jean Sainsbury
Animal Welfare Trust, we have been able to recruit Saloum Jallow onto our permanent staff.
He has a project motor bike and he spends all his time checking the donkeys, identifying
and training new carers and making sure that the partnerships work. Saloum is a well
qualified and experienced paravet and in the last two months has made a significant
contribution to the project.
Saloum is even learning to use a camera for
the first time so that we can send you pictures of your donkeys. We hope that in the very
near future, anyone who has purchased a donkey, will have news and a picture of him/her
and we know that some of you already have these. If your pictures are not quite perfect,
please remember the photographer is taking a giant leap into the world of technology.
I would like to apologize to all our donors
for the long waits they have had for news of their donkeys but with Saloum 'on the job'
the donkeys are now regularly monitored and news comes back to Heather and Sue.
When Saloum visits the more distant and
isolated village on his trips, he first calls on the village elders. This gives him an
opportunity to learn more about the villagers and their situation. He can more easily
identify needy families and treat any other animals that need care. It also gives him
opportunities for education and learning about the local issues. He has discovered that
some areas have specific needs eg some villages can only grow limited amounts of hay. This
means that they need donkey females that can free graze, rather than stallions which need
to be tethered and fed.
Christmas seems a long way away but when
planning your gifts or activities could you consider clubbing together and providing your
donkey with an agricultural implement or a cart? These are the things that really make the
difference for the families rather than them having to borrow from their neighbours.
School support for the donkey project
We had a wonderful Christmas present when we
received a call from a teacher from Bartley Junior School to say that the children had
decided to fundraise for us and had managed to raise the astounding sum of £1684.61.
They now have a donkey named Bartley and they
are busy trying to think of a name for a second donkey. I'm glad to say that I was able to
visit this very special school and thank the pupils personally for all their hard work.
They have managed to give not only their donkeys a chance of a better life, but also the
families who receive those donkeys will have the opportunity to increase their incomes.
This school gave the children a minimal amount
of money and then set them the task of increasing the money - a business project. Car
washing and cake baking were amongst their activities, after pooling their resources to
purchase ingredients. Could you use this idea?
Benefactors - so many people who make
the difference happen
Our local animals are very lucky to have
received help from some very high profile people in the last few months. Visiting vets
always have a direct impact and also help to educate our staff.
In December we welcomed Professor Stephen May
and his family. At the time of his visit, we had a small donkey called Little John in who
had sliced through some of his tendons and we were unsure how to treat him. Professor May
kindly gave us the benefit of his vast knowledge and taught our staff how to proceed with
treatment.
It is a huge tribute to both Professor May and
our Gambian staff that Little John is now well on the mend and should go on to be a useful
working donkey.
Thanks to Philip Ivens MRCVS of The Royal
Veterinary College who not only gave up his time to help us with the African Horse
Sickness vaccination problem, but also made a list of some of the drugs we were short of
and kindly managed to obtain them for us.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to
Judy Scrine from Mayes and Scrine Equine Veterinary Practice in West Sussex who came out
to help us in February. She was a tremendous help to us and inspired our staff with her
energy and enthusiasm. This is the second member of staff from this practice to have given
us their assistance and we are extremely grateful to them.
Cynthia Haydon - From early childhood I have
read in all the horse magazines about a lady called Cynthia Haydon, there were always
pictures of her with her famous hackneys and she has always been a leading light in the
carriage driving world. Cynthia also has another talent, which is as a harness maker. We
were thrilled when she made a lovely set of harness for our beloved Lazarus. It gives me
such a thrill to think of our little horse from the bush wearing a set of harness made by
such an eminent lady. Cynthia then went on to make a set for Rhona, who is a very special
little donkey. If that wasn't enough she has gone on to make several more sets of harness
for Gambian horses and donkeys. That in itself is an incredibly kind and generous gesture
but when you take into account that Cynthia is almost ninety it makes it even more
special. Thank you for bringing comfort to the Gambian animals Cynthia, we salute you
In the past, most of the photographs of all
the projects we work with, the school, chimps and clinic have been taken by Stella, which
left us with a problem, we are extremely grateful to a very skilled photographer, Tony
Souter, who came out and volunteered his services to help us out.
A very dear friend and a wonderful supporter
of both 'Horse and Donkey' and The Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project, Ros Harris, is
embarking on another sponsored walk. Ros has already held a sponsored dog walk, 2 hog
roasts and a 26 mile walk last year. If anyone feels able to support her, donations can be
made online on the Justgiving website.
Last year Stella and David were there are at
the finish line to greet them. We wish you lots of luck Ros and pals and hopefully there
will be another support team waiting at the finish with champagne this year!
Our sincere thanks go to
WSPA, Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust, RVC, SPANA Virginia Heaton, Mr Grimshaw, Sarah
Owlett, Bartley Junior School, Harnbrook School, Mrs. George, Jim and Wendy Richards, The
Tarim Trust, Sir Anthony Touche, Price Waterhouse, Anna Pugh. Worldwide Veterinary
Services,Lowestoft College, Mole Valley Printers, Newshield, Vicki Austin Sally Barron,
Sarah Cox, Jean Haydon, Gill Tyler, Ann Varley, Ramsay Hovell ,TAWS, Dr. Badou Senghore
and the staff of The Gambia College, Sue Ashton, Dr. Jaw, Ebraima Cham. Mr. N'Jie, Ros
Harris, Animal Friends Insurance, Hickstead Ltd, Philip Ivens, Michelle Connolly, Declan,
Lesley Steele, our dedicated Gambian staff and the many people, too numerous to mention
here, who have so kindly helped us with donations, their time or by donating equipment.
Horse and Donkey Staff News
We are extremely sad to say goodbye to
Michelle Connolly MRCVS and her partner, Declan. Michelle offered us her services
voluntarily for six months but kindly extended and went to help at Stella's Badi Mayo camp
as Stella became more debilitated. Sometimes when you are in great need, fate will send
you a very special person to help out and Michelle was that person. She and Declan worked
incredibly hard and earned the respect and affection of everyone that they worked with.
They will be very greatly missed and I hope that they will return one day. We need you
both!
We would like to extend a warm welcome to
Catherine Gurney and Anna Saillet who are coming to work voluntarily for us for the next
year. They will be replacing Lesley will soon be leaving and who we would like to thank
for her help.
We are looking forward to the arrival of
Momodou Cham our manager and Amadou Jallow our laboratory technician, who will be coming
over on a training trip in June. They have been given a wonderful opportunity to receive
training at the Equine Veterinary Hospital in Arundel and they will be assisting us at our
stand at Hickstead at the end of June. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the
staff of The Equine Veterinary Hospital for affording them this wonderful opportunity.
Fundraising
With the gloomy economic forecast for the
foreseeable future, we anticipate that fundraising is going to be extra difficult this
year and we realise that many of our supporters will be feeling the pinch. However if we
could encourage MORE people to give, by asking as many of you as possible to perhaps
consider holding fundraising events in order to spread the load, this would help a lot.
The fundraising events can range from coffee
mornings to cake sales or sponsored rides to gymkhanas. If you are holding a horseshow,
perhaps you might consider donating the late entries? Sponsored dog walks are also a great
way to raise funds. It needs to be something that is fun and that people will enjoy
without feeling the strain.
As we are a relatively new charity, we don't
have large reserves to fall back on in times of need, so we would appreciate all the help
you could give us. If you are able to make a donation, please don't forget to Gift Aid it. |
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