Picking up the scent with UK's only sniffer horses

ROUNDBREAKING scent work is being carried out on the moors between Accrington and Haslingden where horses are becoming sniffer animals.

- BY CATHERINE SMYTH

For the last three years, a small team is believed to be the only people in the country training horses to follow a scent.

Kathryn Williams of Adventure Neighground livery at Spring Vale Farm, Green Haworth, said: "We train them in the same way a dog can be trained to search and rescue by detecting a scent.

"Firstly, it is fun for us and the horses; if it wasn't then we would not do it. Secondly, it uses their sense of smell which is a very natural thing for them to do and thirdly, nobody knows how this could go so someone has got to give it a go.

"We are, we believe, the first doing cadaver searches and ridden. There is one lady Rachael Draaisma who is doing non-ridden, she's in the Netherlands, has written a book and runs courses, but her focus is different, so, I think, is her methodology."

Royal Signals veteran Bob Brindley is also helping with the training as he was previously a volunteer with Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team.