Do You Need To Breed? Join The Debate At This Year’s National Equine Forum

The National Equine Forum (NEF) will be raising the topical question do you need to breed? at this year’s event, to be held on Thursday 6th March 2014 at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Equine charity leaders will be debating this contentious issue with the proprietor of the UK’s largest abattoir. The National Equine Forum is renowned for its non-partisan approach to pertinent equestrian matters. Each year it captivates the UK’s equestrian industry with diverse and stimulating presentations and debates and presents an exclusive opportunity for mingling and networking during lunch and afternoon tea. HRH The Princess Royal, President of the NEF, will be attending the event once again this year. The abandonment and neglect of horses is reaching crisis point in the UK and equine charities are being inundated with serious welfare cases because thousands more are being bred than there are good homes. Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare will take a frank look the reasons for breeding horses. Nic de Brauwere, Chairman of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) and Head of Welfare, Education and Rehabilitation at Redwings Horse Sanctuary will explore what lies in store for problem horses. To close the session, Stephen Potter, of Potters Abattoir, will discuss the role of the horse meat industry in contributing to equine standards of welfare. This year’s programme also includes a panel of prestigious speakers, from Government, equestrian sport and veterinary science, covering:

• Legislation and the racing industry (Paul Bittar, Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority)
• Defra’s perspective on the equestrian industry (The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP)
• The role of an equine database as an effective means of communication (Jan Rogers, Head of Equine Development at the BEF)
• The challenges facing horses in the 21st century (Sönke Lauterbach, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the German Equestrian Federation)
• The global growth of horse sport (Ingmar de Vos, Secretary General of the International Equestrian Federation [FEI])
• The launch of the revolutionary eHoof in its English form (Dr Isabel Imboden of the University of Zurich)
• Horse and rider movement, balance and straightness from vet, farrier, saddler and physiotherapist perspectives (Line Greve, vet at the Animal Health Trust, Haydn Price, farrier, Vicky Spalding, equine physiotherapist, Mark Fisher, saddler and Louise Broom, human physiotherapist)
• The legacy from 2012 (Jennie Price, Chief Executive at Sport England)
• The Sir Colin Spedding Award

You can download a full copy of the programme at www.bef.co.uk Tickets are available to equestrian trade delegates and equestrian professionals at a cost of £100 per person, which includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day. To apply or to find out how you could enjoy the privilege of becoming a Friend of the Forum please contact the Hon Secretary, Ms Tracy Allen, at Warwickshire College, Moreton Morrell, Warwick, CV35 9BL email [email protected].

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