Author: Katie Gilmour

FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Final in Lier, Belgium. Excitement for the future of show jumping has grown, following the display of exceptional talent at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Final in Lier, Belgium. The pony teams competing for glory were Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, Sweden, and The Netherlands.
Great Britain emerged victorious with an impressive performance, finishing with just one fault across the entire three rounds of jumping. This victory follows their success at the FEI Jumping European Championships for Ponies. Ireland claimed silver, and Belgium were third.  The Netherlands were fourth after a shaky start.

Gut bacteria found within Thoroughbred racehorses at one-month-old can predict their future athletic performance, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The study also showed that foals with lower bacterial diversity at 28-days-old had a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease later in life. Researchers from the university’s School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Bioscience, led by Professor Chris Proudman, investigated the composition of gut bacteria in Thoroughbred foals bred for flat racing and its impact on their long-term health and athletic performance. The study consisted of 438 faecal samples from 52 foals going under analysis,

Recent findings from a Cost of Living Survey conducted by World Horse Welfare on behalf of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) have highlighted the financial strain many horse owners are experiencing in the current economic climate. A significant number of owners are contemplating rehoming their horses due to increased costs in livery fees, feed, bedding, and veterinary care. Of the 6,143 survey respondents, 1.9% indicated that they might need to approach a charity to rehome their horse within the next year. This seemingly small percentage translates to over 7,000 households across the UK, underscoring the potential scale of the

After losing the top spot in the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings nine months ago, Ros Canter has reclaimed the number one position. She replaces Olympic gold medallist and compatriot Oliver Townend, who has held the top spot since October 2023.

 Sitting in third last month, Canter’s made an impressive ascent. As the reigning European Champion, she stands out as the only athlete to surpass the 500-point mark, boasting 519 points. Townend follows in second place with 492 points, while fellow Brit Tom McEwen secures third with 454 points. “I was quite shocked to hear I’m world number one, as

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have undertaken a project that seeks to improve the understanding of retraining and rehoming former racehorses, and they are calling for owners and ex-owners of retrained racehorses to help! Owners are invited to take part in an online survey to divulge their experiences of taking on a former racehorse, with researchers aiming to secure at least 500 respondents over the course of the next month. The Life After Racing project survey forms part of the RVC’s wider ‘Life After Racing’ project, which outlines the the processes involved in rehoming and assesses the different factors that

His Majesty King Charles III has taken on a number of horse focussed patronages, following the example of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles has been confirmed as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) new Royal Patron, taking on the role previously held by his late mother Queen Elizabeth II.The role was confirmed by Buckingham Palace last month as part of a recent review of royal patronages, a role that helps to highlight, promote and recognise the work of the many charities and organisations supported by a Royal Patron. RCVS President Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS said: “We

The junior team for Great Britain jumped into second place at the Junior Nations Cup of Zuidwolde at the Youth Meeting in De Wolden, The Netherlands, only one fence between them and the first place. 14 strong teams came forward to compete over Henk Landers course, that consisted of a 12-fence 1.40m track. Two teams emerged at the top of the leaderboard by the halfway stage – host country The Netherlands and Belgium.  Great Britain was tied in third place on four faults but rose to second further in the competition. Maisy Williams, who was celebrating her 18th birthday, had difficulty

Exploring the future of veterinary procedures in the age of AI. Learn about the discussions around how AI can enhance positive outcomes and minimize risks in the veterinary sector. With the world drawing ever closer to the use of robots and artificial intelligence, a round table was held last week to discuss how the veterinary professions might flourish in the midst of exponential technological change. The event, hosted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), discussed how AI use in the veterinary sector might best be regulated to optimise positive outcomes and minimise risk. British Equestrian Veterinary Association (BEVA)

In a survey of more than 1,600 riders, it was discovered that one in three female riders stop riding totally or temporarily when they hit the perimenopause and menopause. The research by Level 4 UKCC dressage coach and saddle fitter Stephanie Bradley won the first prize at last week’s Alltech Hartpury Conference for the oral presentation of her study Effects of the perimenopause and menopause on female riders, and the research will now feature in a scientific journal. Stephanie’s research forms part of her Masters degree that she is undertaking at the University of Gloucester, and found that 68% found their

The British Horse Society is urging riders to saddle up to protect over 78,000 miles of off-road riding in a ‘use it or lose it’ campaign to raise money to ensure routes are available in the future. The initiative encourages riders to undertake a distance of 25km or more over the month of July and gain sponsorship for its completion. The challenge has four goals, and riders can choose which they prefer: 25km, 50km, 75km and 100+km, and riders can create a Just Giving page associated with the campaign. Money raised will go towards repairing riding surfaces, the reopening of

With the rise of ill mental health in riders, Riders Minds has announced that their helplines are being taken in-house, and expanded with additional mental health and well-being services that includes help for those experiencing bullying and confidence issues.  “When we set up Riders Minds, we always wanted to be able to support all equestrian people in any time of need,” said Victoria Wright, Founder and Chair of Riders Minds. “Having our services available 24/7 was very important to us. This is a service that we’ve always outsourced whilst we grew and evolved as a charity.” “Having listened to the

Researchers in the UK have introduced a straightforward questionnaire to help horse owners identify and monitor signs of osteoarthritis pain in their horses. The development aims to enable earlier and more effective treatment to enhance quality of life and improve athletic function. Led by researchers at the Royal Veterinary College and University of Edingburgh, the questionnaire is modelled on the Brief Pain Inventory used to evaluate pain severity and its impact on functioning. The team consisted of Dr. Janny de Grauw, Senior Lecturer at The Royal Veterinary College in the UK, Bryony Lancaster, Program Director, MSc Equine Science of the

In a move that could set an interesting precedent, the FEI have announced that in the case of Chaman Ginn, ridden by Juan Benitez Gallardo to success at the CCI4*-S in Quillota, who tested positive for O-Desmethylvenlafaxine, that there were other causes at play and Gallardo was not negligent in his handling of the horse. It transpires that the banned substance entered the horse’s system by eating contaminated hay after a member of staff urinated in his stall while on medication. While the rider will not incur fines or a period of ineligibility, his score at the event will remain

With equestrian sports very much in the spotlight as welfare claims are pitted against top trainers, news of the BEF’s Charter for the Horse is welcomed. The federation, its 19 member bodies and associated industry leaders have all committed to endorse the highest standards of equine welfare, wellbeing and ethics under a new ‘Charter for the Horse’, launched today.  The Charter for the Horse is to be adopted across the equestrian industry in every facet. Under the six headings of empathy, care, respect, consideration, ethics and learning, the Charter outlines actions expected to be guarantee the individual mental, physical and

In celebration of their centenary, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has launched its 2024 photo competition to highlight the work that animal health and welfare providers are carrying out around the world. The competition has been running for six years, and this year’s theme is ‘Animal health and welfare: looking to the past, embracing the future’. The competition seeks to champion the World Organisation for Animal Health’s major mission: Improving animal health and welfare, ‘A good life for animals’ and ‘Health and Happiness’. The World Organisation for Animal Health hopes that this photo competition will ‘show how the