THE most recent edition of the Equine Veterinary Journal included an article reflecting on the third Saddle Research Trust conference which was held at the end of 2018 in Utrecht University and included a wide range of speakers, including veterinary surgeons, saddlers, trainers, professional and leisure riders and equine therapists.

A number of topics were dealt with during its sessions.

Dr Thilo Pfau from the Royal Veterinary College discussed recent advances in inertial sensor-based asymmetry assessment. Pfau emphasised importance of differentiating between measurement of movement asymmetry and the expert judgement about the presence and extent of any lameness.

Russell Mackechnie-Guire of Centaur Biomechanics, who previously spoke at the Horse Sport Ireland coaching and breeding conference in 2017 at Cavan Equestrian, discussed the prevalence and causes of rider asymmetry and the importance of the correct horse, rider and saddle combination.

Professor Emerita Hilary Clayton from Sport Horse Science, USA, was the first of the keynote speakers. She explained how, in both people and animals, structural and functional asymmetries are common, and went on to detail the importance of distinguishing between from where asymmetries are arising.

PAIN RECOGNITION

Pain recognition was addressed by expert British veterinary surgeon Dr Sue Dyson from the Animal Health Trust. She went through some the findings from her studies on facial expression and other behaviours which may be associated with pain in ridden horses.

Dyson was joined by Dr Anne Bondi, Laura Quiney and Professor Pat Harris, who jointly discussed and shows how riders who are an inappropriate weight or size for the horse, combined with a saddle that does not ideally fit the rider, can cause temporary lameness, behavioural changes, back muscle tension and pain in the horse.

The afternoon session of the conference included a panel discussion on the future of the sport from a variety of different perspectives including the media, governing bodies, the saddlery industry, welfare and performance.

Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal Celia Marr said: “The Saddle Research Trust Conference is proving to be an important international platform for sharing the latest knowledge and research on rider-saddle-horse interaction, while the workshop has identified priorities for future investigations and generated important new research collaborations.”