The Mare and Foal Sanctuary opens new specialist equine barn

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has officially opened the Rosemary Kind Barn at Coombe Park near Totnes, Devon. The new specialist welfare and education centre was inaugurated by Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Grania Phillips.

Named in memory of the charity’s founder who passed away in 2022, the facility includes 13 stables designed to support abandoned, neglected, or abused horses and ponies with complex needs. The centre provides dedicated spaces for specialist care, trauma-informed rehabilitation, and community education work.

The new structure replaces the site’s former American Barn, which was demolished in 2020 due to subsidence. Chief Executive Rhodri Samuel described the barn as a major investment in the sanctuary’s future, providing a modern, purpose-built home for rescued animals and opportunities for community connection.