Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Webinar to look at equine sleep deprivation
The webinar will look at the causes, signs, and consequences of sleep deprivation.
The panel will feature experts from Hartpury and Aberystwyth universities.

Equine welfare charity World Horse Welfare will be hosting a webinar next week on sleep deprivation and its effect on horses.

Despite being part of the charity's Welfare Wednesday Webinar series, the session will take place at 7pm on Thursday, 15 February, via Zoom. It will feature Sebastian McBride of the Aberystwyth University and Linda Greening of Hartpury University.
 
The panel will discuss the importance of sleep for horses, the potential causes of sleep deprivation, signs of sleep deprivation, and the consequences of long-term sleep deprivation on health and welfare.

The discussion will be followed by a Q&A session in which members of the audience will be able to ask sleep-related questions to Dr McBride and Dr Greening.

Dr McBride has worked as a lecturer in Biosciences at Aberystwyth University since 2016. He has a BSc from the University of Liverpool and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on cognition and the neurophysiological control of behaviour.

Dr Greening has been part of the equine department at Hartpury University since 2006, when she joined after completely a Master’s degree in Equine Science. Her research into equine nocturnal behaviour led to a doctoral qualification in 2023.

There have now been more than 50 World Horse Welfare webinars, all of which are available to view as part of the charity’s advice pages. Topics covered already this year have included social media and horse welfare, nutrition myths and marketing, and managing arthritic changes in ridden horses.

Those wishing to attend the webinar on 15 February can register here.

Image © Shutterstock

 

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.