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World Horse Welfare video guides explore equine care
The first series includes eight episodes on horse management, welfare and behaviour.
Horses Explained includes expert guidance.

A new online series has launched to provide horse owners and equine professionals with expert advice on horse care.

Horses Explained, provided by World Horse Welfare, premiered on 5 July, with episodes to follow every week for the next two months.

In total, there will be eight episodes covering different topics relating to horse management, welfare and behaviour. It will take a holistic approach to equine care – discussing routine health checks, behaviour issues, enriching environments and diet management.

The series is hosted by Jordan Headspeath, a former groom at World Horse Welfare Belwade Farm.

In the first episode, ‘How do horses learn?’, Ms Headspeath’s guest is clinical behavioural expert Gemma Pearson. The episode is available on World Horse Welfare’s YouTube account, as well as on its website.

This is followed by ‘Common horse behaviour issues’, featuring behaviourist Roxane Kirkton, which will be released on Friday, 12 July.

Future guests will include equine nutritionist Teresa Hollands, equine veterinary surgeon Stuart Altoft and equine physiotherapist Christine Hopley.

Ms Headspeath, the series host, said: “As all of us horse owners know, you never stop learning. You learn something new every day and I’m sure everyone who watches this series will discover something that they can usefully apply when working with their own horses and ponies.”

Rebecca Boulert, World Horse Welfare’s education officer, said: “Our advice pages have long been a go-to for top quality help with all aspects of keeping horses, and we are constantly updating and improving them.

“The addition of these videos marks a step-change, and each one features experts in that field, so you know you can trust the advice is coming from the best sources. We are already planning the next series, and there will be plenty more to come - there’s just so many topics for us to tackle.”

The next episode in the series will be launched on Friday, 12 July on the World Horse Welfare website and on its YouTube channel.

Image © World Horse Welfare

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
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RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."