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OUR STORY

1886

Our Story
1886

On 10 May 1886, Miss Ann Lindo founded The Home of Rest for Horses (now ‘The Horse Trust’). Inspired by Anna Sewell’s novel Black Beauty, a ground-breaking ‘autobiography’ told through the eyes of a working horse, Miss Lindo, from North London, founded a sanctuary for London’s working cab horses.

A working horse had no rest in those days – their owners depended on the horse to earn money so they could feed their families. Horses pulled taxi cabs and delivery wagons until they dropped. Miss Lindo’s idea was to provide a place where sick and exhausted horses could rest and recover – lending in their place healthy animals so the owners could still earn a living. Months later, the owner’s original horse would be returned to them, refreshed and ready to return to work. And so The Horse Trust was founded.

Horses were bought or donated as loan horses, and demand was immediately high. Miss Lindo saw her idea become a great success and attract prestigious supporters. Sadly Miss Lindo passed away just five years later, at the age of 52.

Among the early supporters of The Home of Rest for Horses was HRH Prince Albert. Meanwhile, the novel Black Beauty went on to sell over 50 million copies and became one of the best-selling books of all time.

“…. there is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham….” Anna Sewell, Black Beauty, 1877

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