Move over cats and dogs—there’s a new rescue in town! Meet Sam Smith, the Brighton dad with a unique passion: rescuing abandoned clothes horses. Yes, you read that right—those trusty contraptions that hold your freshly washed clothes.
It all began in 2016 when Sam, known affectionately as “Spud,” spotted these overlooked essentials left to waste on Brighton’s streets. Fast forward to today, and Sam has transformed his quirky hobby into a full-blown sanctuary for nearly 40 of these “beautiful creatures.”
What goes on at The Clothes Horse Sanctuary? Well, each clothes horse is lovingly named and given the medical attention it needs, from fixing broken parts to soothing them with music that features washing machines on a delicate cycle. They roam freely in their stable sanctuary, proving that life isn’t just for dryers!
While it might sound a bit bonkers to some, Sam has won the hearts of thousands online with his TikTok account @clotheshorsesanctuary, where followers enjoy updates, educational tips, and some much-needed clothes horse love.
Sam shared, “It’s been emotional. There’s laughter, tears, and a lot of heart. Clothes horses are quiet heroes of our lives.” More than just a quirky collection, Sam is on a mission to reduce waste and teach folks how to keep their clothes horses from becoming obsolete.
The sanctuary, now a bustling community effort, has volunteers diagnosing and repairing the clothes horses, all while educating the wider world on reducing waste. And Sam’s heartfelt advice? Talk to your clothes horse, let it know it’s appreciated!
With his GoFundMe initiative, Sam hopes to continue rehabilitating these “resilient, majestic” horses and maybe even find them new homes. So next time you see a clothes horse, give it a nod of appreciation—it might just be one of Sam’s cherished rescues!