Owners’ heartbreak as horses die in suspicious yard fire
The Essex equestrian community is rallying round after a number of horses died in a livery yard fire.
Passers-by saw the blaze, in a large stable building at the Burnham yard, at after 11pm yesterday (3 December).
They alerted emergency services and did everything possible to save the horses inside, including, it is thought, opening stable doors to allow them to escape the fire.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service station manager Craig McLellan said: “When firefighters arrived they found the fire was already well developed. The whole building was alight and the roof had collapsed.
“Firefighters worked hard to tackle the fire and stop it from spreading to any other building. However, despite the best efforts of passers-by who managed to save a number of horses from the building, some horses have tragically died at the scene.”
Firefighters remained on the scene all night, and were still there this morning, damping down and checking for hot spots.
A crowdfunding campaign has already raised nearly £2,000 for the affected owners, while Vicki Clark, owner of nearby Westleighs Saddlery, has offered her tack shop as a base for donations.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“They’ve lost everything,” Ms Clark told H&H. “It’s so tragic.
“I’ve got a horsebox so I thought if people want to donate, I can take everything up there in one go, and I’ll donate some items from the shop too.
“It’s so awful. No one knows who it was who saw the fire but it’s amazing how many horses he managed to save.”
Alex Longhurst, who set up the fundraising page, wrote: “Speaking to the people involved this morning is heartbreaking, watching the barn collapse knowing your beloved horses are in there is unimaginable.
“Therefore, we have set up this page to raise as much money as possible for the yard, in order to replace what has been lost, help towards shelters for the horses, and even vets’ bills.”
Essex Police have confirmed the fire is being treated as suspicious and investigations are under way into how it started.
.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.