first visited Horseworld in January 2009. I happened to be driving past and noticed they were advertising Half Price entry during January.
So a few days later myself and my friend took our 2 little girls (both aged 1 at the time).
It's a little gem of a place, I can't believed i never visited sooner especially with living only a 20 minutes drive away.
We loved it so much we became season ticket holders on our second visit.

==HISTORY

===

Horseworld was established in 1952. Due to the more easily available and affordable transport, horses, ponies and donkeys were being abandoned and slaughtered even those still young and healthy.
Marjorie Pelling and Madge Checkley joined the charity after reading a newspaper article and work for the organisation for the next 45 years.
Fundraisers worked hard over the years, with flag days, table top sales etc... In the 60's the charity bought more land (Staunton Manor Farm) with the funds raised, this meant more land available to house rescued animals. Before this they used odd bits of land own by members and supporters.
By 1978, more funds became available through charity events etc and the organisation were able to buy Keynes Farm, which was adjacent to the Staunton Manor Farm giving the charity approximately 160 Acres of land altogether.
It was until the early 2000's Horseworld was given their title and a Visitors Centre.

==HORSEWORLD TODAY

==

The charity are now responsible for 200 animals on site (Visitors Centre and Keynes Farm) and 275 animals being cared for through loan homes.
They looked after Horses and Ponies-from Shetland to Shire, Donkeys, Pigs, Goats, Hens, Cockrels, Ferrets, Rabbits and much more.
Horseworld work hard to Rescue, Rehabilitate and Rehome all their animals.

==VISITORS CENTRE

==

On my first visit in January it was very quiet (which was brilliant for us as it gave us a chance to have it all too ourselves), this probably due to being freezing cold weather and being mid week.
Firstly their addess: Staunton Lane
Whitchurch
Bristol
BS14 0QJ

Opening times: Winter 10-4 Mon-Sun, Summer 10-5 Mon-Sun.

To get there I go up through Whitchurch village and turn left at the set of traffic lights by the pub and follow the road up. And it's just on the right hand side.

I loved that you drove into a gravel car park from a country road, it made it feel less commercial. I would like to add that there is a great community and charity feel to Horseworld compared to larger charitable organisations. Car parking (Which is directly outside the visitor centre )is completely free and they also have allocated disabled bays. There is also an overflow car park into the farm, I've never had to park there so unfortunately i am unable to give details about it.

You walk into the main entrance which is very neat with leafets about upcoming events, membership, volunteer oppurtunities and the toilets are just on the left hand side. From there you walk into the little shop to pay your fee or show your membership card.

Admission Prices:
Adults £6.95
Senior & Concessions £5.95
Children 3-15 £4.95
Children under 3 Free
Families (2 adults + 2 Children) £20.95
Concessions / Student Discount £5.95
Concessions (Child 3-15) £3.95
Carers Free

Special rates for group bookings etc.

The shop is really sweet, with all thr obvious horseworld merchandise to buy, cuddle toys, animal sponsorship, pencils, rulers etc.. With many unusual gifts as well.
Once you've paid, you carry on into a little corridor going right takes you past a wall of Horseworld information, their work etc.. this leads into a lovely little cafe/Restaurant area. You can order, panini's, jacket potato's, sandwiches, soup, daily specials, cakes biscuits, hot drinks, cold drinks, and ice creams.
You can either sit inside, in a cottage feeling seating area or conservatory, or you can sit outside where there are beautiful flowers and often a nosey hen or 2 wandering around.

To go into the main part of the Centre you turn right after the gift shop. You walk into an outside picnic area, there is a small museum with pictures and a TV showing the history of Horsworld along with some old equine equipment.
Also in the picnic area is a small Avery, with a few cockertails, love birds and budgies.
There is also an ice cream stand and horse merri-go-round.

As you carry on along there is a building where children can paint and colour. Have their face painted and decorate horseshoes.
After this you come to where the live stock are kept, there are several Horses and ponies in stables, and Garth the donkey is usually roaming around on his own.
There are different areas:

The Shires-Where the Shire horses are kept.
The Donkey Den
Noah's Ark-This is where you can find goats, pigs, geese and Hens (Although the hens are generally roaming around freely)
Nature Trail-A nice walk around the fields
Ferret House

All the animals are rescued and they all share their stories on their stables etc.. Some are really sad but uplfting seeing how far the have come.

Other activities:
Meet and Groom, Feeding time, Mini Horse show, tractor rides to the main farm and mucking out stables.

As you near the farther end of the centre, you will come to fields where there are more horses roaming freely, recently they have had a foal only a few days old basking in the sun with it's mother.

They have a soft play area, which our daughters love, with a death slide. An outside play area:

Sand pit
Climbing frame
Horse jumping equipment
Play house
Ride on Toys

And finally a Straw Den where kids can also play.

==EVENTS

==

Regular events include: Easter Egg hunts, Mother/Fathers day meals. Charity fun days etc...

I think they also do horse riding and horse loans, would be worth finding out.

==OVERALL

==

I love it at Horseworld. The Volunteers are all so friendly (I'd like to add at this point that most staff members are volunteers, including the gift shop, Office, Cafe, Mucking out etc..). My membership cost me £27 for a year, just for myself as i didn't need to pay for my Under 3 year old and it's been a great buy. I can visit whenever I want, free parking and my daughter loves it and learns a lot. Even if it's bad weather she can just go into the ball pit. It does get busier during peak times and seasons but well wroth a visit.