Study into wound healing

British horse owners  are invited to take part in a new project to help improve the management of wounds. 

The Equine Wound Project has been launched by researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham with the support of equine charity, The British Horse Society.

Wounds are one of the most common emergency problems in the horse, and range in severity from minor to potentially life-threatening. However, there is surprisingly little research on the common types of wounds horses experience and how they heal.

Consequently, it can be very difficult for owners to make an informed decision about what to do, particularly at a time when they may be feeling distressed about their horse’s wellbeing.

Horse owners are asked to submit information, including photos, about their horse’s initial wound, as well as the subsequent assessment, treatment process and healing outcome. Information is submitted to the University where veterinary researchers want to learn about any type of equine wound regardless of size and whether it has been treated by a vet, so they can capture information on a wide range of injuries.

Masters student, Richard Birnie, who will be working on the project for the next 12 months said: "During my third-year research project dissertation on equine wounds, I could see that this is a research area that urgently requires more focused studies. Wounds have been described as the second most commonly treated condition in equine practice, so I found the significant lack of evidence-based data surprising.”

“I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to conduct a year-long study on equine wounds working closely with The BHS and horse owners. Valuable data collected could be the beginnings of important findings that could have widespread impacts on how both vets and owners manage and treat wounds in the future, ultimately aiming to improve the health and welfare of horses."

Once the results are analysed, the BHS and the University’s equine veterinary team hope to develop new, freely-accessible educational resources to help improve owners’ recognition and care of wounds. 

Emmeline Hannelly, BHS Welfare Education Manager said: “We are very pleased to support the University of Nottingham with this new research project. We understand it can be an anxious time for horse owners when their horse is injured, and we want to hear from them no matter how small the wound may be. Owners sometimes have to deal with extremely variable wounds, and decisions about how to treat and what to apply to the wound can be worrying, as some treatments may be detrimental to healing.”

The Equine Wound Project website can be found at www.bhs.org.uk/wounds

Horse owners who contribute to the project website have the chance to enter a free prize draw with a fantastic range of prizes on offer throughout the year.