The Horse Trust, renowned for its Home of Rest for working horses and its programme of scientific research to improve the welfare of horses and ponies, has announced the appointment of Jeanette Allen as its new Chief Executive. Allen comes to The Horse Trust, believed to be the world’s oldest equine charity, from The MedicAlert Foundation where she has been the CEO for the past nine years. She will take up her new position in September and succeeds Brigadier Paul Jepson who is retiring after thirteen years, although he will continue to work with The Trust as a specialist policy consultant.

Guy Henderson, chairman of The Trust said: “The Trustees are absolutely delighted to appoint Jeanette as our new Chief Executive.  Her skills in fundraising, marketing and management will ensure that The Trust is in the strongest possible position to continue its vital work improving the welfare of horses and ponies.  This is a particularly exciting time for The Horse Trust as we prepare for our upcoming 125th anniversary and so we could not be more pleased to welcome Jeanette with her boundless energy and invaluable experience to lead our historic charity successfully into the future.”

Before joining MedicAlert, Allen was a fundraiser for Bart’s Hospital and prior to that the NSPCC where she spent four years following a successful commercial career. Allen commented on her appointment, “I am honoured to be taking up the role of Chief Executive of such a highly respected and unique organisation as The Horse Trust. I have been a keen recreational rider all my life and have a personal passion for animal welfare making this a dream role for me. I am looking forward to working with The Trust’s highly committed board, staff and volunteers and especially to raising greater awareness and appreciation of the organisation’s vital work.”

The highly specialist role of The Horse Trust in caring for retired working horses at their Home of Rest in the Chilterns is what the charity is best known for, however, The Trust is also uniquely involved in supporting ethical veterinary research into equine diseases that affect all horses such as Strangles, Laminitis and Colic and for its programme of veterinary clinical scholarships. In addition The Trust is an education provider for broader equine welfare and policy issues including most recently taking the lead in the creation of the African Horse Sickness Working Group. This group, involving government and industry, has raised awareness of the need to develop a safer and more effective vaccine to limit the impact of a potential pandemic of the disease in the UK.  The Horse Trust is also involved in alleviating cruelty and suffering which sadly occasionally still occurs, such as in the appalling case of Spindles Farm..

Allen is also a non-executive director of Donate Mobile Ltd and a volunteer for Special Connection, a charity that integrates children and young people of all abilities through the drama workshops.