Equine Programme
The aim of our Equine Programme is to improve the lives of working equidae (horses, donkeys and mules) throughout Greece. This is achieved through our programme of outreach visits. We focus our effort on rural and/or isolated areas where owners have little or no access to trained professionals and where traditional practices that can be either ineffective or positively harmful are still widespread. This project is unique in Greece in delivering not only treatment and care but, crucially, in adding to the knowledge and skills of local owners; building their capacity to look after the animals on which they rely after our team has left the area.
This is achieved via the following activities:
The aim of our Equine Programme is to improve the lives of working equidae (horses, donkeys and mules) throughout Greece. This is achieved through our programme of outreach visits. We focus our effort on rural and/or isolated areas where owners have little or no access to trained professionals and where traditional practices that can be either ineffective or positively harmful are still widespread. This project is unique in Greece in delivering not only treatment and care but, crucially, in adding to the knowledge and skills of local owners; building their capacity to look after the animals on which they rely after our team has left the area.
This is achieved via the following activities:
Veterinarians:
Although equine veterinary education in Greece has seem a huge improvement in the last few years and there are now lots of new graduates choosing to work with equines, there is a still a large number of veterinarians who have little or no experience in equine care. To help fill these gaps in knowledge and practical skills we invite veterinarians with an interest in the care of equids to accompany us on our outreach visits. Observing diagnosis and treatment in the field is a good way to learn important aspects of equine veterinary care, as well as basic dentistry and farriery.
Farriers:
Professional farriers are hard to find in Greece, with most being self-taught, thus not always providing the best care. During our outreach visits, we always invite any local farriers to observe and work with our professionals so that they can gain more experience and improve their knowledge and skills.
Dental Technicians:
The basic principles of equine dentistry are taught not only to veterinarians, but also to owners and lay people that are interested in that aspect of equine care and are eager to help their equids. They start with some basic techniques, advancing later as they attend seminars or other outreach sessions to which we invite them.
Welfare groups:
In every area we visit we collaborate with the local welfare groups. In addition to providing valuable local knowledge to our teams, they are invited to attend the assessment and treatment sessions to gain more knowledge of the issues affecting equine welfare. This will enable them to recognise and report more accurately on any cases they may come across in the year, forming a valuable link between our professionals and owners that are experiencing problems.
Owners:
During our outreach visits, we also train owners to assess the condition of their equids more efficiently and always encourage them to ask for advice in order to gain further insight and understanding. Our advice and instructions mainly concern management, feeding, worming, vaccinations and the most common ailments. If we see harmful practices in use, we take the opportunity to persuade owners to alter these, demonstrating better and safer alternatives.
Seminars:
We also organise practical seminars in veterinary nursing, farriery and equine dentistry which are attended by vets and farriers from all over Greece, as well as seminars for veterinary students, local owners and welfare group members.
Latest Equine Programme News
In September 27-29, the Animal Action Greece team made a three-day visit to the island of Kea, in order to provide veterinary,...
In August 10, 2024, after the request of Arcadia Animal Care, our vet and Equine Care Programme Coordinator Elisa Geskou and equine...
On July 10-12, our Equine Care Programme Coordinator Elisa Geskou and Alkis Gkeskos visited Lindos, in order to do welfare assessments of...
On June 14-16, after the request of local welfare group Animal Zone International, the Animal Action Hellas Equine Care team made their...
On May 29 & 30, our equine dental technician Alkis Gkeskos and our farrier Vaios Bakratsas made a two-day visit in eastern...
From 23-25 May 2024, the Animal Action Hellas equine team made a 3-day outreach to several remote islands of Dodecanese. This outreach...
On May 17 & 18, 2024, Animal Action Hellas Equine Care team, made a 2-day outreach visit to the island of Hydra,...
From 13-16 of May 2024, our equine outreach team, consisting of vet Kostas Okkas, dental technician Alkis Gkeskos and farrier Vaios Bakratsas,...
On March 2nd and 3rd, Animal Action Hellas’ Equine Care team visited the region of Mount Pelion. According to Greek mythology, Mount...
As a welfare charity we recognize that working equines have, for many decades, played a crucial role in agriculture and tourism. Where...
We received a request from the Management Unit of Samaria National Park and Protected Areas of Western Crete (National Environment and Climate...
On March 22-25th Animal Action Hellas’ Equine Care team visited the island of Andros in Cyclades. The outreach expeditions of the Equine Programme...
On November 24-26, the Animal Action Greece team made a three-day visit to the island of Kea, in order to provide veterinary,...
On October 27-29, the Animal Action Greece Equine Care team made a three-day visit to the island of Skyros, in order to...
July 30th, our Equine Outreach team returned to Paralion Astros in Arcadia, to provide veterinary, dental and farriery care to the rescued...
On June 17th and 18th, after the request of local welfare group Animal Zone International, the Equine Care team of Animal Action Greece...
The success of each cooperation depends on a good relationship that is based in trust, mutual values and mutual targets. In early...
Between 15-16th May, the Animal Action Greece Equine Care team made their two-day visit to the island of Spetses just before this...
On 13-14th May, our Equine Care team made its annual 2 day outreach visit to the island of Hydra, in Argosaronicos, just...
On April 19, 2023, Animal Action Greece’s Equine Care team made a 1 – day outreach visit to the island of Santorini,...
Starting March 30th, our equine dental technician, Alkis, and farrier, Vaios, visited Agia Marina Donkey Rescue in Petrokefali, Crete, last month to...
The Animal Action Greece Equine Care Team has a long lasting relationship, more than a decade, with the mules that work in...
From March 23rd-26th, 2023, Animal Action Greece’s Equine Care team embarked on a transformative four-day mission to the island of Andros in...
On 12-13th March, our Equine Outreach team have had a busy spring, heading out to the island of Lipsi in the Dodecanese,...
On March 12th, our Equine Care team were pleased to return to Karpathos island last month after an urgent request from Dr...
When our Equine Outreach team visited Hydra in 2021 as part of our Equine Programme to treat the island’s working equine population,...
The wooded slopes of Mount Pelion are considered one of the most beautiful places in Greece. Although the pretty villages are popular...
On 18th December, our Equine team made a one-day visit to Paralion Astros in Arcadia to provide veterinary, dental and farriery care...
After their visit to Kea, our Equine Outreach team paid a three-day visit to the island of Skyros in November, to treat...
On 27 – 30th October, our Equine Outreach team offered their services to 64 equines (34 donkeys, 20 mules and 10 horses)...
A satisfying before and after! During our Equine Team’s recent visit in Chalki, they treated 4 donkeys and 2 mules (100% of the...
This summer we received welfare complaints about the working donkeys in Lindos, Rhodes, and we have previously received requests from their owners...
On 12th June, the Equine Outreach team visited Naxos, an island that we had visited many times in the past, but haven’t...
The next stop on the Equine Outreach team’s four-day island hopping trip was Koufonissi, followed by Donoussa. On 11th June, they visited...
On 9 – 12th June, the Animal Action Greece Hellas equine team made a four-day ‘island hopping’ visit to the Cycladic islands...
We were delighted to receive this wonderful video of our recent Equine Outreach trip to Amorgos! A big thank you to Litsa...
On Μay 8th and 9th 2022, the Animal Action Greece/Animal Action Greece Hellas team paid a two-day visit to the island of...
On 6th and 7th May, the Animal Action Greece Hellas team paid a two-day visit to the island of Hydra, to provide...
Our Equine Care team returned to Crete to visit our partners, Agia Marina Donkey Rescue, on 27th and 28th April. Aris the...
Our Equine Care Team have been very busy recently, paying a 2 day visit from 9th – 10th April to the islands...
On 15th April, our Equine Outreach team returned to the Forestry Service in Chania, Crete to visit the working mules of Samaria...
On March 25 – 27th the Animal Action Greece/Animal Action Greece team visited the island of Andros to provide veterinary, dental and...
1st March was World Horse Day, and what better way to celebrate than with our first equine outreach trip of the year?! In...
Another island recently visited by our Equine Outreach team is Kea. The team have not been able to visit for a few...
Our Equine Outreach team visited the island of Skyros from 29th – 31st October, home to the native rare breed of miniature...
Our equine team have been visiting the Greek island of Paros for 12 years, and during our most recent visit in September,...
Santorini… a Greek paradise and tourist hotspot which sees over 2 million visitors flock there each year for its stunning views and...
Our Equine Outreach team visited local welfare group Animal Zone International who, since their beginnings in 2007, have accomplished incredible things for...
Back in July, we teamed up with the fantastic Animal Welfare Karpathos to deliver a one-day veterinary, dental and farriery event for...
Our Equine team last visited Spetses in 2009. Despite more than 10 years away, we were bowled over by the island’s warm...
OUR FIRST EQUINE PROGRAMME ON KARPATHOS
Back in July, we teamed up with the fantastic Animal Welfare Karpathos to deliver a one-day veterinary, dental and farriery event for the donkeys and mules of Olympos village.
A WARM WELCOME ON SPETSES, EVEN AFTER 10 YEARS AWAY
Our Equine team last visited Spetses in 2009. Despite more than 10 years away, we were bowled over by the island’s warm welcome when we returned earlier this year to provide veterinary, dental and farriery treatment to 34 equines.
Animal Action Greece RETURN TO HYDRA
Our Equine Outreach team have been visiting the island of Hydra and treating its animals for over 10 years. But in 2020, we were forced to cancel the trip due to both a lack of funding and, of course, the outbreak of Covid-19.
TREATING THE MULES OF CRETE’S FORESTRY SERVICE
Our Equine Project team have returned to the suburbs of Chania, North-Western Crete, to treat the mules of the island’s Forestry Service. While only the pandemic can decide whether the park will reopen this year, these mules still deserve the very best veterinary attention…which is where our team come in!
TREATING THE RESIDENTS OF AGIA MARINA DONKEY RESCUE
We’re delighted to be supporting Agia Marina Donkey Rescue with regular farriery and dental treatments, keeping all their inhabitants happy and healthy.
DERIVING MEANING FROM NUMBERS: OUR RECORDS REVEAL A SURPRISING TRUTH
When we think of mistreatment or neglect, we often think of emaciated, undernourished animals. But you might be surprised to hear that overweight horses, donkeys and mules is just as much of a problem.
WHERE WE WENT IN 2020
Despite 2020 being one of the most challenging years we’ve faced as a charity, we were still able to reach well over 1000 animals across Greece for veterinary care, sterilisation or treatment, including 817 cats, 205 dogs and 129 equidae (horses, donkeys and mules)…
The elements win on Mount Pelion
While COVID-19 is still restricting our movements, it’s not the only thing that our Equine Team has to contend with; sometimes the weather simply isn’t on our side and, despite the best laid plans, the team struggles to reach the equidae (horses, donkeys and mules) that need its care…
THE VIRTUAL VET: SAVING LIVES OVER THE PHONE
Even when we can’t be there, long distance support from our professionals can save a life…
IT’S THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA ON HYDRA
Our Equine Team has been carrying out an annual outreach visit to the working mules of Hydra for over ten years…
EQUINE OUTREACH TRIP TO PAROS
Last month, our vet Elisa Geskou, farrier Tasos Skyllas and dental technician Alkis Gkeskos, visited the island of Paros despite
OUR 2020 VISIT TO SANTORINI
WITH SANTORINI NOW UNDER SPECIAL MEASURES, WHAT FUTURE FOR THE WORKING MULES AND DONKEYS? Alkis… hmmm, we can ALMOST see
