Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre

04/09/2026

🐴 THE HORSE WHO WAS THERE AT THE BEGINNING

Look at the handsome gentleman on the right.
This is Luceiro, and when you look at him, you are looking at a living piece of Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre history.

Back in 2008, Luceiro became the very first horse rescued by Susan and Rod. There was no great rescue centre then, no long-established organisation and none of the infrastructure that surrounds him today. There was simply an animal who needed help — and two people who decided that they couldn't turn away.

One rescue became another. And another.

Eighteen years later, the place that grew from that first decision is home to around 120 rescued horses, ponies and donkeys, while Luceiro is still here, quietly presiding over the extraordinary thing he inadvertently helped to begin.

There is something rather lovely about this photograph. Nothing dramatic is happening. Luceiro is simply sharing some forage with a friend, looking wonderfully well and getting on with his day.

And perhaps that is what rescue is ultimately about.

The dramatic photographs of an animal arriving in desperate condition tell only the beginning of the story. The real success is all the ordinary days that come afterwards — breakfast with a friend, standing in the sunshine, growing old safely, and never again having to wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Luceiro has had thousands of those ordinary days since 2008.

And at Easy Horse Care, we're rather hoping this dignified old gentleman intends to have plenty more. ❤️

03/09/2026

🐷 MORNING, RUPPERT!

Some of us start the day with a cup of coffee. Ruppert prefers to throw himself into a pool of mud and splash about enthusiastically. 😂

Susan caught him first thing this morning enjoying one of his favourite parts of life at the rescue centre — his mud bath.

And while it may look like Ruppert has simply discovered the porcine equivalent of a luxury spa, wallowing is actually important for pigs. They don't sweat effectively, so mud helps them regulate their body temperature, as well as providing some protection for their skin.

Ruppert, however, appears less concerned with the science and more concerned with achieving maximum splash. 🐷💦

We regularly suggest that visitors might like to join him, particularly on a hot Spanish day.

Strangely, there have still been no takers.

Volume up for the full Ruppert spa experience! 😂

02/09/2026

🐴 THE JOY OF A GOOD DUST BATH!

There are few things quite as satisfying as a really good roll in the dust — at least if you're a horse or donkey.

It may look as though this chap has simply decided that being clean is terribly overrated, but rolling is a completely normal and useful part of equine behaviour.

Horses and donkeys roll for several reasons. It can help them scratch those awkward places they can't reach, loosen dead hair and dried sweat, and generally give the skin a good rub. A coating of dust can also help absorb excess moisture and oils and may offer some protection from biting insects.

But there's another reason which is rather less scientific.
It feels good.

Anyone who has watched a horse carefully select the perfect patch of ground, lower themselves with great ceremony and then wriggle enthusiastically from side to side will recognise an animal thoroughly enjoying itself.

There is even a small triumph involved when they manage to roll all the way over — followed by the inevitable shake that sends a cloud of dust over absolutely everything within range.

For us, this photograph captures one of the simple pleasures of life at the rescue centre: an animal feeling safe and relaxed enough to lie down, put all four feet in the air and have a thoroughly undignified moment.

And judging by that dust cloud, this particular effort deserves very high marks indeed.

Cleanliness: 2/10.
Technique: 10/10.
Enthusiasm: 12/10. 😄

01/09/2026

☀️ OUR SUMMER SPECIAL IS HERE! 🐴

What a summer it's been at Easy Horse Care!

June, July and August have brought some very sad moments, some worrying ones, plenty to celebrate — and, inevitably, quite a few adventures along the way.

In our new Summer Special Newsletter, we look back at three extraordinary months at the centre: remembering Luna, Nelson's frightening health scare and recovery, Susan turning 70, Susan and Rod celebrating 25 years in Spain, Dorothea's busy veterinary rounds, Rod's epic Field 13 feeder project, our wonderful volunteers, fundraising, surviving the Spanish heat... and much more.

There are plenty of photographs too, so make yourself a cup of tea (or something considerably colder if you're still in Spain!) and have a read.

And as always, thank you for following our animals and supporting the work we do. ❤️

👇 Read our Summer Special here:

Summer at Easy Horse Care is never exactly quiet, but the last three months have managed to pack in rather more than their fair share of life.

31/08/2026

❤️ LEO AND THE LADIES

A lovely moment captured by our volunteer Laila: Leo sharing lunch with his girlfriend Maisie, while Maisie’s mother, Moon, keeps a suitably watchful distance in the background.

Those who know Leo’s story will appreciate just how pleasing this picture is.

After Jasmine died, we needed to find a new home for Leo. His first introduction was to Liberty, but Liberty made her opinion of that particular arrangement abundantly clear. Leo then moved into Field 13, where the horse accustomed to throwing his weight around discovered, somewhat inconveniently, that there were others rather better at it than he was.

Eventually we tried something different and reunited him with Maisie, an old girlfriend from his past.

That proved to be the answer.

Maisie was apparently delighted to have him back. Her mother Moon was rather less enthusiastic about the return of her daughter's former beau, but over time the three have settled into their own comfortable little family.

And this photograph rather beautifully sums up the current domestic arrangements: Leo and Maisie together over lunch, while the mother-in-law maintains a tactful but vigilant distance. 😂

Leo is getting older now and lives with arthritis, one of the legacies of age and the appalling treatment he endured before rescue. With the right medication, however, he remains active, comfortable and very much engaged with life.

Sometimes finding the right companion can be every bit as important as finding the right field.

And sometimes, apparently, getting back together with your ex really does work out. 🐴❤️

📸 Thank you to Laila for this lovely glimpse of life at the centre.

30/08/2026

❤️ THE SUPERVISOR IS BACK ON PATROL

After the very worrying few days we had with Nelson last week, this is a sight we are extremely happy to share.

Nelson is back out in his lanes.

Following the severe deterioration in his breathing, Nelson responded very well to the additional steroid treatment. His breathing has stabilised and he is feeling sufficiently better to resume some gentle exercise for a limited time — which, in Nelson's case, means returning to the part of the centre he regards as his personal domain.

And he is looking remarkably pleased with himself.

Of course, behind that simple picture lies quite an operation to keep him comfortable.

The second photograph shows what can only be described as the Nelson Climate Control Complex. 😂

Now that his breathing has settled, he can have fresh wood shavings in his stable again. Outside, a parasol helps keep the direct sun away and an enormous industrial fan provides some much-needed relief from the relentless summer heat.

And somewhere in the middle of this extraordinary arrangement, if you look carefully enough, there is actually a horse.

We know that neither Nelson's COPD nor the narrowing of his airway will disappear. There may be further difficult days ahead and we will continue adapting his environment and treatment according to what he needs.

But rescue is very often about exactly this: not being able to cure everything, but finding ways to give an animal the best and most comfortable life possible.

Last week we were seriously worried that we might lose him.
This week he's back supervising the centre.

We'll take that. ❤️🐴

28/08/2026

❤️ DIPLOMAT: THEN AND NOW!

Sometimes two photographs tell a story more powerfully than any number of words.

The first shows Diplomat today — magnificent, healthy, confident and looking every inch the horse who knows he has landed on his hooves.

The second shows the horse who arrived at Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.

Diplomat was rescued when he was just seven years old, shockingly thin and in terrible condition. We believe his starvation may have been deliberate — a way of reducing the energy and strength of an entire stallion who had become difficult to control.

But starving an animal doesn't solve a behavioural problem. It simply adds suffering to it.

Diplomat was castrated after arriving at the centre, but by then some of his behaviour towards other males was firmly established. Put him with male company and there was a very real risk that he would attack.

So another solution had to be found.

One day, Diplomat was taken into a field occupied by females. Some time later he emerged having apparently made his own arrangements.

Diplomat had found himself a girlfriend. 😂

The relationship worked beautifully and they lived happily together for several years. Sadly, eventually she died. In time, Diplomat found partner number two and once again enjoyed years of companionship before losing her too.

Today there is another lady in his life: Alice.

The two live very happily together and, after three successful relationships, we have learned something about Diplomat's romantic preferences.

He clearly has a thing for older women. ❤️

Behind the smile, though, is something important about rescue.

Taking an animal away from cruelty or neglect is only the beginning. You cannot erase seven years of experience simply by opening a gate into a safer field. Some physical damage can heal; some behaviours can be managed; other consequences of the past may remain for life.

The job is to understand the animal in front of you and find the life in which that particular animal can thrive.

Look again at those two photographs.

That is what a second chance can look like and yes, it is the same horse 🐴❤️

Photograph courtesy of Addison Klapper.

27/08/2026

🦚☀️ EVEN THE PEACOCKS HAVE DISCOVERED THE AIR CONDITIONING!

When the Spanish summer really turns up the thermostat, everyone at Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre starts looking for the coolest spot they can find.

Apparently, our peacocks are no exception. 😄

In today’s video, Susan introduces one of our peacock mothers with her rapidly growing chicks. They have discovered that one of the best places to escape the fierce summer heat is directly in front of one of the large industrial fans we use to help keep our more vulnerable residents comfortable.

And they look remarkably pleased with their discovery.

The fans are an important part of managing the centre through the hottest part of the year, particularly for older animals and those with health problems who can struggle more with prolonged high temperatures. But nobody appears to have told the peacocks that the facilities weren't installed specifically for them.

Mum has clearly decided that cooling technology is cooling technology, and her youngsters are learning fast. 🦚💨

It's also lovely to see how much the chicks have grown. Not so long ago they were tiny bundles following closely behind their mother; now they're becoming substantial young birds in their own right — although still sensible enough to follow Mum when she discovers the best seat in the house.

At Easy Horse Care, you buy an industrial fan for one purpose.....and before long somebody else has moved in front of it.

26/08/2026

❤️ A MUCH BETTER UPDATE ON NELSON

After the frightening deterioration in Nelson’s breathing earlier this week, we have some much more encouraging news to share.
Susan spent a restless night worrying about him. After seeing just how compromised his breathing had become, she admits that part of her expected to walk into the stables the following morning and find that we had lost him.

Nelson, however, had other ideas.

The new steroid medication, given alongside his usual treatment for COPD, has made a significant difference. Yesterday his breathing was already much improved and, today, it is quiet and comfortable apart from the occasional cough associated with his COPD.

For the moment, Nelson is staying in. With the ground so dry at this time of year, keeping him away from as much dust and hot, dry air as possible should make life easier for his already compromised respiratory system. His feed is being dampened and the wood shavings in his stable are being kept to an absolute minimum.

We are also waiting for a fan which produces a very fine mist of water. This should help cool the air around him while increasing its moisture — rather like creating a gentler environment for those troublesome airways.

Tomorrow, if everything remains stable, the plan is to let Nelson have some gentle exercise and return for a while to his natural habitat: the lanes of Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.

Anyone who knows Nelson knows that those lanes are his realm. Despite being blind, he knows the centre extraordinarily well and, usually accompanied by his great friend Magic, takes his self-appointed supervisory duties extremely seriously.

The steroid dose will now be gradually reduced. It has been invaluable in getting Nelson through this episode, but it isn't something we want him receiving at this level for longer than necessary.

We also have to be realistic. Neither Nelson's COPD nor the narrowing of his trachea is going to go away. His condition will continue to need careful management, and after what happened this week we know just how quickly things can change.

But that is tomorrow's problem.

Today Nelson is stable. Today he is breathing comfortably. And tomorrow, all being well, the supervisor will be back on patrol. 🐴

For everyone who sent love, good wishes and messages after our last post — thank you.

25/08/2026

❤️ SERIOUS CONCERNS FOR NELSON

Many of you will know Nelson, one of the much-loved characters at Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.

You may also remember that Nelson has been under close veterinary observation because of a collapsing airway. Until now, careful management and monitoring have allowed him to continue enjoying his life at the centre.

Yesterday, however, there was a worrying deterioration.

Nelson's breathing was found to be severely compromised, and treatment was started immediately. He is now receiving as much medication as can safely be given and is being monitored constantly.

A collapsing airway is a serious condition. As the airway narrows, breathing becomes increasingly difficult, and deterioration can sometimes be significant. Treatment can help control inflammation and other respiratory problems that make breathing harder, but there are limits to what medical management can achieve when the underlying problem is structural.

For now, we are doing everything we can for Nelson and watching him very closely.

Those who follow us regularly will also know about his extraordinary friendship with Magic. Despite Nelson's blindness and Magic having only one eye, the pair have become inseparable. Magic acts as his guide, although you might question exactly who is guiding whom when the two of them decide to race up and down the lanes like a pair of unruly teenagers.

It makes seeing Nelson struggling now particularly difficult.

There isn't anything more to say at the moment, and we don't want to speculate about what comes next. His comfort and quality of life will, as always, come first.

For today, please keep our lovely Nelson in your thoughts. ❤️🐴

We will update you when we know more.