Equine Rescue France was founded by a small team all based in the south west of France.
Jenny Lupton (President)
Jenny is an internationally acclaimed animal artist who has ridden and competed horses all her life, initially show jumping then eventing which led to a fascination with dressage. Moving to France in 2005 gave Jenny the opportunity to have all her animals with her as well as a fresh view of painting. Jenny has always been an active supporter of charities (including raising funds for the Macmillan Cancer fund, the ILPH/WHW, Eventing Ireland, the Grass Sickness Fund and the Phoenix Asso in France) and ERF has given her the opportunity to get hands on.
“I trained when I could with a wonderful trainer called Bill Noble, who sadly emigrated to NZ. He gave me a blueprint for training horses that I have never forgotten, and the importance of getting inside a horse’s mind. I rode a lot of horses rejected by other people, too dangerous, or stopping at fences, or not doing what they were supposed to. There is no greater satisfaction than turning a horse round and giving him a future, when because of poor riding and greed he was destined for the scrap heap. Each horse has a different attitude, and needs handled accordingly. Usually I can read them fairly quickly, but there are always exceptions that keep you on your toes. I can hopefully put this experience to good use within the association.
I would love to see a world where horses are not merely commodities, whether it be the leisure, sport or meat trade, and the horse is given the respect he deserves.”
Helen Dawson (Treasurer)
Jen Roberts (Admin)
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A word from founding President Kathryn & Jon Dobson
Kathryn and Jon moved to France with their 3 young girls back in 2002, initially settling in the Jura mountains (01) near to Geneva before relocating to near Civray (86) a few years later. The move across France signalled a change in lifestyle for the Dobson family, they had left behind the corporate rat race to start an organic small holding, renovate their future home and rediscover the quality of life missing in the corporate world.
Kathryn was the Founding President of ERF, supported by Jon and Jenny, handing the reins over to Jenny in the summer of 2011 to concentrate on the family business. Kathryn’s international business experience has been critical in ensuring that ERF is the professional, financially competent organisation that it is today.
Kathryn says “It is not enough to simply want to help equines – as a welfare organisation, ERF have a responsibility to ensure the long term safety and care of the animals we re-home. This can only be done by ensuring that the organisation is robust and has a long term strategy which we meet. We have worked extremely hard since we launched to build a solid reputation and we are now able to work at both local and European levels with confidence. The blend of business and animal skills we have within ERF is unique and will help us make the differences that we are working so hard for.”
Jon has also been heavily involved with ERF, supporting the team and looking after the animals being rehabilitated at their home.
“Organisations like ERF are vital in this world today. Too many animals are abandoned once their novelty or ‘usefulness’ have worn off. ERF are prepared to stand up and fight for the right of these equines both now and in the future and working with the individual animals, you see just how important this work is” says Jon.
If you value the work we do at ERF, please donate so we can continue to help equines in France
All material copyright Equine Rescue France 2007-2010
