Upon the decline of the working horse in the 1960s it widened its remit to include education and research, becoming the largest provider of equine welfare grants in the United Kingdom.
[3] In January 2008, it took in a number of severely neglected horses from Spindles Farm, which The Independent described as "one of the worst cases of animal cruelty in recent history".
[4] The Horse Trust funds non-invasive research into equine diseases, such as strangles, sweet itch, colic, grass sickness and cardiology.
Among the supporters of the new Society was Prince Albert and before long the Duke of Portland, Master of the Royal Household, agreed to become the charity President.
In Sudbury from 1886 to 1889, then it was based in Acton, west London in (1889–1908), before taking over Westcroft Farm in Cricklewood, which had 20 acres (81,000 m2) of open pasture just four miles (6 km) from Marble Arch.
The sale of the land from the Borehamwood site allowed the charity to build a new stable complex at Speen Farm in Princes Risborough, where it remains to date.