Emmerdale actress highlights work of World Horse Welfare on national TV

Emmerdale actress highlights work of World Horse Welfare on national TV Actress Claire King, best known for playing Kim Tate in Emmerdale, Karen Betts in Bad Girls and for partnering Brendan Cole in Strictly Come Dancing, is set to highlight World Horse Welfare's international training work in a special two part film on ITV's ‘This Morning'. Claire has been a supporter of World Horse Welfare for twenty years and she travelled to Lesotho, a tiny landlocked country entirely surrounded by South Africa, in August with members of the charity's international training team. She met farriery and saddlery students being trained by World Horse Welfare and saw first hand, some of the problems faced by horses in the country.

Claire met farriery and saddlery students being trained by World Horse Welfare and saw first hand, some of the problems faced by horses in the country.

"What first struck me about Lesotho was how mountainous it was. The terrain is so harsh 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 they used were falling apart and the harnesses just didn't fit at all. I saw horses with incredible sores on their backs."

Watch Video of Claire King visiting training project in Lesotho, Africa

As well as Lesotho, World Horse Welfare's international training programmes are also under way in Mexico, Romania, Fiji and most recently in Soweto. Students are specially selected from the local community and spend a year training in the skills of either saddlery or farriery. The best students go on to become the trainers of tomorrow and some are able to set up their own businesses, providing an affordable service to their village. This approach is something that Claire feels very passionate about:
 
"The whole philosophy of World Horse Welfare to help not just the horses but the people too is fantastic and especially prevalent in Lesotho," she says. "They really want to learn and the programme is working. If anyone is considering helping World Horse Welfare continue this work, please do."
 
Claire King's two part film from Lesotho will be shown on This Morning on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th November. If you wish to make a donation please visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org/lesotho

Added on: 29/10/08.

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