Equine Rescue Centre
Retraite Pres Verte

A registered charity (law 1901),Retraite Prés-Verts was created in June 2003 by Claire Vicente and is based in the Haute-Loire (dép.43) region of France. The refuge was created so as to save as many unwanted horses as it can accommodate from certain death (chained up and abandoned, sold to horse-butchers or worse…) and give them a greatly merited comfortable retirement, some of them after many years of hard work and loyal services, and others after many years of violence and abuse.


Over the years, a number of cats and dogs and most recently a goat, have found their way to the refuge where they lead a happy and carefree life. As is often the case, our refuge is not entitled to any government aid and is therefore totally dependant on the general public’s kindness and generosity. The refuge is now full, 12 horses, 6 dogs, 14 cats and 1 billy-goat!


Please visit our site and thank you in advance for any aid, no matter how small, that you will be able to give to our dearly beloved four-footed friends.

Update 3/9: Claire’s got back to me and to be brief, because of very poor health, Claire has transferred nearly all of her horses to another much larger refuge (150 horses plus other animals) although financially speaking, she is still responsible for these horses. She still has all of her dogs and cats with her at the refuge and so was very grateful for the parcel – thank you!   My personal opinion is this; I asked for your support for Claire and her ‘four-footed family’ made up of 15 horses plus a dozen cats and a dozen dogs. For the moment the refuge is not quite the same as before and she has not indicated that any of her cats or dogs are in terrible need. I am very conscious that you help refuges in areas where animals suffer tremendously and are in need of constant medical attention. Thus, it seems logical to me to suspend the parcels for Claire until the return of her horses (at which point I would hope to be able to contactyou again)and therefore you can send a parcel to another refuge where the needs are critical.   On behalf of Claire and ‘the family’, her protégés large and small who have benefitted from the your unceasing efforts and the kindness of the companies who help you – thank you all so much.   She forgot the photo so I’ll remind her and send it as soon as I can.