World Horse Welfare has successfully secured the expertise from a group of US vets to help the thousands of working horses suffering in Honduras.

For the first time in the Central American country the vets known as The Equitarians will provide veterinary treatment and skills to reinforce the excellent work already being carried out by our charity to train local farriers and saddlers.

World Horse Welfare launched a five year training project in 2010 to tackle the major welfare concerns of the country’s 130,000 working horses. The horses, which work long hours in difficult conditions, often suffer from terrible injuries and illness. These include open sore wounds around their eyes, disfigured joints, as well as sores created by ill-fitting saddles and harnesses. Skin and respiratory diseases were also seen in multiple horses.

The co-founder of The Equitarians, Dr Julia Wilson, has visited the course in Honduras and has agreed that from Monday 6 February 2012, three vets will provide veterinary treatment to the working horses in the area of San Pedro

Sula. Dr Wilson said: “I visited country at the end of last year where I saw some terrible injuries endured by the working horses. We have successfully worked with World Horse Welfare in Mexico in the past, so I was happy to bring a team of vets to support the charity in Honduras.

”World Horse Welfare does a fantastic job internationally and combining our skills and knowledge can only further benefit the horses and therefore their owners in Honduras.”

As well as providing free care for the horses, over a period of a week, the vets will also offer teaching for local veterinary students. World Horse Welfare’s International

Team Leader Des Bridges said: “It is fantastic news that we will be getting the support of The Equitarians. They have an enormous amount of expertise and it will be a really good way of combining all of our skills and help to manage the way horses are cared for now and in the future.”

The team of American vets are going to be assisting World Horse Welfare with helping horses in the San Pedro Sula area of Honduras in conjunction with the Veterinary College of Honduras. It is hoped that if a success, the Equitarians may be able to assist with future courses in the Central American country.