Ghana Horse Care Teams: Status
In the previous AKI Blog post about The Six Freedoms, we described T6F's plans to form Horse Care Teams made up of a vet and 2 students (in fields related to veterinary medicine) or 2 grooms (or some combination of vet, students, grooms). These teams would be on-call to respond to emergencies, but most importantly, would form relationships with horse caretakers at the many informal stables around Accra and would provide regular health checks/inspections, preventing emergencies before they happen. Animal-Kind International is supporting the formation and the work of the Horse Care Teams.
The teams will encourage horse people to exchange knowledge, apply new, proven methods (vs. the common use of risky, unproven, cheap methods of care), and report early if they see any neglect of a horse. Using the One Health Principle, the Care Teams will change mindsets, encouraging more compassion and caring towards horses as well as towards human colleagues, and help horse caretakers understand the links between humans, animals, and their environment. (As we've previously mentioned (for example, in this AKI Blog post), grooms are housed in the same yards with their horses, sleep in the stables, drink the same water, and are poorly paid by horse owners, if they are paid at all, and antisocial behaviors are common.)
We're happy to report that T6F has moved further along in their plans for the Horse Care Teams.
Ulla (director of T6F) has identified vets and other "horse people" who will be involved in overseeing the care teams:
Dr Enoch Obeng is a lecturer in Legon and has previously helped T6F with horses they've rescued, in particular, Mr. Key. Dr Obeng was the only vet who was willing to come to the racetrack to help Mr Key. He is very dedicated to horses and to teaching his students. Dr Obeng is keen to get students involved and use the Horse Care Teams as part of a student's practicals (hands-on experience).
Dr Alhassan also treats horses and is very dedicated to animals, very aware of their lowly status in Ghana, and wants to help counter that. Dr Alhassan is a young government veterinary officer who has a particular interest in horses and their health and wants to learn more about horses, as well as other equines.
Groom Edward Yeboah has been working with Ulla and T6F for a long time and will be a key Care Team participant.
The group met for a planning and brainstorming day and took advantage of being together to go for a horse ride from Asafo to Tafo:
In the picture above: Edward Yeboah (in red), vet Alhassan in the yellow shirt and his colleague from Animal Health, Emmanuel Oteng Boakye, in green, jockey Alex Owusu in blue, Ulla, and Eva Lydeking's Lippizaner mares Cookie (brown) and Enigma (white), Edward's horse.
The Horse Care Team concept took another important step forward in October when Dr. Tettey (Dr Enoch's supervisor) and Ulla had a long meeting at his clinic at Achimpta zoo.
(Achimpta zoo is where Mr Key was taken after the accident at the racetrack for an x-ray, but the machine at the zoo couldn't be moved outside the clinic and couldn't be used to x-ray Mr Key. A mobile x-ray machine for use on horses is something T6F needs and will be looking for a donor in the future).
Dr Tettey is a retired military veterinary surgeon with over 30 years experience in companion animal and equine practice and a part time lecturer in Equine Medicine at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ghana Legon. It's important that we have his support of the Horse Care Team concept!
Dr Tettey and Ulla discussed using a questionnaire to survey the situation and condition of the horses in Greater Accra and then have a public launch of the project with horse owners, vets, and others in Ghana's horse community.
Although this may seem like so much formality, that's what's required to get horse owners to support this effort and get all stakeholders involved and in agreement on the way forward.
Although they might appear seamless and easy to those looking in from outside, successful initiatives take a lot of work in the background to make them successful!
A Ceremony & An Honor
In August, T6F had the privilege of riding as an escort for the Okyenhe/Sbuakwa Kingdom and the Ofori Panin Pie (stool) in the Royal Durbar:
Joining in the escort was the Asafo team, Edward Yeboah on Enigma, Mohammed Alhassan on Cookie (brown horse), Emmanuel Adjetey on Mr Key, and Ulla on Boga.
Ulla and her team trained the horses for the ride and they were able to demonstrate that horse training does not involve abuse and power (common ways of training in Ghana).
The Six Freedoms is gaining ground with a widely accepted horse care project that will address the roots of so much of the cruelty and they are becoming widely known for their compassionate and knowledgeable horse care in Ghana! Thanks to our Animal-Kind International supporters!