Jo and Julie are often the first person at Redwings to have sight of a horse that needs our help, and their actions in the minutes, hours and days after that initial visit are lifesaving.
The first help
As Redwings’ two (and only!) Senior Field Officers, Jo and Julie’s job is to respond to welfare reports that we receive through our welfare support line, or if other organisations reach out for help. Julie has been at Redwings for 25 years, and Jo for 35!
Jo and Julie are often the first person at Redwings to have sight of a horse that needs our help, and their actions in the minutes, hours and days after that initial visit are lifesaving.
They coordinate with our welfare vets and will arrange for emergency assessment and treatment, and transport if needed. They will also work with Police and Local Authorities, to make sure our rescue actions are legal. Whatever state we find horses in, we are always bound by the law, and we cannot trespass or take horses without the correct authority and procedures.
Organising others
They will also coordinate with their counterparts at other charities. Often welfare concerns may have been reported to more than one organisation so, to make sure we are all being efficient with our resources, Field Officers will work together to determine who is best placed to attend. Often, especially with rescues involving many horses, multiple organisations will respond together – and Julie and Jo are instrumental in ensuring that this is a success.
They will also rally the troops at Redwings. If a horse needs our help, Julie and Jo can quickly call upon colleagues from across the charity and assemble a team. Their communication skills are second-to-none, and often their role when on rescues is as much about organising peoples as it is ponies!
Unseen heroes
A lot of Julie and Jo’s hard work goes unseen. Often, they are working on cases that cannot be shared publicly due to sensitivities or legal reasons. Plus, they are often working with owners on cases that do not result in the horse being brought to Redwings, and that is a vital part of our rescue and welfare work. By working with owners, offering them their support and knowledge, we can often address the issues in the home – keeping horses and their owners together, and saving our limited capacity at Redwings for those who horses and donkeys who truly have nowhere else to go.