Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page! My name is Rach and I am a self-confessed horse addict living in Gloucester, UK. 2014 is the Chinese Year of the Horse and I'm determined to give something back to these animals that have been a part of me for my entire life - with your help, this could be their year. I am hoping to raise £10,000 for The British Horse Society by doing something I will never forget for the rest of my life…

What's happening?!

In October of 2014, I hope to be riding 150km across rural Rajasthan, India, over a course of eleven days in order to raise money for The British Horse Society and broadcast the valuable work they do. This will be a challenging trek in an area where the culture is as incredible as the scenery - I will be riding a Marwari horse, a breed descending from the war horses of the ruling families of feudal India which shall provide me a swift and bold mount for this epic adventure. The reason I say ‘hope to be riding’, is that it will only happen with your help – I can only raise this money for the charity by fundraising!!

Why is it a challenge?

Physically this trek is tough - for those of you who aren't too familiar with horses, it is contrary to popular belief that the horse does all the work for you! I will have to endure a specific fitness plan throughout the following few months to make sure I am mentally and physically fit for what lies ahead. At least seven hours a day in the saddle will not be quickly forgotten afterwards - that I am sure! The paperwork states that this is by no means a riding holiday and creature comforts are few and far between; I have had a medical certificate signed off by my registered doctor sent along with a riding assessment form to prove this.

Emotionally this event will be overwhelming and I need to focus; I will be dedicating the next eight months of my life to nothing but this trek and for those who know me personally they will confirm with no shadow of a doubt as soon as the word ‘horse’ is mentioned, my heartstrings are tugged. I am a keen equestrienne and will do anything I can to make sure I give this charity the money it needs to help out with its vital work. I am putting every hour I possibly can towards this, alongside managing a full-time job with another ad-hoc job AND sharing horses in the evenings I am free, whilst trying to maintain my fitness regime! I will no doubt encounter an unforgettable experience of a lifetime in the process. You can find out a few more details about this specific ride here: http://www.bhs.org.uk/get-involved/challenge-rides/india. The BHS states on their website that 'without the aid of our dedicated challengers our nationwide network of welfare officers would not be able to help anywhere near as many horses as they do'.

So why are you doing this then?!

The funds I am trying to raise are in aid of The British Horse Society - a charity representing the interests of 4.3 million people in the UK who ride/drive and/or own horses. In their own words, the BHS claim 'we want a world where every horse is properly protected and cared for' and 'we want to ensure horse owners and riders get more from their relationship with their horse' - I believe this speaks for itself. As a keen rider from before I can even remember, and having owned horses for years, I would be the first to put myself out for a horse (or any animal) that required help or aid someone that needed advice, so I am more than ready to help the charity with their mission. 

The BHS is seen as 'a strong voice for horses and people', spreading 'awareness through support, training and education’. A few issues the charity works nationally to improve are the horrendous conditions horses are sent to slaughter via live transport for human consumption and the ways they are treated when they are slaughtered, the awareness of strangles (a highly contagious and infectious disease in equines that I have sadly had personal experience with in the past), help with horses that have been abused and/or neglected and aid to those reported of being in distress, help with exotic equine diseases and prevention of them from contaminating the UK, advice for responsible breeding, providing help for smaller charities alongside...the list is endless. I am sure you can see why this is so important to me and as a nation of animal lovers I can only hope you empathise with this too. Horses throughout history have provided so much for us and without them our world would be nowhere near how it is today - they have provided us with transport, company and even food and the debate continues as to whether we have domesticated them or whether they have actually domesticated us...it's time to give something back.

Amazing! How much do you have to raise?

I require an initial £300 registration amount to the BHS to send off with an application form - this has been generously donated to me by Alpha Response Print and Mail Ltd in Gloucester, and they have kindly offered to print any leaflets, flyers or posters I require as handouts as well. They have even done PR work for me by taking a photo of my colleagues and I at work and doing a write-up for Punchline Magazine - the number one business magazine for Gloucestershire. I have been working for them for the last two years and they have been the key to getting the fundraising ball rolling! Thanks to them, my place on this challenge has been secured and I just need to raise as much money as possible for doing so. I now need to raise £3,300 to guarantee me going to India which is the minimum fundraising amount the BHS require from this trip; any further donations received for them are a huge bonus hence my personal goal of £10,000. The goal would be outstanding to achieve but the £3,600 combining the minimum fundraising amount and the registration fee is essential.

That sounds well worth it - how can I donate?

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity; so it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I will be doing various ways and means in order to raise all of this money as well as using this site so please chat to me about it and see what will be happening - I will do (almost!) anything to get this money, be it odd jobs or organised events to follow. I have an organised walk on Saturday 7th June from Sharpness Docks in Berkeley to Gloucester Docks (about 16 miles long) which I have keen supporters for already - if you are interested then please get in touch and I will provide sponsor and information forms for this event.

Please add me on facebook (www.facebook.com/RachayRay) and twitter (www.twitter.com/RachayRay) to keep up-to-date with what I am doing and to see how else you can help me achieve this. My local magazine, the Quedgeley News, has covered my story and The Citizen newspaper have been contacted about my project, and hope to involve BBC Points West in the future. I am encouraging any companies to sponsor me as part of their charity work, and can provide advertising in return if they wish. I have a T-shirt made with a list of company sponsors on the back which I wear whenever I can to show my appreciation for their generosity - there is plenty of room for names more however!  I have also been provided kind support by friends at my livery yard, Warren Farm in Gloucestershire, and from Jane and Mark Spashett of Guilfoyle Sage and Co. Glos. accountants - thank you chaps!!! Please also visit the British Horse Society website for more information on the magic they do and to see what I’m getting involved in on the Challenge Rides section (http://www.bhs.org.uk/).

I hope this site is passed over every inch of the internet and people help from all over the world, not only the UK where I live so please, please, please share around wherever you can!

Many thanks - please give as much as you can afford.

Rach :) xUxUx