Organisations can apply for grants of up to £5,000.

Charities working to protect horses will be able to apply for grants of up to £5,000 from a new charitable fund.

The Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund aims to support smaller equine welfare organisations across the UK who have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

World Horse Welfare (WHW), who have partnered with the Petplan Charitable Trust (PPCT) and the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) to launch the fund, said it comes as equine charities experience unprecedented financial challenges as a result of the virus.

Most have been forced to close visitor centres and cancel fundraising activities, while still having to look after the animals in their care.

Roly Owers, WHW chief executive, said: “The current situation, and the economic fallout from the pandemic, will just make a bad situation a whole lot worse. There is no capacity within the UK’s equine rescue system so it is vital, as we start to rehome animals again, that we have as many organisations as possible working to support the inevitable tidal wave of welfare cases that will need help over the course of this year.

“We are hugely grateful to our sister charities, including the RSPCA, The Donkey Sanctuary, Redwings and the BHS for supporting the Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund and to the PPCT for agreeing to administer this vital safety net to smaller, but no less important, equine welfare organisations during this extraordinary time.”

David Simpson, chair of PPCT, added: “The Petplan Charitable Trust has always supported the tremendous work horse rescues perform and we are delighted to work alongside others to help in these difficult times.”

Applicants need not be NEWC members, but rescuing and rehoming equines should be the primary focus of the organisation. Grants up to £5,000 will be awarded, with the expectation that the average grant will be around £2,500.