Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
As the season is drawing to a close, there is a lovely lady who is going at a flat out gallop to give something back to the horses of the world, writes Helen Blake.
Martina (Molly) Molloy, a BHS qualified riding instructor in Bahrain, feels they have always given to her, with their kindness, loyalty and willingness to please.
Molly, was born and raised in Ireland, to some the home of the horse, and was brought up with them in her life.
Her father Tom would take her off to the horse sales and fayres in Ireland, looking to come home with a handsome beast but somehow they would always return with a skinny, unloved and generally rejected horse or pony.
These animals were given love, care and attention and in many instances these initially rejected animals went on to do great things in the equestrian world.
Their horses and ponies qualified for such prestigious events as Dublin and Wembley.
Molly says Tom spent his life looking out for and helping mistreated horses. So, in honour of her late father, Molly has decided to raise money for all the less fortunate horses/ponies/donkeys of the world.
Her chosen charity is World Horse Welfare – a leading international horse charity dedicated to giving abused and neglected horses a second chance in life, and promoting horse welfare globally.
Its ethos: ‘We are committed to stamping out suffering and improving the lives of horses through education, campaigns and hands-on work with horses’.
In the UK the charity has four rescue and rehoming centres and a network of full-time welfare field staff. Overseas, it provides communities with the skills and training to care for their working horses and so improve their livelihoods.
It also delivers high-profile and effective international campaigns to promote the welfare of horses and supports the responsible use of horses in sport.
The charity helps horses by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming them and works with a disaster alliance and has the ability to provide emergency relief when natural disasters threaten horses.
The charity campaigns tirelessly, such as a transport campaign calling for an end to the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe. Check out their website: www.worldhorsewelfare.org or find them on Facebook: World Horse Welfare.
Molly and a small group of others from across the GCC aim to reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro on June 17.
This is by no means a small undertaking. Yes, probably the most wonderful experience ever, however, it is also reported as one of the most dangerous things you will ever do, some 1,000 people have to be evacuated from the mountain each year, usually from altitude sickness, so this is no stroll in the park!
Training is of optimum importance and as there are no hills in Bahrain Molly has been training religiously on a treadmill.
Molly has funded the trip herself and would be delighted if Too Hot To Trot readers could show their support.
All donated money will go to the charity and Molly has a page on Just Giving, go to the home page and enter Martina Molloy James this brings up Molly’s page and you can donate directly.
Twin Palms Riding Centre will be asking everyone to donate one dinar to this wonderful charity, and I will be enlisting the help of anyone/everyone-else – at home, school, wherever, to give just a dinar to help the less fortunate horses of the world.
Charity begins at home they say, so have a hunt behind the sofa – find those 100fils and see if you can gather together a dinar! Let’s see if the horse lovers of Bahrain can rally to the cause.
All horses /ponies/donkeys deserve to be loved and respected as much as possible, love them embrace them as you would your closest friend because that is what they are.
I will keep you updated with any donations received, and let you know how Molly is getting on.
Good Luck Molly, go for it … these horses deserve it!
Send your equine news to Helen Blake at helen2blake@hotmail.com
