Forum 2025

#NEF25 Programme

The 33rd National Equine Forum took place on Thursday 06 March 2025 (#NEF25).

The programme for #NEF25 covered important issues affecting the future of equestrianism, of relevance and interest to all members of the equestrian sector, whether a professional, an amateur or an invested horse lover.

The sessions from #NEF25 will be released in the next week or so, via our YouTube channel.

HRH The Princess Royal

President, National Equine Forum

HRH The Princess Royal was a member of the British team in the European Three-Day Event Championships in 1973, winning silver medals as an individual and team member at the same competition in Germany two years later. The Princess competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and won an individual gold medal at the European Eventing Championships at Burghley in 1971 and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Following her Presidency of the British Olympic Association, The Princess was elected to the International Olympic Committee, resulting in London being awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Here, she was appointed a Director of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

Her Royal Highness is President or Patron of some 350 organisations, including the Riding for the Disabled Association, World Horse Welfare and The Horse Trust. She kindly accepted the post of President of the National Equine Forum in 2009.

Her Royal Highness will be providing her personal perspective, based on what has been presented at the Forum.

Tim Brigstocke MBE

Chairman, National Equine Forum

Tim has been Chairman of the National Equine Forum since 2012, when he took over from Sir Colin Spedding, having spent his career in agriculture. He worked at Unilever, the Government's research service (IGER) and as Chief Executive of Holstein UK & Ireland.

He is involved in a whole host of organisations in the land-based sector including as a Board member of the Society for the Environment, a Trustee of the Institute of Agricultural Management and a Director and Treasurer for the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA). He is Executive Director of the Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) and recently stood down as Chair of UKGLE, the UK’s expert committee on Genetics for Livestock and Equines, having completed his 10 year term. He chairs the British Horse Council industry meetings and runs his own business specialising in expert witness work.

Tim will open and close the proceedings.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FEED & FORAGE TO ALL

Dr Pat Harris

Vice Chair, National Equine Forum

A graduate of University of Cambridge Veterinary School, Pat completed her PhD at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket into the Equine Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome, following which she joined the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (now the Waltham Petcare Science Institute).

As Director of Science for Mars Horsecare and head of the WALTHAM™ Equine Studies Group, she is responsible for their equine research conducted in collaboration with experts at institutes and universities globally. This provides the science behind the SPILLERS™, BUCKEYE™ Nutrition, and WINERGY™ brands. She is also a scientific advisor to MARS Equestrian™ sponsorship.

A European Specialist in Veterinary Clinical and Comparative Nutrition, and a RCVS recognised specialist in veterinary clinical nutrition (equine), she is also a Past President of the British Equine Veterinary Association. She lectures internationally on nutrition as it affects the health, welfare, behaviour and performance of the horse. She is the author or co-author of over 500 scientific papers, abstracts and book chapters with recent emphasis on obesity, laminitis and senior horse nutrition.

Pat will chair the Feed and Forage session.

Ruth Bishop

Chair of Feed Committee, British Equestrian Trade Association

Following graduation, Ruth began her career as a Nutrition Chemist for the Government Agricultural Development & Advisory Service (ADAS). Her career includes nutrition roles in feed, premix and supplements and she currently heads equine nutrition operations for H J Lea Oakes, one of the longest standing feed manufacturers in the UK and leading producer of equine nutrition products.

Ruth has authored textbooks, national media nutrition columns and chapters in key reference texts on quality, feed safety and regulatory perspectives for the equine nutrition industry. Ruth also provides nutrition support to the BEF World Class Performance programme.

As Chair of the British Equestrian Trade Association Feed Committee, Ruth oversees industry standards for equine nutrition, most notably the BETA NOPS® Code for the management of prohibited substances in feed, the BETA Assurance mark for equines prone to gastric ulcers, and the developing register of equine nutritionists and feed advisers.

Ruth will highlight the key responsibilities of reputable brands in providing safe, nutritious products fit for purpose for the horses they serve.

Prof Merial Moore-Colyer

Professor of Equine Science, Hartpury University

Professor Moore-Colyer holds a personal chair in Equine Science at Hartpury University. Since completing her PhD in Equine Digestive Physiology at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in equine nutrition, she has published over 120 scientific articles, four text books and numerous media articles.

Meriel’s research focus includes fundamental digestive physiology, forage quality and feeding systems for promoting health and welfare for stabled horses. She is a registered Animal Scientist with the Royal Society of Biology and chair of the European Workshop for Equine Nutrition Association.

Meriel is passionate about knowledge exchange and disseminating research, as well as being a Small Tour Dressage rider and BHSII, and continues to work with numerous UK and International feed companies underpinning new innovations with science to improve the health and welfare of performance horses.

Meriel with talk about what forage is, why it’s important to get it right and making good choices for your horse.

Dr Katie Williams

Chair of ENFAR WG*, British Equestrian Trade Association

ENFAR WG - Equine Nutrition & Feed Adviser Register Working Group

Katie is a registered nutritionist and has worked in the equine feed industry for 25 years. As Technical Manager at Dengie, she is responsible for product development, legal compliance, overseeing R&D projects and providing technical support to key accounts.

Katie completed her PhD in Veterinary Medicine Research at the University of Glasgow in 2023 and her current research interests are peri-operative nutrition, nutrition in the veterinary curriculum and implementation science.

She is Vice-Chair of the BETA Feed Committee and is leading BETA’s initiative to promote the work of equine nutritionists and address misinformation about the feed industry.

Katie will talk about locating reliable and trustworthy sources of advice and information and the importance of equine nutritionists and feed advisers who conduct themselves professionally and engage in CPD.

EQUINE HEALTH & WELFARE UPDATES

Peter Laurie

Non-executive Director, Animal Health & Welfare Board for Engalnd

Peter has been Chief Executive of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home since 2021. Previously he was the charity’s Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive. Before joining Battersea, Peter led the Greyhound Trust, which finds homes for thousands of ex-racing greyhounds each year.

He is a Non-executive Director of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England, an advisory board to Defra and its ministers, where he holds the companion animal and equine portfolios. In this role, Peter attends regular meetings of the British Horse Council and has developed a keen interest in equine issues.

Peter served as the Honorary Secretary of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes from 2013 – 2024. He was a founding Trustee and former Vice Chair of the Southern Thailand Elephant Foundation and a former Trustee of the Petplan Charitable Trust.

Peter will chair the Equine Health & Welfare updates session.

Prof Bruce McGorum

Professor of Equine Medicine, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

Bruce graduated from University of Edinburgh in 1985 and worked for three years in mixed practice in Buckinghamshire before returning to Edinburgh as Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) Resident, where he was awarded a PhD on severe equine asthma in 1992. He was an Invited Specialist and Founding Diplomate of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine in 2001 and awarded the Animal Health Trust Veterinary Achievement Award in 2004.

Bruce provides specialist veterinary care for horses referred to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers on equine pulmonary disease, hepatic disease, sudden death in equine athletes and equine grass sickness. He has served on the Boards of the Equine Grass Sickness Fund and The Horse Trust.

Bruce will discuss the latest understanding of equine grass sickness including the probable cause and outline directions for future work.

Prof Richard Piercy

Professor of Comparative Neuromuscula Disease, Royal Veterinary College

Having graduated from Cambridge University, Richard worked in private veterinary practice then completed a residency in equine internal medicine and a Master of Science degree in canine muscle physiology and disease at The Ohio State University. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

He completed doctoral training in molecular and cellular biology of neuromuscular diseases as a Wellcome Fellow at the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Imperial College - attaining his PhD. He is Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Chairs the FRCVS panel on Meritorious Contributions to the Profession.

Richard’s research interests include comparative aspects of primary neuromuscular disorders and their treatments. With most research being laboratory-based, using cell and molecular biological techniques, he teaches vet students neurology for the clinical parts of their course and runs the largest veterinary neuromuscular diagnostic lab in Europe offering clinical diagnostic services for horses, dogs and cats with neuromuscular diseases.

Richard will talk about Atypical Myopathy.

Dr Julia Shrubb

Chair, CANTER

Julia has been an equine veterinary surgeon since 2007 and works at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Gloucestershire. She is a RCVS Advanced Veterinary Practitioner in Equine Medicine and is very passionate about responsible and sustainable dewormer use.

As well as being current chair of CANTER, a member of BEVA Anthelmintic Working Group and a lead of ProjectWorms, Julia is also the current VetPartners Equine Clinical Board chair.

Julia will provide a brief introduction to CANTER and an update on its guidelines which were published at the end of last year.

THE EQUINE INDUSTRY IN A CHANGING WORLD

Roly Owers OBE

Organising Committee Member, National Equine Forum

As a graduate of Cambridge Vet School, Roly joined World Horse Welfare as Chief Executive in 2008. His previous roles included serving as a Veterinary Officer in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, with postings to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, Army Dog Unit Northern Ireland and Defence Animal Training Regiment.

Roly’s other roles include BEVA Treasurer, British Horse Council Director, European Horse Network Board Member, Equine Fitters Council Director and a member of the Petplan Charitable Trust Welfare Committee.

Roly plays an active role in much of World Horse Welfare’s work supporting the horse-human partnership and advises the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on horse welfare.

Roly will chair The Equine Industry in a Changing World session.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity & Animal Welfare), Defra

Baroness Hayman of Ullock was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2024, with responsibility for biosecurity, borders and animal welfare.

She was previously shadow spokesperson for Defra in the Lords, as well as Shadow Spokesperson for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government until 2023.

In the Commons, Baroness Hayman served as shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2017 to 2019. She was elected as MP for Workington in 2015, where she was the first female MP to represent a constituency in Cumbria.
Baroness Hayman was raised to the Peerage in July 2020.

Baroness Hayman will present the Government’s view on the equine sector.

Dr Richard Newton

Director of Epidemiology & Diease Surveillance, University of Cambridge

Richard was at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket for more than 25 years where he acquired a breadth of experience in the epidemiology, surveillance and control of a range of equine infectious diseases.

When the AHT closed in July 2020 he and his team were immediately retained as Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) by the UK’s racing and breeding industry. Since November 2021 they have been based in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge.

Richard and his team continue to provide global disease surveillance and advice on disease prevention strategies and management of outbreaks.

Richard will talk about how we can support strategic and practical biosecurity and disease surveillance in the UK.

David Mountford

Chair, British Horse Council

David joined the Royal Army Veterinary Corps after graduating from Cambridge Vet School. He commanded in Cyprus and Hong Kong and served with the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery before leaving to join what is now World Horse Welfare, where he managed the charity’s operations and veterinary activities.

In 2011, David took on the new role of British Equine Veterinary Association Chief Executive, where he is responsible for supporting equine vets through education, journal publication, and the provision of relevant services.

As Chair of The British Horse Council, he is involved with representing the interests of the wider horse industry to government, the current focus of which is digital identification for horses.

David will present an update on the work of the British Horse Council.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES REVIEW

Jim Eyre

Organising Committee Member, National Equine Forum

Jim has been the Chief Executive at British Equestrian (BEF) since 2021. In this role, he is Secretary General to the European and International Federations, alongside operational oversight of the BEF World Class Programme and Sport England funded grassroots initiatives, in partnership with British Equestrian’s Member Bodies. Jim also sits on the British Horse Council (BHC) and Chairs the European Equestrian Federation Veterinary Working Group.

Prior to joining BEF, Jim spent over five years with Premiership Rugby team Harlequin FC as Chief Operating Officer and then a spell at the RFU in a role leading on the response to rugby’s recovery from the COVID pandemic.

Before his transition to sport, Jim spent 25 years in the military in a variety of roles, including as the Commanding Officer of The Household Cavalry Regiment and earlier as Squadron Leader of the Blues and Royals Mounted Squadron.

Jim will chair the session on the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and read the citations for the Sir Colin Spedding Award.

Helen Nicholls

Performance Director, British Equestrian

Helen is responsible for the National Lottery funded World Class Programme, across all disciplines and levels. Joining the organisation in March 2022, she has led teams to numerous championship podium placings, including golds at the 2023 FEI Eventing and Dressage European Championships.

At the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games the Teams won 5 Medals including 2 Golds (Olympics) and 7 medals (Paralympics). Every single Team member returned with a Medal, making Equestrian the most successful British team.

With over 20 years of experience in elite sport, including a successful competitive career in sailing, with national titles and international podium finishes, Helen then worked for a decade with British Sailing across the sport in a variety of roles.

Helen then joined UK Sport as a Performance Advisor, working with sports including equestrian, to facilitate maximum medal return on investment and support World Class Programmes.

Last summer, Helen led the team of athletes and support staff to Paris success, and this will be the focus of her presentation.

EQUINE ASSISTED SERVICES

Ed Bracher

Chair, Equine Assisted Services Partnership

Ed has a strong commitment to the human animal bond and the value and benefit that this connection can bring – helping people gain confidence and be more visible as well as finding specific benefits for health and wellbeing.

He was one of the founders of the Equine Assisted Service Partnership in 2019, aiming the bring the sector together, regardless of modality, under the umbrella of good standards for the horses and humans involved.

Ed was the Chief Executive of the RDA for 17 years. During that time the organisation grew significantly, based around engagement with volunteers and robust research, backed up by increased support and income. He spearheaded the campaign to create the charity’s first National Training Centre near Warwick, which opened in June 2019.

He is now CEO of Dogs for Good – one of the UKs leading assistance dog charities that also delivers animal assisted interventions and activities, through connecting people with dogs.

Ed will chair the Equine Assisted Services session, and provide the introduction to the session discussing the benefits of human animal bonds and interactions.

Sharon Gray

Indepedent Educational Consultant

With unwavering commitment to transforming education, Sharon Gray OBE is an education consultant and keynote speaker. With 33 years of experience, Sharon advocates for vulnerable children and young people navigating social, emotional, and mental health challenges. An ‘Engage in the Future’ trustee, she champions the cause of special schools, driving system change and inclusion.

Whilst at the Youth Justice Board she laid the groundwork for innovative secure educational environments, while her current initiatives with Kirklees LA focus on impactful SEND transformation. A school improvement partner, Sharon breathes life into both special and mainstream settings.

A Headteacher for 23 years—including leading exceptional special and mainstream schools— Sharon has honed her philosophy of authentic inclusion. She inspires communities to embrace their role in securing positive outcomes for all, igniting a collective passion for lifelong learning and transformative educational practices.

Sharon invites you to join her mission to unleash the potential within every child as she highlights the benefits of human animal interactions on the developmental stages of young people.

Rosie Bensley

Co-founder, Strength & Learning Through Horses

Rosie Bensley is founder of the educational arm of the charity Strength and Learning Through Horses (SLTH is formed from two charities that merged in 2021). She has 20 years’ experience training horses from a psychologically informed perspective, combined with a professional background in sales and marketing.

She is responsible for equine welfare and educational services at the charity as well as fundraising and much of the strategic management of the organisation.

Rosie will share some tips from Theory of Change to create an accessible environment for young people who have mental health challenges and explore some of the challenges to accessibility in the equestrian industry through the voices of their service users.

Dr Jemma Hockley

Co-founder, Strength & Learning Through Horses

Jemma founded the charity in 2009 following her Doctoral Research on the positive impact of equine therapy on mental health service users in the UK and her experiences working as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Clinical Psychologist within the NHS.

She is a Clinical Psychologist registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and has a diploma in systemic approaches to working with individuals, families and organisations.

Jemma has been responsible for the delivery and management of therapeutic services at SLTH for the last 15 years, as well as training & supervising the full staff team from volunteers upwards, to ensure all team members are knowledgeable about how to support young people with mental health challenges.

Jemma, along with Rosie, will share their knowledge and experience with us.

Andrew Brooks

Father

Andrew has over 25 years of experience in local government, private consultancy and the voluntary sector. However, he considers his most important role to be that of a parent. His deep-rooted passion for his child's well-being and development led him to discover the transformative power of horses and the equine assisted learning sector.

His experience in strategic planning, project management, and community engagement has enabled him to navigate complex systems and forge valuable partnerships.

Andrew is committed to raising awareness about the diverse pathways to success and the importance of providing alternative learning opportunities for young people. He believes that every child deserves the chance to discover their passions and reach their full potential through the benefits of equine-assisted learning.

Andrew will share the story of his evolving understanding of the transformative power of horses and their impact on young lives, particularly his son, James.

MEMORIAL LECTURE

James Hick

Organising Committee Member, National Equine Forum

James joined The British Horse Society (BHS) as Chief Executive in 2019, and since then has been leading the team to continue its support of the equine industry across its charitable aims; Welfare, Education, Access, Safety and Participation.

Collectively, the Society’s 125,000 Members, 1,400 Volunteers, 3,000 Accredited Professionals and 600 Approved Centres are driving up the standards; promoting equine welfare, safe off-road access and safety, whilst increasing participation and encouraging more people and communities to become involved with equestrianism – both recreationally and professionally.

Aside from furthering the BHS’s charitable work and being a member of the NEF Organisation Committee, James is also a Director of The British Horse Council, a member of the Horses in Society Steering Group, and a member of the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance Oversight Committee and on the Board of the Shire Horse Society.

James will chair the Sir Colin Spedding Memorial Lecture about collaborative working in the equine welfare charity sector.

Penny Baker

Field Officer, World Horse Welfare

A BSc (Hons) graduate in Equine Studies, Penny went on to have a career in the equine industry before joining the RSPCA. There, she held the role of Inspector for 12 years and was honoured with the Anderson Plume award for her investigation work. In addition she became an equine specialist officer and worked on large equine cases, feral horse round ups and attended UK horse fairs such as Appleby, Stowe and Wickham.

She joined World Horse Welfare in 2017 and now covers Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire in the role of Field Officer, responding to welfare calls from the public.

As a front-line officer, she works closely with other charities as well as the Police, Trading Standards and other local authority agencies.

Penny will take part in the Memorial Lecture.

Jana Merrett-Jones

Animal Welfare Manager, The Hugs Foundation

Jana has dedicated her career to equine welfare, focusing on rescuing and rehoming equines across the UK. Starting her role at The Hugs Foundation in 2017, she has developed the animal welfare and rehabilitation division of this young charity. It now successfully cares for up to 45 equines at a time, from initial intervention and rescue, to rehabilitation and training. The charity has placed 200 rescues in loving new homes.

Jana has a degree in Animal Science, Behaviour and Welfare and leads the dedicated team at The Hugs Foundation. The charity doesn’t just deliver equine care, but also provides equine-assisted services to vulnerable people in Cornwall.

Jana actively contributes to National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) discussions and industry initiatives whist also working hands on at the charity.

Jana will take part in the Memorial Lecture.

Christine Styles

Inspector, RSPCA

Christine has been an RSPCA Inspector for 25 years, based in South Wales. She is also the Inspectorate’s National Equine Coordinator, working to combine the skills of the national team of specialist equine officers. She has worked in the River Section at Appleby Horse Fair and is involved with ongoing welfare work with ponies on certain Welsh commons.

Working closely alongside partner charities, World Horse Welfare, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, The Donkey Sanctuary and the British Horse Society, Christine leads on the deployment of the specialist equine team across the UK. She coordinates warrants and round ups, so as to enable skilled and effective logistical operations in partnership with NEWC member charities who provide the support and expertise needed to resource these large rescues.

Christine will take part in the Memorial Lecture.

Sponsors

Corporate Friends

Dodson & Horrell
The Donkey Sanctuary
SEIB Insurance Brokers
Weatherbys ePassport

Friends

The 826 Equine Studbooks Association
The Arab Horse Society
British Farriers & Blacksmiths Association
Central Prefix Register
Jane Domhill
Jaya Gakhal
Sara Gee
Lisa Giddings
Jane Hemingway
Chris Hewlett
Intelligent Horsemanship
Jenny Letherbarrow
Mount Mascal Stables
The Pony Club
RAMP: Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners
James Rayner
Merry Smith
The Society of Master Saddlers
Traditional Gypsy Cob Association
West Kington Stud
The Worshipful Company of Saddlers

Live Streaming Supporters

Anglo European Studbook
The British Horse Society
Equine Register
Hartpury University
The Horse Trust
National Equine Welfare Council
World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses
World Horse Welfare

Strategic Review Supporters

The British Horse Society
The Horse Trust
Horserace Betting Levy Board
The Pony Club