Join friends, Karen Luke and Meta Osborne, as they take a lighthearted and lively look into the serious task of making equestrian sport and racing sustainable i...
S4E4 - The Changing Rein Challenge with Dr Jake Veasey
Will you be our next Changing Rein guest star?Read on to learn how!This week we are replaying an episode that many of our listeners ranked as their favourite - our chat with the endangered species specialist - Dr Jake Veasey.We are replaying part 2 of our chat where he talks about using his approach to understanding animal welfare to design habitat for tigers that is enriching and helps them thrive, even while living in captivity.The Changing Rein Challenge is back!!!So what's the challenge?Jake's ideas really inspired us, and we hope you were inspired too. We are asking you to listen to Jake's episode, and see if it inspires you to think of some change we could implement to make our horse's lives better. Or maybe you already do something clever that you can share with us. The goal is to share ideas around so we can make life better for our horses and better for us too.Please take up the challenge - we really can't wait to hear from you - and send us an audio clip so we can play your idea on an episode of Changing Rein.To record your clip, go to our Changing Rein Facebook page and send us an audio message.We hope you enjoy re-listening to the incredible Jake Veasey as much as we did, and we can't wait to hear your tips about how you make life better for your horse.
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S4 E3 Is equine vet Gabriel Lencioni THE person equestrian sport needs right now?
Gabriel Lencioni is a young, equine vet with an interest in horse welfare and behaviour.
Recently qualified, Gabriel is already embarking on research that just might change the way we think about horse welfare in equestrian sport - he is creating an AI model to assess horse welfare during competition.
Not your regular AI tech-bro, Gabriel shares with us his journey into animal behavior and welfare, and why he is determined to leverage the latest technology to improve the lives of horses, vets and owners.
As our first guest from South America, we also explore cultural perspectives on animal welfare, and as always, we talk about how optimistic we are the future of horse sports.
Reading and Resources
Find all of Gabriel's research here
The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness (2012)
An integrative and functional framework for the study of animal emotion and mood (Mendl et al, 2010)
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S4E2 The Other 360 Days - A conversation with racehorse welfare researcher Dr Rachel Annan
Rachel is both a racing 'insider' and an academic - she has worked in horse racing for over 20 years and she obtained her PhD from the University of Bristol in 2023 for her work developing a racehorse welfare assessment protocol.
This welfare assessment has been trialled by industry assessors to gather population level racehorse welfare data. The welfare assessment has also been used to monitor the welfare of Military Working horses from the Household Cavalry and racehorses in Hong Kong.
In this episode we talk about the practicalities of racehorse welfare assessment, the small changes that can result in big improvements, and the importance how young Thoroughbreds are managemed on stud farms to set them up for a good life in racing.
Rachel is currently an Equine Technologist at CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland and is a post-doctoral researcher at University College Dublin (UCD).
Rachel's research output is available on ResearchGate
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S4E1 Not Barefoot or Bust
In this episode, Master Farrier Andrew Bowe discusses his journey from traditional farriery to a focus on barefoot hoof care.
He shares insights on treating chronic conditions like laminitis and navicular disease, the ethical considerations of hoof care, and the importance of educating horse owners.
The conversation also covers performance solutions for horses, the significance of farrier care, and the future of hoof care regulation. Andrew emphasizes the need for a mixed approach to hoof care, combining traditional and modern methods for optimal horse health.
At their farm, Mayfield, Andrew and wife Nicky host the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy where they train the next generation of equine hoof care practitioners, plus they also offer a lameness rehab and retirement agistment facility. In addition, at Mayfield and at locations around Australia they offer maintenance hoof care workshops so owners can learn how to safely care for their horse's feet in between farrier visits.
Visit Andrew's website here: https://barehoofcare.com/
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S3 E4 The Power of Words with Dr Mette Uldahl
For our extended
bumper Christmas edition we have a very special guest, Dr Mette Uldahl.
Mette is a Danish veterinarian who until earlier this year was veterinary advisor to the Danish Equestrian Federation. She resigned from that role in September 2024 and is now chief consultant to Dyrenes Beskyttelse (Animal Protection Denmark). Mette has devoted her career to being a voice for animals. As well as her work with DEF, Mette is
a Past President of the Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations and is currently 1st Vice President of the European Veterinary Association.
Mette also regularly take part in research projects and publications of peer-reviewed papers, many of which she discusses in this episode.
This episode is particularly fitting as we wind down to the
holiday season because Mette touches on so many of the topics that have been raised by the guests on Changing Rein over the past six months. What is more Mette brings her own unique perspective, whether it is thinking about horse behaviour
through understanding neurodiversity, or the language we use about and around horses and its impact on welfare. How should vets balance their roles as advocates for horses while also having to satisfy client demands and expectations? What is the intrinsic value of horses? And if we are to use horses in sport, how much compromise is acceptable? And we touch on the mind games we play in our interactions with horses, we talk about blue tongues and oral lesions and knee rolls, we discuss the role of governing bodies, and Mette shares her profound wish for horse sport into the future.
We hope that wherever you are that you enjoy this extended
edition of Changing Rein and we look forward to continuing our journey with the podcast and our listeners in 2025.
You can find Mette’s research output at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mette-Uldahl
Join friends, Karen Luke and Meta Osborne, as they take a lighthearted and lively look into the serious task of making equestrian sport and racing sustainable into the future. The show's key ingredient is exploring new perspectives and not shying away from tough conversations. Curious to learn how leading scientists, jockeys, journalists and practitioners see future for horses in sport? Then buckle up for this fun adventure as we start Changing Rein!
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