The 2025 National Equine Forum, which was held on March 6, broke previous attendance records with more than 630 people attending the in-person event at Westminster, London, and a record 417 people watching the livestream from around the world.
The event embraced a balance of the latest equestrian news, knowledge, and know-how and featured presentations on human-animal bonds and interactions.
Many industry leaders delivered sessions, and the event was also chosen as the launchpad for three equestrian-related initiatives. Royalty, governmental, veterinary, educational, charitable, and equestrian association representatives were in attendance, together with virtual viewers, including delegates from 18 countries in addition to the U.K., including Australia, Canada, Finland, Greece, Malaysia, Norway, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and the U.S.
“Being able to communicate current knowledge on equine health and welfare and our human relationship with horses with so many people was an absolute privilege,” said NEF Chair Tim Brigstocke. “It is with grateful thanks to our generous sponsors, friends, and livestreaming supporters that we have been able to achieve record numbers of delegates this year. Sharing and debating across the sector in a non-partisan way is at the heart of the NEF, and this year’s event has demonstrated how unified we are, for the good of the horse.”
The Importance of Feed and Forage
The morning began with a session on the art and the science of feeding horses, chaired by NEF Vice Chair Dr. Pat Harris. It included the introduction of the new British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) register to promote best practices from those giving nutritional advice.
What Goes into Making Feed Safe?
Ruth Bishop, Chair of the Feed Committee, BETA, highlighted the key responsibilities of reputable brands in providing safe, nutritious products fit for purpose for the horses they serve. She emphasized that many variables must be considered when choosing the optimum diet and reiterated the importance of checking for the marks of quality adherence on feed bags.
Finding the Best Forage for Your Horse
Meriel Moore-Colyer, Professor of Equine Science at Hartpury University, explained why fiber is the foundation of the horse’s diet. She explained that because the quality of forage is very variable, it’s important to assess each batch for suitability for each type of horse. Changes to the fiber fed should be gradual to allow the gut to adapt safely.
“Food Fights”: Navigating the Soup of Misinformation
Dr. Katie Williams, Chair of the Equine Nutrition and Feed Adviser Working Group (ENFAR WG) at BETA, spoke about locating reliable sources of nutrition advice. She went on to introduce the BETA Equine Nutritionist and Feed Adviser Register (ENFAR), a new initiative to promote best practices from those giving nutritional advice. In the absence of protected status for the role of any nutritionist, the register will signpost those seeking feeding and nutritional advice to the most professional individuals working in the sector. It is anticipated to launch at the BETA Feed & NOPS Conference in June 2025 and be operational by fall 2025.
Equine Health and Welfare Updates
This session was chaired by Peter Laurie, Non-Executive Director of England’s Animal Health & Welfare Board.
Equine Grass Sickness: Snakes in the Grass?
Bruce McGorum, Professor of Equine Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, reported that researchers at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies’ Equine Hospital have identified the probable cause of equine grass sickness (EGS) as a neurotoxin, with similar actions to snake venom toxins but produced by pasture microbes. The breakthrough has the potential to lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating disease.
Further research is being conducted, including an EGS Fund biobank and a predictive weather app.
Sick From Sycamore: Understanding Risk in Atypical Myopathy
Richard Piercy, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the Royal Veterinary College, explained that atypical myopathy in horses is linked to the ingestion of sycamore tree material containing the toxin Hypoglycin A. He said sycamores are increasingly common in Northern Europe but the production of toxin changes in the same trees year by year. Researchers are currently trying to identify why this is happening.
Toxicity is highest in seedlings, then seeds, then leaves, with risk also associated with yearly variations grazing habits and ingestion amounts. Prevention strategies include avoiding sycamore trees, feeding from hay racks, and bringing horses in at night. The toxin persists in hay and seedlings, even after mowing or herbicide treatment, posing a significant risk during mast years when seed production is high.
CANTER (Controlling ANTIparasitic Resistance in Equines Responsibly): An Update
Julia Shrubb, Chair of CANTER, shared details of CANTER’s transition to a new governance model, working with the Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E) to ensure its continued impact and sustainability. The CANTER initiative was originally launched at NEF in 2023.
The Equine Industry in a Changing World
Chaired by Roly Owers, NEF Committee Member, this session highlighted legislative progress and pitfalls.
The Defra View
Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders & Animal Welfare), Defra, reiterated the government’s recognition of the critical importance of a robust and streamlined digital system for equine identification, but that this has been paused due to the focus on public finance. She reported that Defra has implemented a regulatory and enforcement regime for exports and has consulted with industry to identify extra measures to ensure equines are not exported for slaughter.
Protecting Our Horses’ Health: What We Can Each Do Better
Dr. Richard Newton, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance at the University of Cambridge, emphasized that protecting horse health is a team effort and that we all need to participate in supporting strategic and practical biosecurity and disease surveillance in the U.K. He explained the valuable monitoring roles of the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance program (EIDS) and the new Redwatch Surveillance. He said it is time now to improve the scope and sustainability of equine disease surveillance in the U.K. by broadening industry body contributions. He highlighted the importance of the government’s role in managing exotic disease outbreaks and protecting national equine interests and the urgent need for implementable digital equine identification and traceability regulations in the U.K.
Red Tape, Money, and the Law: Difficult Horses to Back
David Mountford, Chair of the British Horse Council, discussed challenges over the past year, including red tape and inconsistencies with the importation of fresh semen from the EU post-Brexit, which now requires additional checks, increasing costs and complexity.
He explained the progress of the live equine export regulations, with the proposed system of “Trusted Traders” and export permits to address the issue of horses being moved under the guise of transit movements.
David reiterated Richard Newton’s message that the implementation of a digital equine ID and traceability system is a crucial cornerstone for food security and disease control and urged government to make progress with it.
Volunteers Count
NEF Chair Tim Brigstocke opened the afternoon session with the announcement of a new initiative launching in April. Developed by long-standing volunteer Doug Smith, Volunteers Count aims to recognize the hard work of volunteers and bring attention to the vital role they play in making the U.K. a better place.
Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Review
This session, chaired by NEF Committee Member Jim Eyre, saw Helen Nicholls, Performance Director of British Equestrian, reflect on the successes at Paris 2024. Every single horse and rider who participated in the Olympic and Paralympic Games returned with a medal, with 25% of those athletes being new medallists. She highlighted the importance of teamwork and the role of various stakeholders, including vets, farriers, and parents, in creating champions. She reminded delegates that the World Class Programme is funded by National Lottery money, which is solely focused on delivering success and making the nation proud.
Equine Assisted Services (EAS)
Ed Bracher, Chair of the Equine Assisted Services Partnership, chaired this session, introducing some enlightening perspectives on the benefits of EAS.
The Neuroscience of Learning, Biology of Stress: Trauma-Informed Approaches
Sharon Gray, education consultant at Wholehearted Learning, took delegates on a journey through child development stages, learning, and attachment styles. She used the blocks of the Jenga game to demonstrate the fragility of emotional security. Sharon explained that by working with animals, young people can learn to manage emotions and build self-confidence and resilience in other areas of their lives.
What Can the Equestrian Sector Learn From Equine-Assisted Services Providers to Improve Accessibility?
Rosie Bensley and Dr. Jemma Hockley, from the charity Strength and Learning Through Horses, described how they see the power of equines transform lives every day. They serve 500 young people annually at their equine-assisted therapy center in North London. They spoke of the importance of emotional safety in the equestrian industry, sharing insights from 11 service users. They discussed the need for safe, non-judgmental spaces and staff trained to respect differences, and they highlighted a four-part framework for understanding horse behavior and a code of ethics to ensure positive interactions.
Changing Lives Through Horses: A Parent’s Perspective on the Transformative Power of Equine-Assisted Learning
The EAS session concluded with Andrew Brooks sharing the moving story of his evolving understanding of the transformative power of horses and their impact on young lives. His 10-year-old son, James, also presented his views to the audience, providing a powerful first-hand perspective.
Andrew explained that James, who has dyslexia, is driven by a passion for horses, which have become his safe haven. Participating in The British Horse Society’s Changing Lives Through Horses program, delivered via Grove House Stables and I-Pegasus CIC, has significantly improved James’s confidence, communication skills, and wellbeing. Andrew described how Equine Assisted Learning can help build essential life skills such as responsibility, teamwork, and problem-solving. He shared James’s transformation from a struggling student to a confident horseman and expressed his gratitude to Changing Lives Through Horses, Grove House Stables, I-Pegasus CIC, and local authorities for providing the opportunity. He also called for continued support to expand the program’s reach.
Memorial Lecture: Charities Working Together
James Hick, NEF Committee Member, chaired the Sir Colin Spedding Memorial Lecture, which was dedicated to the late Kirsty Withnall, who was awarded the Sir Colin Spedding Award at NEF24 for her invaluable welfare work, not least her instrumental role in the rescue of some of the largest welfare cases in the country.
Penny Baker, Field Officer for World Horse Welfare; Jana Merrett-Jones, Animal Welfare Manager at The Hugs Foundation; and Christine Styles, Inspector for the RSPCA, discussed their collaborative approaches to animal welfare, specifically large-scale, multi-agency cases.
They highlighted the important role of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) in setting standards for new charities. Christine detailed the logistics of large-scale horse rescues, involving up to 50 people and multiple charities. The conversation also touched on mental health support for frontline workers and the rehabilitation and rehoming of rescued horses, emphasizing the need for continued education and collaboration to improve equine welfare.
At the end of this session, a special report was launched by the RSPCA. “Horse sense: A good life for horses through strengthening the horse-human relationship” examines the nature and causes of the current equine welfare situation. It delves into the driving factors behind the “horse crisis” of overbreeding, abandonment, and neglect, and it also reveals the wider issue of owned leisure and competition horses not having their welfare needs met today.
The Sir Colin Spedding Award
Di Arbuthnot, the former Chief Executive of the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) charity, was announced as the winner of the Sir Colin Spedding Award. It was given in recognition of Di’s dedication to racehorse welfare and was presented by HRH The Princess Royal.
The event’s President, HRH The Princess Royal, provided a closing address, which included thanks to all sponsors and friends, as well as those who supported the live stream and NEF’s ongoing strategic review together with the committee members, for enabling it to happen. https://www.nationalequineforum.com/forum-family/
Sessions from NEF25 will be posted on NEF’s YouTube channel in the next couple of weeks where they will be accessible to all.
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