Irish horse charity Irish Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT) in association with Fingal County Council have completed the first FETAC level 4, Stable & Yard Routines Course with 14 members of the Dunsink Horse Club.
The Dunsink horse club is an initiative formed and managed by a committee made up of representatives of Fingal Co Council, the Irish Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT) and Dunsink Horse Owners. This working group came together to address the equine welfare issues that were highlighted worldwide in the media. The old landfill site has had horses roaming for many years.
The awards ceremony is a recognition of achievements of the horse owners who participated in the course, many of which passed with merit or distinction. The event itself will be taking place in the Civic offices of Fingal Co. Council, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin at 7pm on Thursday 28th April. Robert Hall – TV racing correspondent will be MC for the event which will also be attended by other celebrities and local politicians.
The draft architects drawings for the envisaged Dunsink Horse Club Equine Centre will be on display at the awards ceremony along.
As part of the tong term Equine Management Plan initiated back in February by IHWT and Fingal, the provision of education regarding management and welfare of equines was a critical factor for the long-term improvement of equine welfare on the Dusink landfill.
Ruairi O’Dulaig of Fingal County Council explains
“All the children and young adults who participated in this course were fully engaged in learning. Lesley Jones, IHWT trainer, and Sharon Newsome co founder and director of IHWT, ran the Fetac accredited course for 14 weeks which involved both classroom and practical sessions. “Some participants have never completed a formal exam in their lives so this is a huge achievement for them. We are very proud of them all,” says Sharon Newsome of the IHWT.
Both women are passionate advocates of the enormous benefits of this type of structured learning and have being running educational programmes for several years in other areas of Ireland including Moyross in Limerick.
“Each participant is given the opportunity to develop new equine skills from handling to tacking up to feeding, rugging and stable management and critically equine with a strong focus on Equine Welfare.