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Horses kept for 5,500 years
Origins of horse domestication have been traced back to the fourth millennium BC.
A team of archaeologists, led by the Universities of Exeter and Bristol, has uncovered the earliest known evidence of horses being domesticated by humans.

The origins of horse domestication have been traced back around 5,500 years to the Botai Culture of Kazakhstan and the fourth millennium BC. This is about 1,000 years earlier than previously thought, and about 2,000 years before horses are known to have been kept in Europe.

Exeter University has said that the findings could point to the very beginnings of horse domestication and the origins of the horse breeds we know today. The research has been published in the academic journal Science.

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BSAVA partners with BVA Live 2026

News Story 1
 BSAVA is to partner with BVA Live (11-12 June 2026) to champion clinical research.

The organisation will be supporting BVA Live's Clinical Abstracts programme, showcasing selected abstracts of veterinary research throughout the event.

The clinical abstracts can be on any small animal veterinary subject, and must be based on research undertaken in industry, practice or academia. Abstracts can be presented in poster or oral formats.

Submissions will open on 15th December 2025, and close on 6th March 2026. You can register interest here

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Nominations open for RCVS and VN Council elections

The nomination period for the 2026 RCVS Council and VN Council elections is now open, with three veterinary surgeon seats and two veterinary nurse seats available.

Prospective candidates can download an information pack and nomination form from the RCVS website. Individuals can nominate themselves for the elections, with the results to be announced in the spring.

Clare Paget, the recently appointed RCVS Registrar and elections returning officer, said: "If you want to play your part in influencing and moulding how the professions are regulated, and making key decisions on matters of great importance to your peers, the public and animal health and welfare, please consider standing for RCVS Council or VN Council next year."

Nominations close at 5pm on Saturday, 31 January 2026.