It's that time of year when we reflect on our achievements and hope for even better things next year although on reflection 2022 will be a hard year to follow.

For BHS Scotland, we have had so many highlights this past year and our Scottish membership number grew to more than 9000, and we raised almost £30,000 from holding rides etc. We also had a beautiful Royal opening in April for our new Scottish address, the hub at Stirling, where we were supported by Police Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

We also helped the World Clydesdale Show organise its entries and held a momentous memorable joint 'Ride with World Horse Welfare', at Balmoral. BHS Scotland loves working in partnership and it is always an honour to work with others, and help the horse world show a united face.

But worries about the impact of cost of living and health and welfare challenges facing owners abound, so just as BHS provided a help line and advice during the pandemic, we continue to be there for horse and their owners over these dark days.

Our BHS welfare department has been especially busy recently with Healthcare and Education events running a hugely successful year of clinics. This led to 389 horses being seen over eight dates in total held in 2022. This brings the total number of horses seen at BHS clinics to 1813 since they started in 2015!

Read more: The yard 'village' will help cut rearing costs

The clinics are held in conjunction with BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association), which supplies vets for the days. We also have helpers from other equine charities who come along as volunteers to handle horses and help to advise owners.

By working collaboratively with fellow welfare charities across the UK, we are able to reach out to vulnerable owners and communities who may not normally seek regular healthcare for their horses and/or are known to be breeding indiscriminately. We are now also helping more horses whose owners have fallen on bad times due to covid and, more recently, the cost-of-living crisis.

Horses and ponies can be booked in for a castration, microchip and passport as necessary, and all of these are provided at a subsidised cost. All animals are also given a health check, weighed, wormed and those in need will have a hoof trim and their teeth rasped in line with welfare standards.

Looking ahead we’d like to run a Scottish health care clinic in 2023.

Learn more at our virtual agm

Calling all BHS members in Scotland – join us for a virtual members meeting in the early evening of Monday, December 12 and share your thoughts on what you’d like to see from your BHS? We try and advocate for you and be the voice of the horse.

Learn about how we operated in 2022 and what we did on your behalf. Sign up at the following link and help to shape our programme for 2023 – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/bhsscotland/792707/

Or drop in one Thursday before Christmas for a warm welcome at the BHS Scotland Hub, at Stirling Rural Centre, which will be open every Thursday, during December, giving you the opportunity to pop in and purchase our beautiful new Christmas cards – Snow Horses, Dear Santa, Rocking Horse In The Snow and A Right Royal Christmas – all in packs of eight!

Our book shop is open too. We are giving away free weigh tapes to anyone who wants to monitor their horse's weight over the winter!