World Horse Welfare Conference: ‘Whose Opinion Matters?’

International equestrian experts come together to consider the horse-human partnership in a conference that is free to watch online.

World Horse Welfare’s vision is "a world where every horse is treated with respect, compassion and understanding."

By: WorldHorseWelfare.org | October 28, 2021

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you're listening to an article from horse sport.com. world horse welfare conference: ‘whose opinion matters?’ by: worldhorsewelfare.org |. on thursday november 11th, 2021 at 09:45 a stellar array of equestrian professionals and supporters – and the charity’s president, her royal highness, the princess royal – join world horse welfare live to consider ‘whose opinion matters?’ when it comes to managing the many and complex facets of the horse-human partnership. world horse welfare chief executive, roly owers, asks: “the sheer volume of opinion out there can be both overwhelming and deafening. in horse sport, welfare has again sparked fierce debate in the media: from that photo of gordon elliot to revelations in panorama to treatment of horses in modern pentathlon at the olympics, but strong views can be found wherever horses come into contact with people. but whom should we listen to? how open are we to views that challenge our own way of seeing? and when – if ever – should opinion overrule fact?”. how we manage and use horses has developed as understanding has increased, but some aspects of equestrianism are also entrenched in tradition. the line-up of speakers will explore this complex and evolving relationship and consider why it can be difficult to find and recognise the right advice and sources of information. advertisement scroll to continue with content speakers include:. pammy hutton, dressage rider and trainer on ‘the powerful role of opinion in equestrianism’. dr monique eloit, director general of the oie (world organisation for animal health) on ‘the importance of evidence in animal health and welfare’. ed chamberlin, itv racing lead presenter on ‘the media and opinion’. jordan headspeath, former world horse welfare groom on ‘when opinion runs riot’. charlie unwin, a leading performance psychologist and mental coach on ‘knowing your own mind’. the live discussion panel features representatives from a diverse cross-section of the equestrian world: well-known dj and horse-owner sara cox; veterinary surgeon and mp for penrith and the border, dr neil hudson; camie heleski, equine lecturer at university of kentucky; mariano hernandez-gil from universidad nacional autónoma de méxico and chris tufnell, vet and world horse welfare trustee. the panel will consider the points raised in the morning’s sessions and take questions from the audience. the charity’s president, hrh the princess royal, will provide her views at 13:25 and the conference will run until 15.00. anyone with an interest in horses, animal welfare, racing or equestrian sport can register to watch world horse welfare’s annual conference live here and it will remain to watch afterwards on the charity’s youtube channel here. world horse welfare would like to thank the headline sponsor of the conference, the sir peter o’sullevan charitable trust, and the events other supporters, the horseracing betting levy board and msd animal health. about world horse welfare:. world horse welfare is an international horse charity that improves the lives of horses in the uk and worldwide through education, campaigning and hands-on care of horses. since we were founded in 1927, our whole approach has been practical, based on scientific evidence and our extensive experience, and focused on delivering lasting change across the full spectrum of the horse world. in the uk our dedicated network of field officers investigate and resolve welfare problems, and we run four rescue and rehoming centres where horses in need can receive specialist care, undergo rehabilitation and find loving new homes through our rehoming scheme – the largest of its kind in the uk. our international programmes alleviate the suffering of thousands of working horses by providing essential knowledge for horse owning communities in the developing world. we also work tirelessly to change legislation and attitudes to horse welfare through campaigns and education, including our founding campaign to end the suffering endured by the tens of thousands of horses transported long-distance across europe to slaughter each year. we support the responsible use of horses in sport, and are independent welfare advisers to the fédération equestre internationale (fei) and british horseracing authority (bha). table testc1c2c3 r1123 r2456 r3789

On Thursday November 11th, 2021 at 09:45 a stellar array of equestrian professionals and supporters – and the charity’s President, Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal – join World Horse Welfare live to consider ‘Whose Opinion Matters?’ when it comes to managing the many and complex facets of the horse-human partnership.

World Horse Welfare Chief Executive, Roly Owers, asks: “The sheer volume of opinion out there can be both overwhelming and deafening. In horse sport, welfare has again sparked fierce debate in the media: from that photo of Gordon Elliot to revelations in Panorama to treatment of horses in Modern Pentathlon at the Olympics, but strong views can be found wherever horses come into contact with people. But whom should we listen to? How open are we to views that challenge our own way of seeing?  And when – if ever – should opinion overrule fact?”

How we manage and use horses has developed as understanding has increased, but some aspects of equestrianism are also entrenched in tradition. The line-up of speakers will explore this complex and evolving relationship and consider why it can be difficult to find and recognise the right advice and sources of information.

Scroll to continue with content

Speakers include:

Pammy Hutton, Dressage rider and trainer on ‘The powerful role of opinion in equestrianism’
Dr Monique Eloit, Director General of the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) on ‘The importance of evidence in animal health and welfare’
Ed Chamberlin, ITV Racing Lead Presenter on ‘The media and opinion’
Jordan Headspeath, former World Horse Welfare Groom on ‘When opinion runs riot’
Charlie Unwin, a leading performance psychologist and mental coach on ‘Knowing your own mind’

The live discussion panel features representatives from a diverse cross-section of the equestrian world: well-known DJ and horse-owner Sara Cox; veterinary surgeon and MP for Penrith and The Border, Dr Neil Hudson; Camie Heleski, Equine Lecturer at University of Kentucky; Mariano Hernandez-Gil from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Chris Tufnell, Vet and World Horse Welfare Trustee. The panel will consider the points raised in the morning’s sessions and take questions from the audience.

The charity’s President, HRH The Princess Royal, will provide her views at 13:25 and the conference will run until 15.00.

Anyone with an interest in horses, animal welfare, racing or equestrian sport can register to watch World Horse Welfare’s annual conference live HERE and it will remain to watch afterwards on the charity’s YouTube channel HERE .

World Horse Welfare would like to thank the headline sponsor of the Conference, The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust, and the events other supporters, the Horseracing Betting Levy Board and MSD Animal Health.

About World Horse Welfare:

World Horse Welfare is an international horse charity that improves the lives of horses in the UK and worldwide through education, campaigning and hands-on care of horses. Since we were founded in 1927, our whole approach has been practical, based on scientific evidence and our extensive experience, and focused on delivering lasting change across the full spectrum of the horse world.

In the UK our dedicated network of Field Officers investigate and resolve welfare problems, and we run four Rescue and Rehoming Centres where horses in need can receive specialist care, undergo rehabilitation and find loving new homes through our rehoming scheme – the largest of its kind in the UK. Our international programmes alleviate the suffering of thousands of working horses by providing essential knowledge for horse owning communities in the developing world. We also work tirelessly to change legislation and attitudes to horse welfare through campaigns and education, including our founding campaign to end the suffering endured by the tens of thousands of horses transported long-distance across Europe to slaughter each year. We support the responsible use of horses in sport, and are independent welfare advisers to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and British Horseracing Authority (BHA).