The 33rd National Equine Forum ran as a hybrid event on Thursday 06 March 2025 (#NEF25).
The sessions presented are listed below, and they will be released in the next week or so, via our YouTube channel.
10:00 OPENING OF MORNING SESSION
10:10 THE IMPORTANCE OF FEED & FORAGE TO ALL
Session Chair: Dr Pat Harris
What goes into making your feed as safe as possible? Ruth Bishop, Chair of Feed Committee, British Equestrian Trade Association
Finding the best forage for your horse Prof Meriel Moore-Colyer, Professor of Equine Science, Hartpury University
“Food Fights” – finding a way through the soup of misinformation Dr Katie Williams, Chair of Equine Nutrition & Feed Adviser Register Working Group (ENFAR WG), British Equestrian Trade Association
Panel discussion
11:00 EQUINE HEALTH & WELFARE UPDATES
Session Chair: Peter Laurie, Non- executive Director, Animal Health & Welfare Board for England
Equine Grass Sickness – snakes in the grass? Prof Bruce McGorum, Professor in Equine Medicine, Royal
(Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Sick from Sycamore – understanding risk in Atypical Myopathy Prof Richard Piercy, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease, Royal Veterinary College
CANTER – Controlling ANTiparasitic resistance in Equines Responsibly – an update Dr Julia Shrubb, Chair, CANTER
Panel discussion
11:40 THE EQUINE INDUSTRY IN A CHANGING WORLD
Session Chair: Roly Owers
The Defra View Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders Animal Welfare), Defra
Protecting our horses’ health – what can we each do better Dr Richard Newton, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance, Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, University of Cambridge
Red tape, money & the law – difficult horses to back David Mountford, Chair, British Horse Council
Panel discussion
14:10 OPENING OF AFTERNOON SESSION
14:15 PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES REVIEW
Session Chair: Jim Eyre
Review of the Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games Helen Nicholls, Performance Director, British Equestrian
Questions
14:35 EQUINE ASSISTED SERVICES
Session Chair: Ed Bracher, Chair, Equine Assisted Services Partnership
An overview of EAS – its context & importance Ed Bracher, Chair, Equine Assisted Services Partnership
The neuroscience of learning, biology of stress ... trauma-informed approaches Sharon Gray, Education Consultant, Wholehearted Learning
What can the equestrian sector learn from equine assisted services providers to improve accessibility? Rosie Bensley & Dr Jemma Hockley, Co-founders, Strength & Learning Through Horses
Changing Lives Through Horses – A parent's perspective on the transformative power of equine assisted learning Andrew Brooks, Father
Panel discussion
15:35 MEMORIAL LECTURE: CHARITIES WORKING TOGETHER
Session Chair: James Hick
Penny Baker, Field Officer, World Horse Welfare; Jana Merrett-Jones, Animal Welfare Manager, The Hugs Foundation; Christine Styles
Inspector, RSPCA
Panel discussion
Please note: The Memorial Lecture will include discussions about equine welfare. The speakers are unable to comment on ongoing investigations as they have a number of strict procedures to follow, which means that they cannot share any details with the public.
FAQ's
When can questions be submitted?
Questions can be submitted after the event on Slido goes live, on Thursday 06 March 2025.
How do I submit a question
- Log into Sli.do;
- Go to Q&A (usually the screen you log into);
- Insert your question under the Q&A heading, in the box where it says "Type your question";
- TIP: if you are viewing through a browser on a mobile and not through the app, you need to make sure you scroll down the embedded screen - you might only be able to see the National Equine Forum logo;
- Click "Add label";
- Select the relevant session or speaker you would like to answer your question (please see the list of sessions above);
- TIP: information, including a summary of each presentation, can be found on the #NEF25 page
- Click "Send".
How long can my question be?
Questions can be up to 300 characters long - the maximum allowed on Slido.
Can I submit a question anonymously?
No, questions cannot be submitted anonymously.
Are questions moderated?
Yes, all questions are moderated. Questions should relate to the subject being discussed, and not be personal. Questions unrelated to the subjects being discussed, or of a personal nature, will not pass the moderation process.
Will all submitted questions be asked?
No, unfortunately we will not have time to ask all submitted questions.
What will happen to my question?
Moderated questions will be viewable on Slido. Questions will be archived following the completion of the session they relate to.
How do I view the programme?
The full programme will be available on the Forum 2025 page from the morning of Thursday 06 March 2025. You can see details of our speakers, and the programme when released, here.
Who can access Slido?
Only delegates who have purchased a ticket for the face-to-face event or regsitered for the live streaming, will be able to access Slido. This access will be granted via the email address that you have registered with.
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