These horses don’t just struggle with the dead weight of sand. Their owner’s poverty which makes use of horses a necessity, coupled with a lack of animal care education often make their job even harder.
Even when horses aren’t pulling a huge weight, they are put under unnecessary strain because their owners don’t know how to properly adjust the harness, tracers and cart to balance the load. Most equipment like breast bands is also homemade and has little or no padding, which can cause terrible wounds and open sores.
SPANA’s work treating these horses is vital. However, it’s just as important we replace old equipment too: replacing thin strips of rope, scraps of metal and wire, which cause terrible wounds, with properly padded breast harnesses, new bits and other vital equipment. Equally, we need to continue improving the skills and knowledge of owners right across Mali.
You could improve the life of a sand horse by supporting SPANA with a gift today.
