Claire King visits training project in Lesotho, Africa

Actress Claire King, a long-time supporter of World Horse Welfare, travelled to Lesotho in August.

Viewers will know Claire from Emmerdale, where she played Kim Tate, Bad Girls, where she was governor Karen Betts and from Strictly Come Dancing, where she partnered Brendan Cole.

In Lesotho she met farriers and saddlery students being trained by the charity and the problems faced by horses there.

"The terrain is so harsh and mountainous [in Lesotho] that they have no choice but to use the horse as their main mode of transport," said Claire.

"What was especially noticeable was the tack. The bits were worn too low and were clanking against their teeth. The old military saddles were falling apart and the harnesses just didn't fit at all. I saw horses with incredible sores on their backs," she added.

As well as Lesotho, World Horse Welfare's international training programmes are also underway in Mexico, Romania.

Students are chosen from the local community to spend a year training in farriery or saddlery. The best students go on to be the trainers of tomorrow, passing the skills on.

Find out more; http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/lesotho

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Claire
• King
• Emmerdale
• Bad
• Girls
• World
• Horse
• Welfare
• Horses
• Charity
• Lesotho
• Africa
• Kim
• Tate
• International
• Training
• Farriers
• Saddlers
• Strictly
• Come
• Dancing

[militaryqt]

That is so terrible that anyone would use broken or ill fitting tack on horses to the point of such sores - it is amazing work this organization does. Bravo! 5*

[xmaddieAndbettyx]

Keep going, i think what you guys are doing is great :) *

[arianasof]

Thi si awsome it`s great that some peopel who hurt horses do it because they just don`t know better not because they`re evil demons this is great

[wildcat6832]

I sincerely appreciate the focus on education and help rather than punishment and reposession. Thank you.

[seievo08]

It's not terrible, the reason is not ignorance, but being from there I would say lack of resource and lack of knowledge I am sure they like their animals but poverty

[gambalock]

good work :)