RCVS President takes part in World Horse Welfare annual conference
28 November 2009
RCVS President, Professor Sandy Trees, took part in a panel discussion at the World Horse Welfare annual conference held at the Royal Geographical Society in London earlier this month.
The conference was addressed by the President of World Horse Welfare, HRH The Princess Royal, who spoke of her admiration for the scope and breadth of the charity’s work to help horses.
In the conference chair was WHW Chairman, Christopher Hall, and the other panel members included the equestrian sports commentator, Mike Tucker, broadcaster and writer, Nick Luck, and the Shadow Minister for DEFRA, Richard Benyon MP.
Discussion focussed on current horse welfare topics, such as veterinary training in the developing world where, as Sandy commented, 80% of the world’s equines live.
He pointed out the importance of working horses to the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest peoples and the need for specialised teaching in the veterinary schools in developing countries to take account of the specific challenges posed by delivering veterinary services in poor and often remote communities.
Sandy also spoke on the topic of horse obesity in the UK, another of the issues addressed by the conference, and, in particular, the need to educate and inform horse owners about obesity and the links with horse health.