Deborah Meaden
Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden talks about how horses have always been a big part of her life.
A self-confessed animal lover, Deborah has five horses in her yard and confesses “they can be quite spoilt”.
Deborah's childhood dream
“Horses have always been a big part of my life, my childhood dream was to be a showjumper and when I was 11 I got first job which was to help lead pony rides up and down Minehead seafront. I saved up enough money from that job to buy my first horse, Apollo, at 13. For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about equine welfare so when I heard of Brooke’s work I was happy to get involved.”
India's brick kiln horses
"Brick kiln horses work tirelessly every day in terrible conditions and Brooke helps to improve their lives."
Deborah has been a long-time supporter of Brooke and travelled to India on behalf of the charity to visit working horses in brick kilns. “Brick kiln horses work tirelessly every day in terrible conditions and Brooke helps to improve their lives, working with their owners and the wider community to educate them on how to care for their animals. When I went to India I could immediately tell which areas Brooke was working in and felt very proud to be supporting them.
"I couldn’t help but compare the lives of those brick kiln horses to my own. I love riding and caring for my horses, they live in clean stables and I make sure that they are comfortable and happy. Unlike the horses in India they’re lucky enough to have access to veterinary care if they need it and receive regular check-ups to ensure they stay healthy.”
Deborah rides her horses several times a week to keep them fit, she said:
"I share a great bond with my horses, most of them are rescued racehorses and I treat them to regular massages to keep them in shape. I enjoy spending time with them and I know that not all horses have such a good life, that’s why Brooke’s how the other horse lives campaign is so important. It raises awareness of the suffering of working horses around the world and through donations from this campaign they will be able to continue their vital work to prevent the suffering of millions of equines worldwide."