Practical day notebook

Transcription

1 Welcome to the practical workshops at Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre 7 th International Colloquium on Working Equids Practical day notebook

2 Welcome to the practical day of... The 7th International Colloquium on Working Equids We are delighted to welcome you to Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre for the practical day of The 7th International Colloquium. This day of hands-on workshops will bring together scientific theory and the experiences of all participants to determine the benefits of a whole horse approach and to discuss the main topics presented over the previous two days. Delegates will visit each of the seven Zones today in turn, with every Zone focusing on a particular aspect of practical equine care. The Zone topics encompass farriery, the lives and welfare of British equines, head-comfort and handling, disease, body lesions, owner interaction and future research. Common problems will be discussed, along with analysis of current programmes and how greater welfare improvements can be achieved. We hope you find the day interesting, informative and, above all, enjoyable. Roly Owers MRCVS Chief Executive, World Horse Welfare 1

3 About the work of World Horse Welfare Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre Glenda Spooner Farm is one of World Horse Welfare s four Rescue and Rehoming Centres in the UK. The farm is capable of caring for 65 equines at any one time, but the vital development work currently taking place will enable us to safely and effectively help many more horses, ponies, donkeys and mules who are in desperate need of our care. With an equine crisis ongoing in the UK, our work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming equines continues to become ever more important. Last year, we took in 76% more animals across our four UK centres. Increasingly, we are seeing multiple-equine cases an example of which is a situation in November 2013 in which our Norfolk farm took in over 60 horses and ponies from just one case. Equines come into our centres from a wide variety of situations, with a lack of even basic knowledge on the part of the former owner sadly all too often the cause of welfare problems. The expert team at Glenda Spooner Farm will then nurture animals back to health. Once they have been fully rehabilitated, we aim to find all equines in our care loving new homes through our rehoming scheme, which is the largest of its kind in the UK. Glenda Spooner Farm s Adoption Horse Bess, with her groom Claire 2

4 Timetable 1000 Arrival at Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre: Delegates will receive an introduction to and outline of the practical day during the coach journey from Royal Holloway Registration and refreshments First Zone session Second Zone session Third Zone session Lunch break: Marquee. During lunch, there will be a display highlighting the role of campaigning at World Horse Welfare Fourth Zone session Fifth Zone session Coffee break: Marquee Sixth Zone session Seventh Zone session Debrief: Marquee 1700 Coaches depart Glenda Spooner to return to Royal Holloway 3

5 How the Zone rotation will work There are seven different Zones, each of which has a different focus and will have a member of the Scientific Committee acting as a facilitator throughout the day. Delegates will be divided into seven groups of around 20, with each group defined by colour and led by a marshal. The rapporteurs will move between all seven Zones, gathering key points and differing views to include in the final report. The focus of the practical day is based around a whole horse approach and will enable delegates to discuss the main topics presented over the previous two days. Delegates will have the chance to analyse the advantages of a holistic approach to improving working equid welfare, to discuss the practicalities and importance of veterinary science internationally, and to debate how welfare organisations can best engage with owners to improve working equid welfare. We encourage all delegates to participate actively in these discussions and share their own experiences, so that working equids around the world may benefit from the knowledge shared here today. Glenda Spooner Farm Owner Interaction Zone Future Research Zone Paddocks British Equine Zone Body Lesions Zone Head-comfort and Handling Zone Marquee Farriery Zone Disease Zone 4

6 Farriery Zone Poor foot care and subsequent lameness problems are all too common in the UK as well as overseas. In poorer countries, farriers are often ill-equipped with rudimentary tools and inappropriate shoeing materials to sufficiently prepare the hoof and balance the foot. In many cases, owners tend to their equine s feet, yet have very little knowledge or understanding of the function of the foot and the knock-on effect poor foot care has on the rest of the animal. To quote an old saying: No hoof, no horse. Facilitator: Sarah Coombs (World Horse Welfare) Technical advisors: Mike Nuttall and Tom Burch MBE (World Horse Welfare) 5

7 Zone notes 6

8 British Equine Zone There are numerous types of equine in this country, kept for a huge variety of reasons, and they are housed and managed in many different ways. This Zone will provide an overview of the diverse ways in which animals are kept, giving an insight into owner behaviour and the lifestyles of British equines. Each group will also have the chance to see one of the horses rescued by World Horse Welfare undergoing preparation for rehoming. Facilitator: Dr Becky Whay (University of Bristol) Technical advisors: Sam Chubbock, Claire Phillips and Joe Mackinder (World Horse Welfare) 7

9 Zone notes 8

10 Head-comfort and Handling Zone The Head-comfort and Handling Zone will focus on the head s central role in communicating with and handling working equids. Delegates will be asked to discuss head problems they see in the field, including injuries to the area caused by harnesses or bits and handling issues. The Zone will also look to uncover traditional practices used by equine-owning communities around the world. Discussion will encompass both successful and unsuccessful solutions delegates have used when finding sustainable solutions to these associated problems. Facilitator: Stephen Blakeway (The Donkey Sanctuary) Technical advisors: Dr Mariano Hernandez-Gil (UNAM, Mexico/The Donkey Sanctuary) 9

11 Zone notes 10

12 Disease Zone The Disease Zone will look to discuss the outputs and recommendations from the first Havemeyer Foundation workshop on infectious diseases of working horses and donkeys. This workshop demonstrated the continued and growing socio-economic importance of working equids in countries worldwide and the extensive impact of infectious diseases on working equids. The workshop identified and prioritised the key impediments to disease control at technical, social-behavioural and institutional levels that need addressing and identified which impediments were the most critical for the key diseases affecting working equids. Facilitator: Dr Andrew Stringer (SPANA) Technical advisor: Gabrielle Laing (University of Liverpool) 11

13 Zone notes 12

14 Body Lesions Zone The main focus of the Body Lesions Zone will be to look at different types of injuries commonly seen on working equids and to encourage delegates to discuss the contributing factors. The Zone will also attempt to look for ways to reduce the likelihood of these injuries occurring. Facilitator: Dr Melissa Upjohn (The Brooke) Technical advisors: Kate Hetherington and Robert Bloxham (World Horse Welfare) 13

15 Zone notes 14

16 Owner Interaction Zone The Owner Interaction Zone will look into different techniques and activities that organisations use to engage with working equid owners. The Zone will encourage delegates to share their own experiences and to discuss strengths and weaknesses of their own community engagement projects. Facilitator: Karen Reed (The Brooke) Technical advisors: Melissa Liszewski (The Brooke) and Dean Bland (World Horse Welfare) 15

17 Zone notes 16

18 Future Research Zone The Future Research Zone will investigate why scientific evidence is crucial for improving working equid welfare. Topics of discussion will include a basic review of statistical significance and the importance of peer review. The Zone will cover a range of matters, including the best means of castration in the field, the best bedding for donkeys and sustainable healthcare. Delegates will be invited to raise key areas of interest from their own experiences, but the main focus will remain on the need for scientific evidence. Facilitator: Dr Mark Kennedy (World Animal Protection) Technical advisor: Joe Anzuino (World Animal Protection) 17

19 Zone notes 18

20 Thank you for attending the practical day at World Horse Welfare Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre. We hope you have found the practical day of The 7th International Colloquium on Working Equids useful, interesting and enjoyable. We would really value your feedback, so if you could take a few minutes to fill out a feedback form and hand to a member of World Horse Welfare staff we would be very grateful. Thank you! #workingequines