Coastal Horse Care Unit

Coastal Horse Care Unit http://www.coastalhorsecareunit.org.za - Based in Cato Ridge, KZN, CHCU is committed to the welfare of all horses and donkeys. Infield educational workshops.

***NB - due to logistics, we are only able to home horses within KZN***
Rescue, Rehabilitation and rehoming centre for horses who are abused or neglected. Rural Outreach clinics to assist rural working horses. Education Centre at the farm in Cato Ridge- educating rural horse owners including rural children. A WORLD WHERE HORSES ARE USED BUT NOT ABUSED.

🌱 Rehab in ActionWe’ve been rolling out the full horse care package: a comfy stable, cozy bedding, fresh hay, plenty of ...
03/09/2026

🌱 Rehab in Action
We’ve been rolling out the full horse care package: a comfy stable, cozy bedding, fresh hay, plenty of water, and hands on vet checks. After just six weeks, the transformation is real!

Valour (as he’s now been renamed) has a shiny coat, his weight is up, and he’s moving with confidence. It’s proof that proper nutrition and love make all the difference.

🐴 EPOL Equine Feeds
Big thanks to EPOL Equine Feeds for stepping up and pledging six months of premium feed specifically for Valour’s rehabilitation progress!
Their support keeps our nutrition on point and lets us keep the recovery train rolling.
THANK YOU EPOL… for your commitment to horse welfare and .

📸 Gaylene Diedericks (Wild Soul Photography)
Shout out to Gaylene for capturing these professional progress shots taken yesterday.
If you’re looking to spotlight your own equine, give her a ring at 081 707 6313.
Thank you Gaylene for giving back to .

❤️

💥💥 HEROES DAY AT PENZANCE SCHOOL 🌟🌟Our team had a wonderful visit to Penzance school with our two adorable little minni...
03/09/2026

💥💥 HEROES DAY AT PENZANCE SCHOOL 🌟🌟

Our team had a wonderful visit to Penzance school with our two adorable little minnies, Hansel and Gretel.💙🐴
The children had an amazing time meeting and interacting with them, while we had the opportunity to share a little education about kindness, care and responsible horse ownership.
We think the real heroes of the day were Hansel and Gretel - bringing smiles, joy and a little equine magic to so many children. 🌟🎊💜
Thank you Penzance school for having us💕

Between March and July, the Coastal Horse Care Unit (CHCU) kept up its work for equine health and welfare across rural c...
29/08/2026

Between March and July, the Coastal Horse Care Unit (CHCU) kept up its work for equine health and welfare across rural communities 💙

Through our rural outreach clinics, 1,825 horses received veterinary care, including health assessments, parasite control, treatment and other essential preventative healthcare.

Our work goes beyond treatment 📚🐎 Through community education, we give horse owners practical knowledge on:

✅ Proper nutrition and feeding ratios
✅ Wound care and treatment
✅ Internal and external parasite control
✅ Disease prevention
✅ Responsible horse ownership

We have also seen an encouraging increase in owners reaching out for emergency veterinary help. That growing trust means sick and injured horses can be seen earlier, which improves their chances of recovery.

Our work runs across communities from Pietermaritzburg and Durban to Bulwer, making sure veterinary care and education reach the horses and owners who need it most.

1,825 horses treated. Stronger communities. More informed owners. Healthier horses 🐴💙

Thank you to our communities, horse owners, partners and everyone who supports the work of CHCU. Together, we are making a real difference for the horses in our care.

🐎 NEWCASTLE TRADITIONAL RURAL HORSE RACEOur priority is, and will always be, horse welfare. ❤️🐴Working alongside the NHA...
29/08/2026

🐎 NEWCASTLE TRADITIONAL RURAL HORSE RACE

Our priority is, and will always be, horse welfare. ❤️🐴

Working alongside the NHA, NSPCA and SPCA, the Coastal Horse Care Unit (CHCU) is on the ground at the Newcastle Traditional Rural Horse Race, with a team of qualified veterinary and Animal Health professionals supporting the welfare of horses participating in the event.

Every horse is veterinarily assessed prior to racing, with ongoing monitoring throughout the event. Weather conditions are carefully considered, and our team is monitoring horses for any signs of fatigue, heat stress or over-exertion, while also ensuring that adequate fresh drinking water is available.

Microchip scanners are also on site to assist in identifying suspected Thoroughbreds. This helps ensure that horses that should not be participating in traditional racing are not raced, while also providing an important means of identifying and tracing horses where necessary.

Traditional Rural Horseracing is a recognised and rapidly growing sport. As participation continues to increase, so does the importance of appropriate welfare oversight, veterinary support and responsible monitoring.

We understand that our presence at these events may attract different opinions.

Our position remains simple:
Where horses are participating, their welfare must be prioritised.

We would rather be present to monitor, assess and support welfare standards than have horses participating without appropriate oversight.

Horse welfare comes first. Always. 🐴❤️

A warm winter, thanks to .prince.79 .Mandy dropped off a generous load of horse blankets and rugs for the Unit, and the ...
28/08/2026

A warm winter, thanks to .prince.79 .

Mandy dropped off a generous load of horse blankets and rugs for the Unit, and the timing could not be better. In the cold months, a good rug is the difference between a rescued horse shivering through the night and one that stays warm while it recovers.

Every blanket goes to a horse that needs it, from the older ones who feel the cold most to the thin new arrivals still building condition. Nothing goes to waste.

Thank you, Mandy. The horses will feel this one on the cold nights ahead 💙

leaving for vet and welfare checks in Newcastle for the weekend!
28/08/2026

leaving for vet and welfare checks in Newcastle for the weekend!


A month can make all the difference. But it should never have got this far.Just over a month ago, our inspectorate team ...
26/08/2026

A month can make all the difference. But it should never have got this far.

Just over a month ago, our inspectorate team responded to multiple community complaints about this horse's condition. The confiscation paperwork was complete and a horse box was on standby when the owner chose to surrender him into CHCU's care.

At the time, we were told the horse was emaciated because of ulcers, and that he was already undergoing ulcer treatment. We took him straight to Baker McVeigh for a full veterinary assessment. A scope was performed and the result was clear: there were no ulcers. This horse was starving. His condition was the result of a nutrition problem, plain and simple.

Look at these photos. This is what correcting poor feeding can achieve in just over four weeks, with proper nutrition, quality hay and veterinary oversight. It is not complicated. It is not mysterious. Horses need adequate feed, full stop.

We share this to inform, not to shock. Starvation is often misread, misdiagnosed or excused as something else. It isn't. If you are concerned about a horse's condition in your community, report it. Don't wait, and don't assume someone else will.

This boy's recovery is proof of what is possible when neglect is stopped in time. Thank you to everyone who raised the alarm on his behalf, and our sincere thanks to Baker McVeigh Equine Clinic for the thorough, honest assessment that set him on the right path.

If you suspect a horse is being neglected or starved, contact our inspectors immediately on 083 628 3284 or 083 843 5358.

Missing, presumed stolen. Boston area.CHCU has been alerted to the theft of a mare from a farm in the Boston area on 15 ...
26/08/2026

Missing, presumed stolen. Boston area.

CHCU has been alerted to the theft of a mare from a farm in the Boston area on 15 May.

She is a bay mare with a black mane and tail. You will know her by:

A white flash on her forehead
A touch of grey on her withers
Distinctive calcification on her left upper hind leg
Visible scarring on her shin

If you have seen her, come across her grazing in a field, or have any information at all, please contact us immediately: 083 628 3284 or 083 843 5358.

Please share this post. The more eyes in the community, the better her chance of coming home.

Horse racing plays an important role in many rural communities, bringing together horse owners, jockeys, spectators and ...
25/08/2026

Horse racing plays an important role in many rural communities, bringing together horse owners, jockeys, spectators and stakeholders. Yet behind every race meeting lies a critical responsibility: safeguarding the health, safety and welfare of every horse that steps onto that track.

During the March to July 2026 reporting period, the Coastal Horse Care Unit (CHCU) formed part of the veterinary and technical teams at the Nkandla May and Dundee July horse races.

Our mandate on race days is broad. As part of the technical welfare team, our responsibilities include:

✅ Pre-race and post-race veterinary checks
✅ Assessing horses against the Five Freedoms
✅ Verifying safe transportation to and from events
✅ Monitoring for signs of overworking or fatigue
✅ Checking for and confiscating illegal whips and inappropriate equipment
✅ Identifying illegal bits, saddle sores and lameness
✅ Flagging underweight or underage horses
✅ Addressing any other visible welfare concerns

📊 Nkandla May
🐎 12 races
🐎 197 horses carded
🐎 113 horses raced
🐎 78 no-shows
🐎 6 horses scratched on welfare grounds

📊 Dundee July
🐎 12 races
🐎 264 horses carded
🐎 195 horses raced
🐎 67 no-shows
🐎 2 horses scratched

Dundee showed encouraging progress in overall horse management: better nutrition, improved hoof care and a noticeable shift in welfare awareness among owners.

Our work doesn't stop at inspections. CHCU's approach is built on five pillars: education, relationships, veterinary access, prevention and intervention. Long before a horse reaches the starting gate, we're working alongside owners and stakeholders to build the awareness and support systems that keep horses healthy in the first place.

Through this ongoing presence, CHCU remains committed to promoting safer racing and strengthening equine welfare standards across KwaZulu-Natal 🐴💙

Healthy horses. Responsible owners. Safer racing.

Address

D246 Farm Afsaal
Cato Ridge
3680

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 15:30
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00
Thursday 09:00 - 15:00
Friday 09:00 - 16:00
Saturday 09:00 - 16:00

Telephone

+27735503061

Website

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