Eventers and dressage riders wanted for supplement survey

Researchers at The University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science are appealing for riders and owners of eventing and dressage horses to take part in a new study into equine nutritional supplements.

The research will aim to discover which supplements are currently used in the sports, what riders and owners would like to see available and the best ways of passing on information about them.

Dr Sarah Freeman, associate professor and specialist in large animal surgery, who is supervising the study said: “Nutritional supplements are commonly used for health and performance in horses and there are a large range of them available on the market.

“Despite their widespread use, there is little information available about which supplements are used and why.

“Research in human athletes has helped to understand what type of supplements athletes want and the best ways of passing on information and advice.

“However, this is the first time that this type of research has been done in horses.”

The study is being undertaken by two third-year veterinary students, Charlotte Agar and Rachael Gemmill, in collaboration with Dr Teresa Hollands at Dodson & Horrell Limited.

Riders and owners are being asked to fill in an online survey available at

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NutritionalSupplementation

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