1. A top eventer who recovered from a serious injury
Four-star mare Hollywood Dancer has made a remarkable recovery from a serious injury and will be put in foal this year. “Holly” was out on grass livery following a small injury last spring when she suffered a freak accident in the field. Rider Dani Evans believes “something had gone along her ribcage and side”, causing a laceration and pierced lung. “We had to make a decision [on whether to put her down] and it wasn’t easy standing in a muddy field on top of a hill,” said Dani. Holly’s owner Ann Butler said to Dani to follow the vets’ guidance, and although it was clear the then 11-year-old mare’s ridden career was over, the vets felt she could be saved. “She’s well now and having a nice life so it completely proves it was the right decision, but it was a long slow process,” said Dani.
2. Calls to ban live export from the US to Mexico for slaughter
Thousands of healthy American horses are being “butchered in a secretive, inhumane trade”, welfare campaigners say, as it emerges that almost 18,000 were sent from the US to Mexico for slaughter last year. US Department of Agriculture figures show that in 2023, “kill buyers” transported 17,997 horses from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to slaughterhouses south of the border. Welfare organisation Animal Wellness Action is calling on the US Congress to ban live export to Mexico or Canada for slaughter for consumption. “Not one of these horses was raised for slaughter,” a spokesman for Animal Wellness Action said. “They were, for the most part, raised for pleasure, show, work, or racing and opportunistically collected and redirected to Mexico for slaughter.”
Find out more about the campaign
3. A manor house with stables – and a ballroom
Could you picture yourself living in a manor house? Grade II*-listed Alltyrodyn Hall in Clettwr valley, south Wales, is on the market for £2.35m. The twin coach house and stables date back to 1840, and the property is set in 30 acres of grounds, with a walled garden and Georgian bath house. A number of the property’s original features remain, including an original window and an oak fireplace in the entrance hall, thought to date back to around 1600, and rooms include a formal dining room, drawing room, snug and pantry, plus a ballroom.
Take a look round Alltyrodyn Hall
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