Latest from Horse & Hound in Royal-veterinary-college

Research spreads hope for new osteoarthritis treatment in humans and animals

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:05:00 +0000

Veterinary research into osteoarthritis (OA) may lead to treatment that could slow or even reverse the disease, in humans and animals.

Research led by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), published in Bone Research, has identified an inhibitor, a protein that binds to an enzyme and slows or stops its activity, that may improve joint health as well as translating into new treatment.

“The findings provide a potential first-of-its-kind disease-modifying strategy that could improve how the disease is managed in both humans and animals,” an RVC spokesperson said.

In OA, the most common form of arthritis, cartilage mineralises and breaks down, underlying bone changes and inflammation develops within joints. It affects more than 527 million people globally and 50% of horses aged over 15. There are no approved treatments that can reverse or halt disease progression.

The team, led by Scott Roberts of the RVC, identified protein CDK8/19 as a drug target in OA disease cell models, and tested an inhibitor in arthritic mice.

Those who had the treatment showed improved gait, greater ability to complete treadmill exercise tests, reduced weight gain and lower levels of OA biomarkers in the blood, as well as improvements in cartilage composition in the knee joints.

Untreated osteoarthritic mice usually have tiny “bridges” of mineralised tissue in the growth plate area of the bone, associated with worsening joint damage. The treated mice had fewer bridges; those that did develop were less dense.

“While additional research is needed before these findings can be translated into treatments for patients, the findings suggest that the use of a CDK8/19 inhibitor may help slow or even reverse OA disease and improve whole joint health, which is a promising new avenue for OA therapy,” the spokesperson said.

Dr Roberts added that the study provides information on the way cells cause disease in OA, as well as an option for disease reversal.

“This is hugely exciting and impactful given the absence of any disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs,” he said. “The next stage is to transition the research into proof-of-concept studies to show disease-modifying efficacy in a patient population.”

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AI trained to detect fractures in horses opens door to preventing catastrophic injuries

Lucy Elder — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:15:25 +0000

An artificial intelligence (AI) system that can detect and pinpoint fractures in horses has been nominated for a top award.

Research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has been shortlisted for the STEM for Britain 2026 award, in recognition of its work in applying AI to improve fracture detection in animals.

The research team compiled a databank of images, including 100 equine fracture cases, 70 feline cases and approximately 4,000 human fracture images from a public database.

The researchers built an AI system that can identify the type of scan (such as an X-ray, CT, or MRI), recognises the image angle and detects and locates fractures. They found the system was effective in finding fractures in horses, using knowledge gained from thousands of human fracture images. This is known as transfer learning.

It meant that the model could be trained on human scan images then adapted for veterinary use. The system reached an accuracy of 71 to 84%, without needing “an unrealistically large number of equine images” to learn from.

The study, funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, was led by Ruby Chang, associate professor of statistics at the RVC, and carried out by Hanya Ahmed.

“Dr Ahmed has brilliantly translated expertise in medical image analysis to the veterinary field, developing a novel AI system to detect fractures in racehorses,” said Dr Chang.

“This exceptional work has now also been published in Bioengineering. This dual recognition is a testament to Dr Ahmed’s skill and dedication and a wonderful celebration of our team’s collaborative effort to advance diagnostic technology.”

The team has also expanded its collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to explore whether AI can identify early bone changes in racehorses before a fracture happens. It is hoped that, if successful, this could support efforts to prevent catastrophic injuries.

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New tendon research could help prevent and treat injuries

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 12:38:46 +0000

The discovery that ageing causes significant blood vessel loss in equine tendons could help identify horses at risk of injury and the best way to treat them.

The Royal Veterinary College research considered imaging of the superficial digital flexor tendon, and found that older horses – those aged between 18 and 22 – showed a 70% reduction in vascular volume (the amount of blood present in the tendon blood vessels). They also found a reduction of 30% in vessel diameter, and 74% in the number of vessels, compared to horses aged between two and five.

“This means older tendons receive far less blood flow, making them more vulnerable to damage and slower to heal,” an RVC spokesperson said.

“At the same time, the team observed an increase in the formation of smaller blood vessels within aged tendons, suggesting that the tissue attempts to compensate for the loss of larger vessels. However, this new vascular network appeared disorganised, indicating a loss of vascular balance, so the normal structure and coordination of blood vessels is disrupted. These changes suggest that the new disorganised vessels may not function effectively, reinforcing the need to monitor tendon health closely as horses age.”

The team was led by post-doctoral researcher Nodoka Iwasaki and lecturer Chavaunne Thorpe.

“This study used advanced 3D imaging to reveal, for the first time, how the blood supply to the horse’s tendon changes with age,” Dr Iwasaki said. “We found that older tendons lose many of their larger blood vessels, which are crucial for repair and recovery. This helps explain why older horses are more prone to tendon injuries and why these injuries heal more slowly. We are now exploring ways to prevent this age-related decline, with the aim of improving outcomes for older horses diagnosed with tendon injury”.

Dr Thorpe added that the team is developing methods of slowing the age-related declines, which “if successful, may improve prognosis in older horses diagnosed with tendon injury”.

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Foals turned out more and weaned later go on to greater success, research finds

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:29:30 +0000

Thoroughbred foals who have more turnout and are weaned later are more successful in later life, research has found.

A Royal Veterinary College (RVC) study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, followed 129 racing-bred foals born in 2019 and 2020 from birth into training, and racing until the end of their four-year-old years. It found that those “given extensive turnout in larger pastures during their first six months of life, and those weaned later, are more likely to go on to race, compete more often, and earn more prize money”.

An RVC spokesperson said this is the first in-depth evaluation of the effect of such early experiences on thoroughbred performance.

“These novel findings can be directly applied at stud farms to help retain thoroughbreds within the industry and achieve their maximum athletic potential; outcomes that align with priorities of the Horse Welfare Board’s strategy to support the welfare of horses bred for racing,” he said.

Foals who spent more time out and were weaned later were more likely to race by the end of their fourth year, and the older they were at weaning, the more race starts they made. Those turned out in larger fields won more in prize money.

“These findings demonstrate that the first six months of life is a critical period of development in thoroughbreds, during which it is essential that turnout and weaning practices provide sufficient opportunity for positive tissue adaptation and optimal development,” the spokesperson said. “Breeders are therefore encouraged to maximise turnout whenever possible, and consider weaning after this critical period.”

Research team leader Rebecca Mouncey added: “This study is the first of its type to evaluate the effect of early-life experiences on later-life performance in thoroughbred racehorses, providing important novel findings that can be directly applied at the stud farm level to reduce wastage and improve performance in this population.”

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New hope for headshaking horses as research confirms ‘viable treatment option’

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:56:28 +0000

Electroacupuncture is a “viable treatment option” for horses suffering from headshaking, research has found – as nearly two-thirds of those treated showed improvement.

A study carried out by a team at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found the technique had “good success” in treating equine trigeminal nerve-mediated headshaking.

TMHS causes uncontrollable, involuntary flicking and shaking of the head; it can be very painful and distressing for horses and mean sufferers are unrideable; in some of the most extreme cases, it can mean euthanasia.

“Although the exact cause has not yet been identified, it is presumed that the trigeminal nerve in affected horses reacts excessively to external stimulation,” an RVC spokesperson said. “Currently, there is no cure for the condition. However, electroacupuncture, which is the use of needles and an electric current to change the pain perception in the nerve, has been successful in treating TMHS in a small number of cases, but results from a more substantial number of cases have not yet been assessed.”

The RVC team, led by Bettina Dunkel, head of equine and professor of equine internal medicine, emergency and critical care, and with four external collaborators, retrospectively assessed electroacupuncture’s effectiveness in 42 horses treated with the technique between 2015 and 2024.

Data assessed included the horses’ history, duration and severity of TMHS, diagnostic tests, number of electroacupuncture treatments and the effect of treatment as perceived by the owner or main vet.

“The findings showed that the procedure was well tolerated by all horses and achieved a significant improvement in headshaking, with the median grade before treatment at three and after treatment at one,” the spokesperson said.

“Overall, 64% of cases showed an improvement in TMHS after their final treatment, with complete resolution of signs seen in 33% of horses. No improvement was seen in 31% of cases and two horses (4.8%) experienced worsening of clinical signs post-treatment.”

The team concluded that electroacupuncture was well tolerated with minimal complications and improvement in most horses. The advantages of the treatment include the fact it has a low complication rate and can be carried out in the yard.

Professor Dunkel said: “Electroacupuncture is a viable treatment option for horses suffering from this devastating disease. We are very pleased with the results of the study and hope that it will encourage veterinarians and horse owners to pursue this treatment option.”

Refining the technique

The team suggested that refinement of the technique over time, such as changing the duration of the treatment or electrical frequencies, could help increase the success rate and create longer remission periods.

Equine vet Sue Devereux, the author of the first study in this area in 2017 (vet clinic, 2 June 2022), told H&H the treatment is a major step forward as apart from the use of nose nets and masks, “which I wholeheartedly recommend”, the condition is so hard to manage.

“The results of this study with a larger number of horses are very encouraging as they are consistent with the earlier findings and confirm that electroacupuncture is a worthwhile treatment option for TMHS,” she said. “It is important that other possible causes of head shaking are always ruled out first.”

Ms Devereux said she was inspired to use the treatment on more horses by a dressage mare called Izzy who had been “tormented” by TMHS and had been unrideable in spring and summer for three years.

“She responded remarkably well, remaining free of signs for longer than we had dared hope and was able to compete all year round,” she said. “This encouraged me to treat other cases.”

She added that although factors such as pollen, sunlight, wind and rain can trigger headshaking, it is still not known what causes the effect on the nerve.

“If only we could establish the causes of this painful condition, then we would be closer to finding a cure,” she said.

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Risk factors that could reduce fatalities in jump racing identified

Becky Murray — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 19:33:36 +0000

Running on softer ground could decrease equine fatalities in jump racing, researchers have concluded.

H&H reported that British racing was partnering with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) on the development of racing risk models (RRMs), to better understand risk factors that lead to long-term injuries, falls and fatalities (news, 12 December 2024).

In a paper published in Equine Veterinary Journal, a team of RVC researchers used the RRMs to analyse data from all jump race starts made on British racecourses between January 2010 and April 2023, to describe the risk of, and determine, risk factors for fatality in British jump racing.

Of the 384,408 starts analysed, 1,932 ended in fatality.

The researchers said the reported fatality rates are similar to those previously estimated for British jump racing and among the findings, three factors were common to both steeplechase and hurdle fatality models – faller status, horse age and going. In both race types, fallers and older horses had higher odds of fatality and softer going decreased the odds of fatality.

The findings were shared with British racing’s Equine Safety Group (ESG), made up of industry experts “tasked with combining the RRM’s findings with their deep practical knowledge, to make evidence-based recommendations that will enhance the safety of the sport”.

The researchers said that although equine fatalities in jump racing are often associated with falling, “faller status has rarely been examined as a risk factor”.

An RVC spokesperson said that although falling heightening the risk of fatality is “perhaps not surprising”, quantifying this association has prompted racing’s ESG to initiate further work to better understand why horses fall.

“Additional research into fallers included the development of RRMs for falls in jump racing, which has demonstrated that the risk of falling was lower for starts made over padded-style hurdles. This has led to the recommendation that all birch hurdles be replaced with padded hurdles by October 2026,” he said.

“In addition, detailed analysis of video footage of all races in which a horse falls is being conducted to better understand how conditions within a race influence fall risk.”

The spokesperson added that the horse-related factors associated with risk has led to the introduction of enhanced pre-race veterinary inspections for horses who may potentially be at greater risk of injury or fatality – and that further work is ongoing around ground condition to better understand how weather factors and racecourse maintenance, including watering, play a role.

RVC professor of veterinary clinical epidemiology Kristien Verheyen said the college is pleased to be working in collaboration with British racing to “improve the understanding of negative outcomes in racehorses and enhance safety”.

“This research will greatly help the industry in making scientifically backed decisions that will benefit the welfare of the sport’s equine participants, which must be the number one priority of all involved in racing,” she said.

The project is jointly led by the British Horseracing Authority and the Horse Welfare Board, with funding from the Racing Foundation, as part of the industry’s focus on improving safety and reducing risk to racehorses.

British Horseracing Authority director of equine regulation, safety and welfare and Horse Welfare Board member James Given said the RVC epidemiological team has “academic expertise and independence that delivers scientifically rigorous evidence that enables recommendations and actions to be based on indisputable data”.

“Reduction of risk and injury is one of the core pillars of our welfare strategy and informed evidence-based decision-making is integral to this,” he said.

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Horse’s dislocated shoulder successfully put back thanks to ‘once in a lifetime’ surgery

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 16:08:36 +0000

The surgeon who led the extremely rare procedure to replace a dislocated equine shoulder hopes to get the message out that this is possible, adding: “It’s so good when you can make such a difference.”

Cheryl Bell’s 15.3hh Irish sport horse/Connemara mare Willow could hardly bear weight on her left foreleg, after, it is thought, she landed badly having jumped out of her field. But after her operation, she towed Andy Fiske-Jackson, associate professor of equine surgery and deputy head of Royal Veterinary College (RVC) equine, back to her stable with barely a limp.

“It’s nice to be able to make such a difference to a horse in such a short space of time,” Mr Fiske-Jackson told H&H.

Mr Fiske-Jackson said miniatures and Shetlands are more likely to suffer such an injury than full-size horses, for whom it is “incredibly uncommon”, and “even less commonly attempted to fix”. He said there have been a few cases, in the US, or one of an Icelandic horse whose shoulder popped out immediately after surgery, so was anaesthetised straight away to put it back in.

“But this was two days down the road, and a big horse,” he said. “Beforehand, I told the owner it was very unlikely to work and there was no precedent, no evidence to draw on.”

Mr Fiske-Jackson consulted colleagues internationally, none of whom had carried out the procedure.

“It was either ‘Try it but it probably won’t work’ or ‘You should probably euthanise as it won’t work’,” he said. “Apart from the difficulty in replacing it, there’s often collateral damage to the joint itself – something has to be injured for the shoulder to pop out – which renders the prognosis much poorer.”

But X-rays revealed no bony abnormalities so Willow was anaesthetised, and a sling readied should she need its support.

“There was an audible pop and a jolt as it went back in,” Mr Fiske-Jackson said. “When she got up, it was in a very sensible way, and she was incredibly more comfortable. It was the middle of the night and she was practically dragging me back to her stable; from her not being able to walk, I could hardly hold her. It was surreal; amazing, but worrying!”

The main fear was that the ease with which the joint went back in meant it could pop back out, but Mr Fiske-Jackson paid tribute to Willow’s calmness after anaesthesia, which undoubtedly helped. After a day or two she went home, for box rest and physio exercises. Mr Fiske-Jackson said there was muscle damage in the area and there may be cartilage injury, but this should heal.

“It’s a really good result,” he said. “I wasn’t even supposed to be on call that night but I’m glad I was there. One of those once-in-a-lifetime cases, and it’s important as if it happens to another horse, there will now be realisation that it’s worth trying.”

Cheryl told H&H she found Willow on three legs; although she had never jumped out of her field before, Cheryl thinks she must have gone over a double fence and landed awkwardly.

“She was dragging her leg like it was broken,” she said. “When the vet X-rayed and told me it was dislocated, they said it wasn’t something they’d ever done before.

“No one knew whether it would stay in; I thought I would have to have her put to sleep; the vets said it wouldn’t be the wrong thing to do, but they said they’d give it a go. I cried when I got the call afterwards.”

Cheryl said she knows it is a long road, and even if Willow cannot go back to the jumping and pleasure rides they have done together, she is happy just to have her still.

“It means everything,” she said.

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Pioneering study sheds light on early pregnancy loss in horses – which is similar to humans

Becky Murray — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:16:10 +0000

Many early pregnancy losses in horses could be caused by chromosome defects, a new pioneering study has shown.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), as part of a team from Cornell University, analysed 256 samples from mares to understand how abnormalities in chromosomes affect early pregnancy loss. The study found that having three sets of a certain type of chromosome, as opposed to the two in a healthy foetus, was the most common chromosomal abnormality that contributed to pregnancy loss.

Other irregularities included the presence of one extra chromosome, and one fewer, which accounted for 12% of losses. The researchers said the findings mean it is possible to account for potential causes in 60–70% of early pregnancy loss, up from 20–30%.

Lead researcher Mandi de Mestre, a professor in equine medicine at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, told H&H this work builds on previous knowledge in this area – and although it is not known yet what causes chromosome abnormalities, the work shows they are “incredibly common”.

“Miscarriage is really emotional; obviously you have lost that potential for life that people are desperate to reproduce from their mare, but the other frustrating thing is not being able to explain why it occurred,” said Professor de Mestre, adding that the research looked at naturally covered mares, and further studies would be needed to look at pregnancies occurring from IVF.

“The main take-home is that we are now starting to know that it could be the first thing to think of when your mare loses a pregnancy, at least in those first two months. We clearly have a lot of work to do on how we can prevent it, how we can develop treatments, or make mating choices that reduce the chance of it happening.

“Given how common it is, I don’t think we’re likely to wipe it out, but you might change how you go about treatment for that mare in the knowledge that this is a really common thing to look out for.”

RVC research fellow Jessica Lawson added that in addition to the “significant findings”, the team “for the first time, has identified sub-chromosomal aberrations in an aborted foetus and a stillborn foal”.

“These aberrations likely constitute a rare but important cause of later-term pregnancy loss, and we look forward to continuing to investigate the clinical significance of these genomic changes,” said Dr Lawson.

The researchers also said that although chromosomal abnormalities are widely acknowledged as a common cause of human miscarriage, owing to the similarities between human and equine chromosome structures and other pregnancy characteristics, this study supports the use of horses as a “novel model organism to study miscarriage in women”.

“In women, you see these genetic conditions as a common cause of miscarriage, but we often don’t get these really early samples. Because we scan horses regularly and monitor them so closely, we were able to look at an even earlier period than they routinely look at in women,” said Prof de Mestre.

The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association contributed funds, data and case material to the research, and the association’s veterinary committee chair James Crowhurst told H&H the results “proved highly informative” and are “exciting in terms of broadening understanding in this area”.

“As conception rates in horses have greatly improved over the last 40 years, in no small part due to pioneering work by Professor William ‘Twink’ Allen and his team, plus others, attention was then drawn to exploring the causative factors of pregnancy loss,” said Dr Crowhurst.

“Simultaneous advances in genetic analysis have allowed Prof Mandi de Mestre and Dr Jessica Lawson to investigate genetic causes of early embryonic failure, leading to these pioneering studies.”

Read the research paper.
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Study finds ‘almost no evidence’ to support equine neck X-rays in pre-purchase vettings

Becky Murray — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 19:33:42 +0000

Research has highlighted a lack of evidence to support the usefulness of taking neck X-rays in pre-purchase examinations (PPEs).

A new paper by Royal Veterinary College (RVC) researchers has reviewed findings from previous studies on cervical X-rays, to answer whether they should be included in PPEs. The researchers said neck X-rays are more frequently being requested in vettings – but concluded that current evidence suggests “most findings present on cervical radiographs acquired at PPEs are of unknown or low significance in a clinically normal horse” – and there is “little evidence to support these as part of a PPE”.

It was also found that there is “minimal evidence of the progression of subclinical abnormalities found in cervical X-rays and their future impact on performance”.

Rupert Freddie Dash, lead author and RVC staff clinician in equine diagnostic imaging, told H&H as radiologists his team is often asked to look at PPE X-rays and that the neck “can often be an area that is quite tricky for us”.

“We find that sometimes, due to no fault of the vet taking the X-rays, they can be of lesser diagnostic quality than, for example, limb X-rays. If they are of reasonable quality, even then the findings can be quite difficult to interpret, so we thought it would be a good idea to review all of the evidence and see whether these are worthwhile X-rays to be taking,” said Dr Dash, adding that although the neck is a well-researched area, there is limited research around PPEs in general and on this issue.

“There’s almost no evidence that will tell us if we find something [on a cervical X-ray] in the PPE, how likely that is going to inhibit or reduce the horse’s performance.”

The paper also addressed the difficulties of cervical X-rays being taken in an ambulatory setting such as at someone’s yard, as portable machines are not as powerful as those used in a hospital. This means the images are “often underexposed”, which can “reduce image quality and hinder thorough evaluation”.

Dr Dash said a portable X-ray machine is more suited to limbs, so “perfectly diagnostic” images can be obtained.

“In my opinion there is still a place for X-rays of the limbs in PPEs,” he said. “There is still relatively limited research about how findings will go on to affect performance, however there is more research than on the neck, and vets may have more depth of experience to draw from with issues relative to the limbs.”

Dr Dash said that when it comes to PPEs “there is more evidence currently that a physical exam of the neck is more valuable in terms of predicting if there’s an issue”.

“Vets should palpate and manipulate the neck, including doing tests that may involve getting some feed and making sure that the horse can reach its flanks. I would say that would be more useful than radiographs,” he said.

Lucy Grieve, the British Equine Veterinary Association’s projects officer, told H&H that X-rays are very common now in PPEs, but buyers “should beware of their limitations”.

“At one end of the spectrum, there is clear evidence that deviations from the normal in neck and back X-rays are of no predictive value for future soundness or athletic potential, where the PPE and history have not raised suspicions,” she said.

“At the other end, some abnormalities seen on limb X-rays will have a significant predictive value – but buyers should remember that there are still many deviations seen in limb X-rays that are not indicators of future problems.”

Ms Grieve added that misjudging the significance of abnormalities seen on X-rays alone “can and does result in many sales falling through unnecessarily” – and advises owners to discuss any findings with their vet.

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The impact of inbreeding on equine pregnancy loss

Becky Murray — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:02:27 +0000

Inbreeding is a “contributing factor” to mid- and late-term pregnancy loss in thoroughbreds, new research has shown.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), in collaboration with Cornell University, analysed 189 DNA samples – including a control group – and found that thoroughbred pregnancies lost in mid and late gestation had “significantly higher inbreeding metrics than UK thoroughbred adults”. But pregnancies lost in early gestation showed “no significant difference” in inbreeding metrics compared to the adults.

An RVC spokesman said that approximately five to 10% of equine pregnancies end in early pregnancy loss, and a further 7% of pregnancies are lost between day 70 of gestation and 24 hours post-parturition. But prior to the study there had been “no definitive analysis to investigate the association between genomic inbreeding levels and pregnancy loss in horses”.

“This research provides critical evidence showing that mating highly related individuals does have a tangible effect on our breeding operations, as there is a real risk of a mare losing her pregnancy late in gestation and failing to produce a foal at all that season,” said lead researcher Jessica Lawson.

“The take-home from our work should be to carefully consider breeding choices that involve mating of highly related individuals as, ultimately, this may increase the chance of the foal inheriting mutations that may not be compatible with life. We are already working on the next step, looking to identify these changes so more specific advice can be provided in the future”.

The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) co-funded the study and has previously funded projects looking into causative factors of pregnancy loss in thoroughbreds.

“Several studies worldwide have indicated rising levels of inbreeding in thoroughbreds, especially during the last 50 years, which have probably been influenced by the dramatic changes in stallion activity that have occurred since then,” said James Crowhurst, chairman for the TBA veterinary committee.

“As an outcome of Professor Mandi de Mestre and Dr Lawson’s original study, which identified further lines of enquiry, the TBA, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and Weatherbys have collaborated to fund a number of ongoing research projects, such as exploring the epidemiology and genetics of congenital musculoskeletal disorders in neonatal thoroughbreds and development of a genetic non-invasive diagnostic test to assess foetal health in the pregnant mare.”

Mr Crowhurst added that the outcomes of the RVC research and the earlier studies are “vital in ensuring the safeguarding of the breed”.

“The findings will be examined by our veterinary committee and communicated to our members and the wider thoroughbred breeding industry once the work has been completed,” he said.

Discussing inbreeding in general, Tullis Matson of Stallion AI told H&H that inbreeding in equines – and endangered species – can lead to an “extinction vortex”.

“It’s not just because of the lack of numbers, it’s the inbreeding. It can cause these issues of early embryonic loss, lower fertility and lower sperm count. What we want to know is, at what percentage of inbreeding do these issues start happening,” he said.

In rare breeds, the breed conservation and management system (BCAS, formerly known as SPARKS) is used to help reduce inbreeding. The system is based on mare- and stallion-based data sheets, which are formulated using genetic analysis. These calculate the mean kinship; the relationship between any one animal and another, and the potential inbreeding from any mating.

Lucy Morgan, Gemini Genetics manager and Stallion AI services lab technician, added that it is positive that research on inbreeding in thoroughbreds is being carried out.

“There are obviously lots of different factors that come into play in breeding horses, and this research may well benefit other breeds too, for example rare breeds where inbreeding occurs. There are quite a few breeders of rare breeds signed up to the BCAS system, but there still are some breeds that aren’t signed up yet, so this may encourage them.”

New research reveals most common findings in pre-purchase horse vettings

Becky Murray — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:02:33 +0000

Pre-purchase examinations have come under the spotlight in new research – along with the issue of relying on X-rays to identify issues.

Royal Veterinary College (RVC) researchers analysed 133 PPE certificates from three equine practices and considered factors including whether they were two- or five-stage examinations, if X-rays were taken, the horses’ prices and intended use, and the PPE outcome.

Among the findings, 57.1% of horses examined had “prejudicial findings”, and the most common was lameness at 55.3%. Some 14.5% of horses had diagnostic imaging findings, and 3.9% had cardiac abnormalities.

An RVC spokesman said there had been “limited research into PPEs”, and “although PPEs often follow a standardised process, the examination can only result in a recommendation based on the opinion of the veterinary surgeon at an isolated point in time. PPEs are therefore, in large part, a subjective process and often debated in the equine world”.

David Bolt, senior lecturer in equine surgery at the RVC and author of the research, told H&H that although this was a “sample size” study, it was surprising that such a large number of horses had prejudicial findings. But he added that it should be taken into consideration that the PPEs were carried out by a large number of different vets, of different experience levels.

The study also found that horses with a higher purchase price were more likely to have X-rays taken during a PPE, and “more likely to have prejudicial findings identified”.

Dr Bolt said X-rays in PPEs are a “very interesting topic”.

“Not all radiographic changes mean the horse is not going to be fit for purpose,” he said, adding that on the other hand, radiographic or other imaging may indicate a “developmental problem” that could cause issues in the future.

Dr Bolt mentioned scenarios where UK buyers import horses from abroad and X-rays are looked at remotely.

“In some circles, horses are bought indirectly by X-ray, where somebody gets tasked with looking at a set of X-rays. I think that’s quite dangerous, because you don’t see the whole picture. You need to see the animal itself and assess the animal clinically rather than just basing your diagnosis on imaging findings,” he said.

“In this context it’s important that if possible the person performing the PPE remotely is a person that either the buyer knows or is an advising veterinary surgeon to the buyer.”

Dr Bolt said a topic for future research could be the experience of the vets performing PPEs, and how this correlates to the horse’s purchase price.

“If you’re buying an expensive showjumper, you’re probably more likely to have a senior partner that you know perform the PPE, than a vet new to the practice or a locum,” he said.

“In the UK vets don’t need an additional qualification to perform PPEs. There’s quite a bit of [continuing professional development] CPD out there, but there’s no standard for assessors.”

Jason Tupper, RVC head of equine practice and study co-author, added that “few horses are perfect when it comes to temperament and health”.

“The vetting determines the issues and the vet can then help the purchaser weigh up their significance and decide if they can compromise and accept the issues or not,” he said.

“Further studies can now focus on the cost/benefit of radiology as part of the vetting procedure and the potential use of gait analysis.”

Researchers find a reason why some horses have a higher risk of fractures

Lucy Elder — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:17:25 +0000

New research has found a reason as to why some thoroughbreds have a higher risk of fractures than others.

A team led by Royal Veterinary College (RVC) senior research fellow Dr Debbie Guest looked into genetic risks of fracture in thoroughbred horses. They found that horses with lower levels of collagen type III – a gene required for normal bone formation – have a higher risk of fracture.

The findings have enabled the RVC to develop systems to identify genetically high-risk horses.

“In this study, we established a cell model to investigate the genetic factors involved in fracture risk,” states the study. “We found that collagen type III is expressed at lower levels in cells from horses with a high genetic risk of fracture and identified a novel DNA variant that is significantly associated with fracture and can affect the expression level of collagen type III.”

More research is now being carried out to validate the risk-scoring system in another cohort of horses. It is also hoped that further studies building on these findings and systems will help identify other genes and processes, to better understand why some horses are inherently more susceptible to fractures than others.

“We know that there are many environmental risk factors for fracture and much has been done over the years to reduce these risks. Despite this effort, fractures sadly still occur, and we know that some horses are genetically more predisposed to fracture than others,” said Dr Guest.

“The development of a polygenic risk score for fracture will allow us to identify horses that are at high genetic risk, to allow the targeted use of diagnostic imaging and close monitoring of their bone health.

“This study has also demonstrated the power of using cell models to work out what differences exist in bone cells from high- and low-risk horses and therefore why some horses are at high risk. This is vital to develop new interventions for high-risk horses in the future so that they are less likely to suffer from a catastrophic fracture.”

H&H asked Dr Guest what options there could be for mitigating risk for horses with lower levels of collagen type III.

“We think that collagen type III is only a small piece of the puzzle and that there are going to be lots of different genes which are affected in genetically high-risk horses,” she said.

“The effect of each individual gene is likely to be small and so we do not anticipate developing an intervention based on collagen III alone.

“However, we now have the laboratory tools to work out more of the genes and biological processes that are affected in high-risk horses. This might give us a broader picture of what is different in the bones of these horses so that in the future we can develop new interventions to improve bone health.

“In the meantime, identifying high-risk horses would allow the targeted use of diagnostic imaging to allow closer monitoring of horses in racing/training so that subtle changes can be detected prior to a catastrophic fracture occurring, and the horses can be managed accordingly until a return to normal bone health has occurred.”

Dr Guest also told H&H that identifying horses at genetically high risk “would allow owners to make “informed breeding decisions”, such as crossing them with a low-risk horse.

“Over time this would help to reduce the genetic risk in the population, while still maintaining genetic diversity in the breed,” she said.

The study was funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the Anne Duchess of Westminster Charitable Trust and The Alborada Trust.

Tracking rides and journeys could boost horse health – and win you £500

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:41:21 +0000

Tracking and recording your horses’ movements could help protect the national herd, now and in future – and win you £500.

Equine Register, which runs the Central Equine Database (CED) for the Government, and the Royal Veterinary College are asking riders to contribute to a digital record of horses’ journeys. It is hoped this will support better biosecurity, by alerting people about infectious disease outbreaks and helping prevent spread.

“But it could do much more,” a spokesman for the scheme said. “The data could help scientists gain insights into the transmission and spreading of infectious diseases by analysing patterns and data. This could facilitate the creation of much more intelligent monitoring and management tools than ever before.

“Equine Register has teamed up with the RVC to launch a research project that does exactly that: develop a better understanding of the spread of infectious diseases, which will help us find intelligent solutions for the future.”

The spokesman cited recent cases of infectious disease, such as the major outbreak of equine flu in 2019, and the “devastating” equine herpes virus (EHV) in continental Europe two years later.

“The worrying reality is, with increased travelling and return to busy schedules, the next outbreak of any number of equine infectious diseases is only around the corner,” he said. “And the questions we need to ask ourselves are: how prepared are we? And how can we protect our horses better?”

The spokesman said these outbreaks show that “tried and tested methods of disease control, which rely heavily on vaccination and physical paperwork are no longer the only way forward”. He cited the vaccine supply issues of last year, and the fact that paperwork is “not always reliable and too slow and cumbersome”.

The new scheme involved riders’ downloading the CED “digital stable” app, and using the “record my ride” or “record my journey” functions to record all movements, from hacks to trips to competitions, training or other activities.

RVC associate professor in epidemiology Jackie Cardwell said: “The RVC is grateful for the vital work of Equine Register in facilitating this important research. By gaining a much better understanding of how equine infections are spread between horses during normal equestrian activities, we can develop more intelligent solutions for the future that will ensure we can all get out and about safely with our horses in years to come.”

“We partnered with Equine Register because their expertise and digital ability are key to this ground-breaking study.”

Equine Register chief business officer Stephanie Palmer said it was an honour to work with the RVC on the project.

“Everything we do at Equine Register is geared around protecting the national herd by supporting every single horse owner, rider and equestrian professional in this country,” she said. “Digital solutions hold the answer to how equestrianism can evolve to the benefit of everyone.”

Equine Register has also launched the prize campaign; everyone who takes part in the project by recording rides and journeys will be entered in a draw to win £500. Equine Register will also make an equal donation to charity.

“Our campaign is a fun way for everyone to get involved as we enjoy venturing out and about with our horses again,” Ms Palmer said. “The aim is to raise awareness about the importance of keeping all our horses safe and healthy and to give everyone a chance to play their part.

“Supporting the vital work of our equine charities is important to us, and now more than ever they are threatened by the pressures of rising costs and lower donations. The campaign is about much more than just raising money, it is about creating more awareness and about encouraging more riders and owners to engage.”

Owners warned against unvalidated PSSM2 tests after ‘seemingly normal’ horses put down

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 04 May 2023 19:21:36 +0000

Expert vets are “strongly advising” horse owners against using independent and unvalidated genetic tests for certain conditions – stating that “seemingly normal animals” have been put down as a result of their use.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) cited tests for myopathies including diseases known as type two polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM2), myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) or muscle integrity myopathy (MIM).

“Despite the lack of evidence to support the tests, the practice has become widespread within some breed groups and drastic results have included euthanasia of seemingly normal animals,” a BEVA spokesman said.

Richard Piercy, of the Royal Veterinary College’s neuromuscular diseases laboratory, said there are no scientifically validated genetic tests for PSSM2, MFM or MIM.

“Scientists still do not know whether these are diseases at all, or whether they reflect histopathological features of non-specific muscle damage that might have various genetic but also environmental causes,” he said.

“It can of course be very tempting for a horse owner, when their horse has signs that might suggest a muscle problem, to seek any answer they can find, particularly when the problem is proving challenging to diagnose and manage. It might be even more tempting for an owner to believe an unsubstantiated genetic result when it ‘fits’ with what they have suspected. But given the high prevalence of the genetic variants in the horse population that are tested for, many horses will test positive just by chance – whether or not they have any disease at all.”

Type one PSSM can be diagnosed by DNA testing of a mutation that has been “robustly evaluated”. But the best way to identify other equine myopathies is usually clinical examination, biochemical tests and sometimes muscle biopsy, the BEVA spokesman said.

“Further, because it is not yet known what causes PSSM2, MFM or MIM or whether they are specific diseases at all, making recommendations for treatments, management or prognosis are speculative at best,” the spokesman added. “Many of these cases thus remain idiopathic.”

BEVA does not recommend the genetic tests commercially available for diagnosis of equine muscle conditions including PSSM2, MFM and MIM.

“The results offered have not, to our knowledge, been scientifically validated in any peer reviewed literature or shared in any form with the scientific community,” said Professor Piercy. “In short, there is no evidence that the offered tests identify mutations that actually cause muscle disease or indeed, are associated with disease in any way at all.”

Papers published in the US found no association between PSSM2 or any other muscle disease and the genetic variants offered.

“We encourage owners to speak with their vets about the evidence basis for decision-making when investigating myopathies in horses,” said Professor Piercy. “Until results of genetic testing for PSSM2, MFM, MIM and other myopathies in horses are presented in peer-reviewed, validated scientific literature that is accepted by the scientific community (as has been the case for PSSM1), we do not recommend their use and certainly do not support veterinary or life decisions being made based on their results.”

References:

1: McCue ME, Valberg SJ, Miller MB, Wade C, DiMauro S, Akman HO, Mickelson JR. Glycogen synthase (GYS1) mutation causes a novel skeletal muscle glycogenosis. Genomics. 2008 May;91(5):458-66. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2008.01.011. Epub 2008 Mar 20. PMID: 18358695; PMCID: PMC2430182.

2: Maile CA, Hingst JR, Mahalingan KK, O’Reilly AO, Cleasby ME, Mickelson JR, McCue ME, Anderson SM, Hurley TD, Wojtaszewski JFP, Piercy RJ. A highly prevalent equine glycogen storage disease is explained by constitutive activation of a mutant glycogen synthase. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2017 Jan;1861(1 Pt A):3388-3398. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.08.021. Epub 2016 Aug 31. PMID: 27592162; PMCID: PMC5148651.

3: Valberg SJ, Finno CJ, Henry ML, Schott M, Velez-Irizarry D, Peng S, McKenzie EC, Petersen JL. Commercial genetic testing for type 2 polysaccharide storage myopathy and myofibrillar myopathy does not correspond to a histopathological diagnosis. Equine Vet J. 2021 Jul;53(4):690-700. doi: 10.1111/evj.13345. Epub 2020 Oct 29. PMID: 32896939; PMCID: PMC7937766.

4: Valberg SJ, Henry ML, Herrick KL, Velez-Irizarry D, Finno CJ, Petersen JL. Absence of myofibrillar myopathy in Quarter Horses with a histopathological diagnosis of type 2 polysaccharide storage myopathy and lack of association with commercial genetic tests. Equine Vet J. 2023 Mar;55(2):230-238. doi: 10.1111/evj.13574. Epub 2022 Apr 1. PMID: 35288976; PMCID: PMC10084132.

Concerned vets speak up on critical drug use in horses

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 19:21:06 +0000

THE frequency with which “critically important” antibiotics are being given to horses, often without appropriate testing, is a concern, as research reveals details of the drugs’ use in UK equine veterinary practices.

To mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18–24 November), the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has released its findings from a study of prescription data.

“The research, the first of its kind, reveals the extent to which antimicrobials are prescribed to equines and uncovers the lack of routine culture and sensitivity testing, particularly prior to the prescription of the ‘last resort’ category B antimicrobials, whose efficacy needs to be preserved for the treatment of serious illnesses in human medicine,” an RVC spokesman said.

“Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant and increasing threat to human and animal health. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential inappropriate and overuse of antimicrobials in veterinary species, which is known to contribute to the development of resistant bacterial populations.

“Once antimicrobial resistance develops, it can result in treatment failure in veterinary patients and, due to the proximity in which animals and their owners often live, the potential transfer of resistant bacteria to people.”

Little work had been carried out to monitor use of antibiotics in horses in this country before this study, of prescription data and clinical notes from 64,322 equids in 2018, supplied by 39 vet practices.

It was found that about 20% of the animals were prescribed antibiotics, and nearly 9% of these were given a category B drug, one that is “of highest priority critical importance for human medicine and should be used cautiously in animals to mitigate the risk to public health”.

Bacteriological culture and sensitivity testing was rarely used, despite its importance in protecting against antimicrobial resistance by determining the most appropriate drug to use, and there was limited compliance with antimicrobial stewardship guidelines on testing.

It is hoped the study will “encourage others to consider and benchmark their own usage, and promote more responsible antimicrobial prescription, especially of those deemed of the highest priority critical importance for human health”.

Sarah Allen, of the RVC’s VetCompass programme, said: “The surveillance of equine antimicrobial usage helps the veterinary profession demonstrate their commitment to the responsible prescribing of antibiotics in the horse. We hope that by reporting on how commonly antimicrobials are prescribed to horses, and demonstrating where stewardship may be improved, others will look to compare and better their own prescribing of these vital medicines.

“The importance of culture and sensitivity testing is well known by veterinary practitioners, however, more still needs to be done to encourage its routine use, particularly prior to the prescription of category B antimicrobials. Not only will this help preserve their medicinal effectiveness and ensure the continued rights of veterinary practitioners to prescribe these critical classes, it will also crucially help minimise the detrimental effects of antimicrobial resistance on human and animal health.”

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) president David Rendle told H&H he was pleased to see the data released.

“It highlights some very important issues that BEVA is working hard to address and provides much-needed evidence to inform our priorities,” he said.

“It is disappointing to see the frequency with which category B antimicrobials are being used and that culture and susceptibility testing are not being used more frequently prior to the use of these critically important medicines.

Unfortunately, there are real challenges around prescribing antimicrobials in horses and it is not always possible to avoid the use of these medicines or to obtain the appropriate samples prior to their use. But there is clearly a need for us to redouble our efforts to reduce, refine and replace the use of certain antimicrobial classes and antimicrobials generally.

“BEVA has been lobbying for new, lower-category antimicrobials to be produced for use in equines and will be presenting educational pieces on antimicrobial stewardship through the awareness week. We would urge horse owners to support their vets in reducing the use of antimicrobials and to respect their vets’ decisions if they suggest antimicrobials aren’t necessary or they advise alternatives to category B antimicrobials. Antimicrobial resistance is an issue that affects us all and we all need to work together to combat it.”

Horse owners warned as vets report rise in atypical myopathy and acorn poisoning

Becky Murray — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:04:21 +0000

Owners have been urged to be aware of the risk of atypical myopathy and acorn toxicity following a rise in cases.

Atypical myopathy – a condition that weakens a horses’ muscles – can occur when toxin hypoglycin A, found in sycamore seeds, is ingested. It is thought the hot summer has contributed to greater than normal production of the seeds, and acorns, which can also cause fatal poisoning.

Sonia Gonzales-Medina, assistant professor of equine internal medicine at the University of Nottingham Vet School told H&H that Oakham Veterinary Hospital has had three cases, with two fatalities, and there are reports of cases from other practices.

“In studies we found there is a biennial increase in the production of seeds with more hypoglycin A, and when you put it towards the number of cases reported this year, it ties in well,” she told H&H.

“We found a variation in the amount of toxin in seeds when evaluating the same tree over different years, so some years horses are going to be more at risk. We weren’t able to pinpoint what those years will be like weather-wise, but we noticed warmer summers tended to mean more seed production.”

Dr Gonzales-Medina, who has led studies on atypical myopathy and is involved in ongoing research on treatments, reminded owners that seeds can travel more than 500 yards in strong winds, and paddocks should be checked. If a horse is suspected of being unwell, urgent veterinary treatment should be sought.

Kate Dawson’s gelding Bertie died from atypical myopathy on 16 October. Bertie was taken to Leahurst Equine Hospital where tests confirmed the diagnosis. But despite vets’ best efforts, he could not be saved.

I’d owned him 14 years but that was all taken away in 24 hours,“ Katie told H&H.

“Now I need to save others in Bertie’s name. The seeds can drift for miles, but so many people have messaged me who didn’t know it was a thing. We’ve heard of 14 horses who have died from it this last week.

“Everyone cared for Bertie; everyone who met him, loved him, and I need to turn this into something positive and save other horses, as if not, he’s died in vain.”

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) testing service allows owners to submit seed samples to find out if the toxin is present. Vets can also send blood samples for testing.

“The lab has been especially busy with many confirmed cases. Some affected horses have unusually high levels of toxin in their blood and some horses have died. In others, there is milder disease, probably related to the horse eating less of the toxin,” an RVC spokesman said.

The British Equine Veterinary Association has reported a rise in cases of not only atypical myopathy but also acorn toxicity, a condition “less common and less well understood” than atypical myopathy – that needs urgent veterinary attention if suspected.

“Signs include moderate to severe colic or colitis, lethargy, dehydration and dark urine. Signs may develop extremely rapidly and death can occur within a further 12-24 hours.”

First case of fatal foal disorder found in non-warmblood horse

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:58:50 +0000

The first case has been confirmed in a thoroughbred of fragile foal syndrome, a fatal condition previously thought only to affect warmbloods.

A study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) with the University of California Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) and Rossdales Laboratories, Newmarket, recommended the disorder be renamed from warmblood fragile foal syndrome.

Foals with the connective tissue disorder, which is caused by a DNA change in the PLOD1 gene, are usually born with extensive lesions caused by very thin, fragile skin, and musculoskeletal abnormalities. These mean they are typically aborted or stillborn, or have to be put down shortly after birth.

The condition had been associated with warmblood horses but having identified the change in DNA in the PLOD1 gene in other breeds, Rebecca Bellone and her team at VGL approached the RVC equine pregnancy laboratory to screen for the condition in its bank of cases of pregnancy loss.

A thoroughbred foal who was put down owing to multiple skin lesions was tested and it was found that the PLOD1 variant was the likely cause of its condition. This is the first documented evidence of fragile foal syndrome caused by the PLOD1 variant in a breed other than a warmblood.

The study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, recommends renaming the disorder to reflect its findings, and to “ensure appropriate use of testing methods”. It highlights the importance of genetic testing for the disorder in breeds that carry the gene mutation to inform breeding decisions and avoid producing affected foals. The disorder is recessive, so foals will only be affected if they have two copies of the gene mutation – one from the dam and one from the sire.

RVC PhD student Jessica Roach said: “Pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal death remain an important source of reproductive losses for horse breeders worldwide. Over the course of my PhD we have collated a large biobank of tissue and data from late term pregnancy losses through the generous co-operation of UK and Ireland thoroughbred stud farms and Rossdales Laboratories, Newmarket. This has allowed us to explore the risk factors and pathology of many different causes of abortion and stillbirth.

“The collaboration with UC Davis and Lexi Grillos provided a fantastic opportunity to explore fragile foal syndrome in our thoroughbred population and identify the first affected thoroughbred individual. Whilst clearly a distressing condition for affected foals and their owners, the good news is that this lethal syndrome can be avoided with testing and careful mating selection.”

Hopes new research on hoof movement and surfaces could lead to prevention of injuries

Lucy Elder — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:12:59 +0000

Hope is alive that new research into the relationship between the way horses’ legs move when galloping on different surfaces and with different shoeing methods could help reduce injuries.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) research measured the time it took for a hoof to push off from the ground – known as the “breakover” time – in 13 retired racehorses. More specifically, the breakover time is the period between which the horse’s foot starts to push off from the floor, rotating through an approximate 90-degree angle before lifting off.

The researchers looked at breakover speed on the front and hindlimbs on different surfaces at different gallop speeds and with different shoeing methods.

“For many years, racehorse trainers have had varied opinions on running their horses on turf or all-weather surfaces, shod or unshod. Some suggest that horses should be shod all round, just with front shoes or none at all,” said lead farrier James Coburn.

“As a farrier, I was keen to see how breakover was affected by different shoeing and surfaces, and it was brilliant to be part of a project that combined traditional farrier techniques with a scientific approach and modern technology.”

Equine locomotion experts Kate Horan, Thilo Pfau and professional farrier Peter Day from the RVC worked with the British Racing School and farriers in Newmarket on the Horserace Betting Levy Board-funded study. It was published in veterinary science journal Animals.

They sought to identify whether the breakover period was impacted depending on whether horses are left barefoot or shod in aluminium, steel or GluShus (aluminium-rubber composite shoes).

Shoeing conditions were assessed on both turf and artificial (Martin Collins Activ Track) training surfaces.

Breakover duration was found to increase on turf compared to the artificial track for all limbs. The non-leading hindlimb was additionally sensitive to shoeing condition and an interaction that occurred between shoeing condition and speed. Breakover duration was also found to decrease as speed increased and the researchers found this trend was more marked in the hindlimbs compared to the forelimbs when galloping above around 45km/h.

While further research is needed to establish how variations in individual horses could impact breakover times, the study forms part of a base from which further investigations can stem into how this could translate to performance improvements and injury prevention.

Dr Horan also pointed out how some of the findings could be useful in real terms now.

“It could be helpful for trainers to pay attention to the non-leading hindlimb if they are considering changing a horse’s shoeing condition,” she told H&H. “Trainers may, therefore, want to pay particular attention to the non-leading hindlimb following any shoeing changes when the horse is galloping around bends also. Although this could be either of the hindlimbs, because racecourses often go in one direction in a circuit, the non-leading limb would be the outside hind.”

Dr Horan added that the results show one aspect of hoof-surface interaction, of which there are many.

“Investigating factors that might influence the duration of breakover is relevant for the performance and safety of galloping racehorses and their jockeys, both in training and racing contexts,” she said.

She explained that push-off from the hind hooves is critical for generating propulsion at gallop, but as the heels lift, the likelihood of slippage is perceived to increase. This is why it is relevant to collect data under different conditions, to understand the controls – elements unchanged by other factors – on this movement.

“Further work is needed to establish the link between breakover duration and performance [and/or] injuries specifically,” she said.

“By improving our understanding of both the nature hoof-surface interaction itself, as well as how this translates into horse-jockey upper body movements, we hope to assist those involved in the racing industry to make informed decisions to improve stability, minimise the risk of injury and optimise the performance of galloping racehorses and their jockeys.”

View the Royal Veterinary College research in full

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How to engage with public to ensure our sport survives

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 20:02:39 +0000

EQUESTRIANS can no longer “stand on a castle and tell people to go away” but must engage with the public for our sports to survive.

In order to keep its social licence to operate — essentially, public acceptance of the involvement of horses in sport — equestrianism must not only keep equine welfare as its top priority but also demonstrate this to the outside world.

The latest tool to help this is an ethical framework for decision-making; a tool developed by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in conjunction with World Horse Welfare.

Charity CEO Roly Owers joined those involved in creating and testing the framework at a workshop on 4 October. The idea was to help inform the second phase of the research, which “aims to help provide sporting disciplines with a consistent ethical basis for the participation of equines in sport and leisure, designed to support the highest standards of welfare”.

The framework is essentially a process of steps, to be used to answer an ethical question. These include gathering and assessing evidence, from peer-reviewed studies to “lived experience”, and analysing the potential harms and benefits to stakeholders, including horses. The process should allow users to come up with an answer.

Madeleine Campbell, a senior lecturer in human-animal interactions and ethics at the RVC who is also a vet, rider and breeder, led the first phase of the project, the theory and function of the tool, and is leading the second, which aims to “optimise its function and uptake”.

“Because of [everything I do with horses] I’ve been very aware of the genuine will across the equestrian world to address the ethical challenges head-on, to protect and promote equine welfare,” she said.

“Because of my job, I attend different stakeholder meetings and conferences, and what’s become obvious is that there are a lot of conversations across equestrian sport about ethical issues, as and when they crop up, and a need to identify a consistent method that all of us in the sport can use to address them, to fulfil our shared aim of promoting equine welfare.”

Dr Campbell looked at ethical frameworks in other sports, and at animal welfare frameworks, to put the tool together. She said she believes a practice is ethical if it meets three key criteria: to minimise negative welfare effects and maximise positive effects, to identify and mitigate against any unnecessary risk, and to adhere to any relevant rules and legislation.

“What the framework doesn’t do, and isn’t supposed to do, is provide a ‘correct’ answer to any question,” she said, adding that rather it is a tool to help analyse ethical questions in a consistent way.

“It allows us to show the outside world that as a sport, we take ethical issues very seriously, and have a consistent method to analyse them, and reach evidence-based decisions, to form evidence-based policy,” she said.

The initial framework was tested repeatedly with professionals from a range of disciplines, and with a range of areas of expertise. Each time, the participants used the tool to answer a question and gave feedback. The framework was then refined and tested again.

One of these participants was former national endurance champion Susan Howes, who explained that she had been part of a group discussing an Endurance GB rule.

“I was joined by people with no endurance experience, and we were given an endurance question,” she said, adding that the group was asked whether the Endurance GB rule that allows novice, five-year-old, horses to complete 10 rides, to a maximum 450km total, in their first year of competition, was appropriate.

Ms Howes said she had always felt this was “an awful long way” for a horse of that age, but had to explain the issues to those with open minds. To her surprise, the process, including looking up records of horses who had completed the distance as novices, found no evidence to suggest this had done them any harm.

“I’d never done that, so it was a surprise to me, with my preconceived ideas, to find no evidence any horses had been compromised,” she said. “There were records of these horses competing years later, to advanced levels. We looked at the key considerations and the stakeholders, and concluded that, as long as the horses are fit enough and taken care of, this is actually ok.”

Ms Howes said it helped to have non-endurance people to challenge her opinions, and that explaining certain things to them “actually made me change my own mind”.

“A framework that allows that amount of debate on a controversial topic, which can make people change their minds and think about things in a different way is a really good process,” she said.

Dr Campbell said the aim is to engage with more regulatory bodies, and also grassroots sport. FEI veterinary committee chair Jenny Hall, who was in the workshop, said the committee will consider it, adding that she is “very excited about this collaborative opportunity to have these discussions”.

“What’s really good about this is that it brings in ethics; whether we should do something at all, and sometimes that’s the bit we don’t necessarily think about,” she said.

Ms Howes added that the framework is beneficial as it removes any emotion from the equation of difficult questions, and allows a logical process to be followed. It also might help if an incident has sparked a widespread reaction on social media, so a governing body can say it is using the framework to assess, and invite members to contribute, for example.

“We have to be prepared to justify our actions, and I think this framework can help us do that,” she said. “We can’t just stand on top of our castles and say ‘we’re fine, go away’, we have to be able to engage.”

Scientific breakthrough on common cancer that affects horses and humans H&H Plus

Lucy Elder — Sun, 31 May 2020 10:19:52 +0000

The common cancer, that is found in horses and humans, results in equine euthanasia on welfare grounds in a ‘significant number of cases’, but it is believed the new knowledge will lead to a much better understanding and treatment. H&H finds out more...

Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding a common cancer that affects horses and humans.

Squamous cell carcinoma affects horses’ eyes, the skin around the eyes, and genitalia. It leads to equine euthanasia on welfare grounds in a “significant number of cases”.

The new study was led by researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), King’s College London, the University of Edinburgh and University College London.

It built on previous research, which showed how the cancer often becomes more biologically aggressive. This new study examined tissue and used state-of-the-art artificial intelligence to show a link between chronic inflammation, equine papillomavirus infection (of which warts are a sign) and progression of the cancer on the penis.

Several additional cancer-related signalling molecules, which are important in researchers’ understanding of human penile cancer, were also studied and the results will lead to a much better understanding and treatment of the cancer.

“Equine squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of cancer in horses, with a variable prognosis,” said RVC’s professor of veterinary anatomic pathology Simon Priestnall.

“We are delighted to have made this breakthrough that provides a greater understanding and can lead to more effective treatments for horses and their owners.

“This project shows what can be achieved when different organisations work together with a common aim and we hope the similarities between the tumour in horses and people can offer a true One Health benefit.”

Lucy Grieve, a member of the British Equine Veterinary Association’s ethics and welfare committee, told H&H working in this way “gives scope for so much more to be achieved and the benefits to be felt as far and wide as possible.”

“This is a perfect example of multiple centres of research having collaborated to achieve more, and even better they have discovered information that will help both horses and humans,” she said.

“If horses and humans, both as patients and owners, can be given more help when suffering from these terrible types of tumours, then we stand a better chance of catching them early, offering more appropriate treatments, with the aim of a higher success rate overall.”

She added that BEVA recognises the huge importance of co-operation between the medical fields and how research like this is only made possible by generous funding.

Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet, lecturer in comparative pathology at the RVC, explained he is involved in further work with Professor Priestnall, leading a masters degree project investigating the cancer from a broader perspective, with funding from the Horse Racing Betting Levy.

“I am so pleased with the results of this study, which will hopefully pave the way for improved prognosis of horses diagnosed with equine squamous cell carcinoma,” said Dr Suárez-Bonnet.

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New gene therapy research could help treat arthritis in horses – and humans H&H Plus

Lucy Elder — Thu, 07 May 2020 12:15:47 +0000

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College believe the work could result in ‘ground-breaking treatment’ for degenerative joint disease in equines, other animals and humans. H&H finds out more...

New research into gene therapy to treat arthritis that could potentially benefit both horses and humans is underway at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

Scott Roberts has joined the RVC’s department of comparative biomedical sciences as a senior lecturer and has researched this area in his previous roles with University College London and UCB Pharma.

This new gene therapy research will include horses at the RVC’s equine referral hospital as well as dogs and cats at the college’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. It is proposed that the treatment would then move into human clinical studies.

“This research has the potential to change the way we approach degenerative joint disease and I am delighted to have access to the vaccinology and cell therapy hub [at the RVC] while we undertake this work,” said Dr Roberts, adding he is “optimistic about the future of this research”.

“We hope this science will lead to a ground-breaking treatment for osteoarthritis in animals and eventually humans.”

The research is important as cartilage has a poor capacity to repair itself, with cartilage injuries often progressing to arthritis. There is also currently no approved evidence-driven therapy for treatment.

Ollie Crowe, a member of the British Equine Veterinary Association’s clinical practice committee, told H&H Dr Roberts’ arrival at the RVC adds to an already world-renowned orthopaedic research team.

“[It also] highlights the importance that is increasingly applied to the philosophy of ‘One Health’,” he said.

“One Health” is the global collaborative movement that recognises the links between animal and human health and works for the optimal benefit of both.

“While it is very important to understand that the species differ dramatically in some ways, there are also enormous similarities, which allow progress for one to benefit all,” added Mr Crowe.

“The nature of the group also emphasises the importance of large teams working together and collaboration between institutions, as research becomes ever more complex.

“While stem cell therapy has been established in equine orthopaedics in a small way for several years and gene therapy was first attempted (with some success) in Colorado more than a decade ago, there is a growing body of evidence that these types of technology could become ‘game changers’ in terms of managing joint disease for us and our equine companions.

“The prospect of horse and rider trotting up sounder for longer is an exciting one, which we may all have cause to thank the RVC for in future.”

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Runners and riders gear up to tackle London Marathon for good causes

Becky Murray — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 10:01:38 +0000

Runners and riders from across the country are preparing to tackle the London Marathon for equine charities and a range of other good causes.

A world record 414,168 people applied for places in this year’s 26.2-mile challenge, on 28 April, with more than 40,000 expected to take part.

World Horse Welfare has five runners raising funds in its name.

Vet Anna Hammond from Bristol University veterinary school, who works at the charity’s Glenda Spooner farm, told H&H it will “mean a lot” to support it.

“I’ve got to know how the charity works and operates and I think it’s a fabulous organisation – I’ve been very impressed with the way it run things, the ethos and the strict moral values it applies to everything it does. I think World Horse Welfare does a splendid job,” she said.

Vet Anna Hammond. Credit Basil Hayes (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Phil Newton, who ran for the charity last year, said he is “thirsty for more” after raising £2047 in 2018.

“I was a few minutes outside my target of a sub four-hour marathon last year and am determined to reach that goal this year. My wife, Vicki, works in the international department of the charity and we have rehomed a World Horse Welfare horse, Rana, who is very much for of the family,” said Phil.

Lottie Hing and Ruth Ellison are also running for the charity, along with World Horse Welfare design officer Matt Green.

A team of seven are raising funds for the Donkey Sanctuary.

Yvonne Moore, a 64-year-old “dedicated fundraiser” from Rochford missed out running for the sanctuary in 2018 and is “really excited” about taking part this year.

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Andrea Barrett, a “loyal” supporter, was introduced to the sanctuary when she was very young when her grandmother adopted a donkey called Winston.

Shelley Hall and her partner Ashley Lloyd, Gavin Paye, Tanya Potiyenko and George Paraschou will also be part of the Donkey Sanctuary team.

Raising funds for Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony is secondary school biology teacher and Pony Club coach Jenny Norman, who has been riding for more than 30 years.

Jenny told H&H: “Last year a pupil in my form at school lost her fight with cancer at the age of 15. She suffered from a form of osteosarcoma, very similar to Hannah Francis. This led to me becoming involved with the charity and I have been raising money ever since by completing runs and sponsored rides.”

Jenny will also raise funds for the Jess Grant Celebration charity, set up by Jenny’s students’ parents and Queen guitarist Brian May in Jess’s memory to support young people who are ill by funding music lessons.

Jenny Norman (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Eleanor Martin and Rachel Hatcher are running for international equine charity Brooke.

Eleanor’s “passion” for equine welfare took her to India in 2017 where she helped develop a retraining of racehorses programme.

“I witnessed first-hand how different things are in the poorer countries and while these thoroughbreds were not subject to the conditions of those in Egypt or Jordan, the boys caring for them still had to learn about horse welfare, management and training methods,” said Eleanor.

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The Royal Veterinary College has a team of eight runners raising funds to support the college’s animal hospitals including the equine practice and referral hospital.

Kyle McCreesh, Oliver Siddons, Sophie Tilyard, Eloise Nice, Paul Berrington, Leanne Smith, Kirsty Bendon and Hannah Lacey will run.

Georgie Dickinson, who is behind the marketing and sponsorship for Bede events, including Osborne House and Osberton Horse Trials, is raising funds for baby charity Tommy’s.

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Georgie, who has evented to intermediate level, told H&H it’s been tough fitting in training alongside her work commitments.

“Around the events I’ve been struggling to get the training in before and after work but because I’ve got the goal it’s kept me going. Everyone in the office have been incredibly supportive and really helped me along,” she said.

Lucy Cocker, a human physiotherapist, is raising money for Life Charity who fund equipment for disabled and terminally ill children.

Lucy, who events with her ex-racehorse General Samarski, told H&H: “I have brought him on from never jumping, up to BE novice level – he is not the easiest of horses but he has so much talent. I wanted to run the London marathon as a new challenge but I am really missing the start of the eventing season.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Racehorses use less energy to gallop than previously thought

Becky Murray — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 13:03:10 +0000

Racehorses use less energy to gallop than has previously been thought, a study has shown.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) used force plate technology, a measuring instrument which measures ground reaction forces, to “accurately measure” the external work involved in racehorses’ galloping.

A spokesman for the RVC said “This technique, which has never been used for such large animals at high speed before, showed that horses had much lower levels of external work — how much work the horse has to do to move relative to its environment — than had previously been reported when studied using different methods.”

A jockey rode seven racehorses over a “instrumented runway of sensors” planted under a section of the surface at the British Racing School in Newmarket, allowing researchers to directly measure “the external mechanical work of galloping”, by measuring the forces the horses exerted on the runway.

The study produced lower values than those previously reported for external work in galloping horses.

“Estimated via different methods, those previously reported high external work values are at odds with the fact that horses evolved to move at high speeds over long distances,” said the spokesman.

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“A high external work value would make moving over long distances much harder. The RVC’s new results support that thinking.

“The researchers were then able to calculate the apparent muscle efficiency of galloping horses by combining the external work values from this study with published values for metabolic work (the conversion of food into energy used by muscles) and internal mechanical work (how much work is needed to move the limbs relative to the body). They found that the horse’s efficiency values were between 37 and 46%.”

The spokesman said the study findings will provide “useful insight” into the movement of racehorses and contribute details towards explaining how racehorses can gallop “so efficiently” over long distances.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

RVC’s innovative new CT scanner to ‘improve diagnosis’

Lucy Elder — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 12:21:41 +0000

A specialised equine CT scanner — the first in the UK — has been unveiled at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

The new computer tomography (CT) scanner, which is at the RVC’s equine hospital in Hertfordshire, is 10cm wider than the standard size (75cm). This means that most of a horse’s neck fits within it.

Although the hospital has been performing CT scans for years, this new scanner will allow vets to easily scan more of the horse than they have previously been able to.

This will help with diagnosis, improve understanding of neck problems, and enable development of new treatments.

“We are very excited to introduce this innovation in equine imaging,” said Professor Renate Weller of the RVC.

“This is a great opportunity to improve our diagnostic ability for neck problems in the horse and we expect that our understanding of neck problems will improve tremendously.”

The RVC was the first equine hospital to install a CT scanner for horses in 2003. In 2009, the college changed its CT set-up so horses could be examined while they were standing.

This removed the need for general anaesthetic in order for a horse’s head and most of his neck to be examined.

Using a specially adapted platform, the head and neck can be easily moved in and out of the scanner.

“The RVC recognises that there is a risk with general anaesthetic and is keen to avoid administering it unnecessarily,” said a spokesman.

He added the new scanner builds on the “major step” of being able to examine horses while standing.

More than 80% of cases undergo at least one imaging procedure at the equine hospital, such as X-rays, CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

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Horses needed for laminitis study

Caroline Bankes — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:55:37 +0000

Over 3,000 volunteers are needed for a new four-year research project into the causes and management of laminitis.

The study called “CARE (Creating Awareness and Reporting Evidence) about laminitis” aims to help horse owners reduce the threat of laminitis.

The research is being carried out by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), with funding from World Horse Welfare.

“We need input from as many owners as possible, so please register your animal today. Each and every horse is an eligible candidate and can join the study, regardless of past or present health status,” said PhD student Dee Pollard, who is doing the research.

The study builds on previous research by Dr Claire Wylie where factors such as rapid weight gain, increasing time since last deworming, recent box rest and new access to grass were shown to increase the risk of laminitis.

Dr Wylie’s study also showed that transport in the previous week and the feeding of supplements reduced laminitis occurrence.

In the new study owners are asked to keep an online diary giving general information about management, feeding, exercise and recent health history.

The information from the registered horses will be collected over two years, with monthly updates on changes in the management routine.

“Laminitis is a very complex disease and it will take a Herculean team effort to help tackle it. That is why we are asking all horse owners to participate in this fight against laminitis,” said Roly Owers, chief executive at World Horse Welfare.

Veterinary reports show between 2009 and 2011 laminitis accounted for nearly one in 200 equine visits.

BBC turns the spotlight on vet school

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 08:00:07 +0000

A new series going behind the scenes at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) starts on BBC2 next week (Monday 18 August).

Young Vets follows 10 students in their final year of education, showing them tackling a variety of cases, including equine.

Jo Hardy (pictured above), who intends to work with horses, was involved.

“In your final year you’re really thrown in at the deep end and cover lots of areas, from horses to surgery and small animals,” she told H&H.

“It was quite intense and daunting to be filmed the entire time, but I relaxed more as the year went on.

“I’ve seen one of the episodes and it didn’t seem like me, it was surreal. I think it will give viewers a good insight into veterinary training, and it’s heartwarming at times, too.”

The RVC treats 20,000 animals a year and the series aims to show how much work goes into being a vet.

“It takes a special kind of person to become a vet,” said a spokesman for producers ITN.

“Veterinary medicine is among the most competitive and challenging degrees on offer: a gruelling five-year slog. Once qualified, the hours are long and the patients are unco-operative and sometimes very smelly. The training is hard and only the best make the final cut.

“Here we join them as they take their last steps to graduating and are immersed in the stories of the animals they treat along the way.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine, 7 August 2014

Students to sit end-of-year exams at national riding final

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:08 +0000

What do you do if your end-of-year exams clash with a national riding final?

Sit the exams in your riding gear in between classes, of course.

A team of students from the Royal Veterinary College were thrilled to have won a spot on at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) national finals, held at Hartpury next week (11-13 June).

But they were less than impressed to find the event clashed with some of their exams.

“We were all incredibly disappointed,” said team captain Meredith Jarman. “We racked our brains to try to come up with a solution, but our university couldn’t change the dates and hope was fading.”

But some quick thinking from the girls, plus a little help from the two education centres, meant they can now combine the two — albeit with some dashing around. They will be sitting their exams in a Hartpury classroom before rushing off to compete straight afterwards.

“We are all ecstatic we can take part,” added Meredith.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 June 2013)

Royal Veterinary College awards honorary doctorate

Horse & Hound — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:40:38 +0000

The Royal Veterinary College has awarded the founder and director of The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust an honorary doctorate.

Heather Armstrong received the honorary doctorate of veterinary medicine and surgery last week (Wednesday 25 July), in recognition of the service that she has provided to animal and humanitarian welfare in The Gambia.

The trust was established in 2002 with Heather’s sister, the late Stella Brewer Marsde, to improve the health, welfare and productivity of equines in The Gambia.

“Heather’s passion is for both people and animals,” said a spokesman for The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.

“She believes that the plight of people and their animals are closely interrelated and has a strong interest in the relationship between the welfare of working animals and the prosperity of communities.

“Her aim has always been to provide the Gambian farmers with the skills required to effectively manage their own equines.”

The trust’s work ranges from providing mobile veterinary clinics to training farriers and harness makers.

For more information visit www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk

Entries open for Equine Thesis Of The Year Award

Horse & Hound — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:56:19 +0000

Students are being invited to submit their applications for the Eqvalan Duo Equine Thesis Of The Year Award.

Run by the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE), the competition is open to students from every agricultural or equine university or college in the UK.

The award aims to demonstrate the quality of equine student research and the high teaching standards of the institutions they attend.

A shortlist of students will be invited to present their thesis to a judging panel and audience of industry experts at Stoneleigh Park on 12 November 2010.

The winner then receives a £500 cheque, glassware, a certificate and a five-year membership to RASE.

Last year’s winner was Holly Claridge from the Royal Veterinary College, whose thesis was titled ‘The 3D anatomy of the cervical articular process joint in the horse’.

The competition is open to undergraduates only and one thesis per university or college may be put forward.

The deadline for submissions is 23 July 2010. See www.rase.org.uk for information on how to apply.

Royal Veterinary College sued over death of grand prix horse

Charlotte White — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:41:21 +0000

An owner is suing the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) over the sudden death of her grand prix dressage horse.

Lindsay Roberts’ horse, Nemo III, and rider Lisa Hopkins had just made the move to big tour and were on the British Equestrian Federation’s World Class Development squad for future British team members. But Nemo died after being sent for routine bone scanning.

Now Mrs Roberts of Swanbourne Road, Murlsey, Milton Keynes, is suing the RVC for damages of more than £350,000, claiming breach of contract, breach of duty, and negligence.

The 12-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding was admitted to the RVC equine hospital at Hatfield, Herts, on 9 November 2007.

Vet Lawrence O’Hara inserted an intravenous catheter into his jugular vein and this was stitched to his skin, according to a High Court writ.

Later, he was injected with a radioactive marker, technetium, with plans for the bone scan to take place in several hours’ time. About an hour later, he was given the sedative ACP and diuretic Frusemide via the catheter.

Mrs Roberts said she asked for the catheter to be covered as he was rubbing his neck against the door, and for a grille to put at his door, the writ says. But neither was done and Nemo was found dead in his stable at 1.45pm.

Mrs Roberts believes if the RVC had not breached its duty he would still be alive and enjoying an international dressage career.

She also says that by the time Professor Ken Smith carried out a post mortem examination on 12 November, Nemo’s body had decomposed and the cause of death was unclear.

Prof Smith reported that the most likely causes were either venous air embolism, a reaction to the drugs he was given, or fatal cardiac dysrhythmia.

Mrs Roberts, her husband, Lisa Hopkins, and Team GB vet John McEwen met Profs Roger Smith, Ken Smith and Josh Slater of the college.

They admitted that a grille was not put up, nor Nemo’s catheter site covered, no one had checked his heart, and the most likely reason for the catheter and an extension set uncoupling was because he had been rubbing his neck on the door, the writ states.

An RVC spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on this case while it is subject to potential legal proceedings.”

Mrs Roberts did not wish to comment and no date has yet been set for the hearing.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (11 February, ’10)

Desperately seeking horse dung

Trevor Cooper — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:07:04 +0000

A researcher at the Royal Veterinary College is looking for droppings from horses being treated with Founderguard.

The licenced product is used in the prevention of pasture-associated laminitis — but can be difficult to obtain.

RCVS vet Nicola Menzies-Gow is looking into the consequences of long-term use of Founderguard, which contains the antibiotic drug virginiamycin. She is investigating whether the drug causes increased antibiotic resistance in equine gut bacteria.

Nicola said: “If we can demonstrate that any resistance that does occur is only temporary and not transferred to other bacteria, this will provide evidence that the product should be used for the prevention of laminitis, and possibly increase its availability.”

If your horse is being treated with Founderguard and you would like to help with the research, email Nicola at nmenziesgow@rvc.ac.uk

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