Mossburn

Mossburn is one of the charities chosen to benefit from this competition to win Orchardton Castle in Scotland! All the information about the castle, the charities chosen, and how to enter the competition can be found at this link
http://www.winacastle.co.uk/

We would be hugely grateful to receive funds from this competition which would enable Mossburn to fully equip our indoor arena with a system for air conditioning in summer and heating in winter. The arena plays an integral part in helping young people and adults in need through our equine therapy program, Learning With Horses. Having this system installed would create a more comfortable environment for the animals and people whilst sessions take place, and would mean sessions were able to run in the arena whatever the weather! Learning With Horses helps people of all ages with a wide range of issues, such as emotional and physical problems, addiction and bereavement, as well as providing insightful team building sessions. The horses that take part are all resident here at Mossburn and are fabulous in their role. You can learn more about Learning With Horses through the website – http://www.animal-assisted-therapy.org/home.html

Juanita would like to thank all those people who have responded so positively to her being awarded an MBE for services to vulnerable children, adults and animals. She feels that this can only be good for Mossburn and is a very auspicious start to 2017 which we have all felt is going to be a very positive year for Mossburn! She would also like to thank every person who has ever put in volunteering hours at Mossburn, as without this support Mossburn would never have made it all these years on.

Sadly, there was a shadow hanging over us at the time the MBE award was announced and it is with deep regret that we have to inform everybody of the passing of our much loved bullock Blue. He had so many fosters among you and was one of our very favourite (that you aren’t sup osed to have!)p animals. Blue spent a happy summer out in the fields but his health declined when he was brought into his winter shelter. He spent a lot of time lying down and in time was reluctant to get up, his feet being in a bad condition with repeated infections despite our and our vets, treatment. Blue then developed an abscess on his shoulder and the vet advised that this could only be treated under sedation; both the vet and Juanita knew that this would be dangerous for a not-so-young bullock, and Blue would very likely not get up again after being sedated and the decision was made to allow him to pass on in peace. Never an easy decision but this is what, at the end of the day, we owe our animals – a quick, pain free and dignified exit. Blue came to us in 2006 having been part of a large rescue of animals from severe neglect and abuse. He would have been 11 in June this year and we are so happy to have been able to give him a happy life after his terrible start. He was extremely loved and he repaid this love in licks and cuddles; he will forever be remembered and sorely missed. We are however pleased to be able to tell you that Blue’s young companion Joe had already acquired a playmate prior to Blue’s passing and is now happily living life with Prince, a Holstein Friesian bullock.