Lisa Tattersall-Randle - Welfare Officer Worcestershire

My first experience of riding was on a grey pony called Noddy at Butlin’s in Skegness (everyone has to start somewhere!).  After that I persuaded my parents to pay for riding lessons and then spent most of my time at what is now Debdale Riding School (then it was West Midlands Equitation Centre).

My parents could not afford to buy me a horse so I schooled and competed other people’s horses and also had horses on loan.  My father always promised to buy ‘Smokey’ for me if we ever won the 14’2” jumping together – well one day we did it and Dad was true to his word and I owned my first pony (and I loved him more than anything!).  My parents also bought four varying sized foals (they were cheap!) for me to ‘bring on’, which I duly did, and my teenage years were largely spent with horses and at competitions.

Riding became rather sporadic when I got a little older and work got in the way, but having a daughter who became interested in riding (can’t think how that happened!) helped to get me back into horse ownership.  As a family we now have five horses and I still enjoy competing at local shows.

As horses are my main interest I decided I needed to formalize my knowledge, so have completed a Higher National Diploma in Equine Studies and have qualified as a BHS Intermediate Stable Manager.  I am still studying and am about to begin the final year of an equine honours degree with Warwickshire College.

Having retired in 2007 as a police inspector with the West Midlands Police I now have more time to spend doing the things I enjoy, which are almost entirely concerned with horses!    Fortunately I have an understanding and supportive husband to help me.

The Role of the Welfare Officer – “Prevention through Education”
Welfare officers are practical people with a wealth of horse experience.  The aim  is to ensure the welfare of the horse, especially as many cases result from ignorance rather than deliberate cruelty.

So what might be reported?  Concerns can be reported either directly to the welfare officer or may come through the Welfare department at BHS HQ in Stoneleigh. Common concerns are equines that do not seem to be being fed or have no water, overgrown hooves, emaciated or obese animals or horses that appear to have suffered an injury that is not receiving veterinary treatment.