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New horse-riding simulator to be unveiled
"Beginners can learn how to sit on the saddle during the basic gaits before starting to ride a real horse, whoch reduces injury risk and improves the horse welfare" - Professor Heikke Handroos.
The high-performance simulator will be revealed at the Saddle Research Trust Conference. 

A new horse-riding simulator will be revealed at the Saddle Research Trust's 4th International Conference. The state-of-the-art simulator will improve horse welfare, with beginners able to learn basic gaits before starting to ride.

The simulator, creating using the latest approaches in engineering sciences, has a freely programmable motion capability, and has been designed to provide the necessary motion capabilities for the simulator in all gaits, with jumping included. The technology makes it possible to replicate the motion of real individual horses. 

At the conference, Professor Heikki Handroos PhD will give a comprehensive session on the most important outcomes of the Horzim Project, to demonstrate how the engineering science has been utilised to develop the new horse-riding simulator. 

Professor Handroos, from the Department of Mechnical Engineering at the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, said: “This realistic horseback riding simulator can benefit riders with different skills in many ways.

“Beginners can learn how to sit on the saddle during the basic gaits before starting to ride a real horse, which reduces injury risk and improves the horse welfare. 

“The simulator can also carry heavier riders to help them to access the hobby with reduced welfare risks. For more advanced riders the technology will enable them to practice and enhance their skills as often as they wish.”

Not only does the simulator have the potential to improve the welfare of ridden horses, but it also has potential as a hippotherapy tool. 

Professor Handroos explains: “It has the potential to enable the ideal gait pattern to be programmed for each patient.

“We should also be able to use sensors to monitor the rider, while the simulator is performing different gait patterns. 

“The same sensor technology could also be used in riding schools to monitor the learning curves of riding students. 

“Our next project is going to be on sensing the rider’s bio-signals when riding the simulator and intelligent processing of sensor data to assess the progress of riding school students or hippotherapy patients.”

Taking place on Saturday 11 December, the Saddle Research Trust Conference will focus on the 'Welfare and Performance of the Ridden Horse: The Future'. Tickers are available here

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.