Ises Rome 2018: the countdown has begun

Rome (ITA), September 12, 2018 – In a few days’ time the world’s leading equine scientists will gather in Rome to share their latest research at the 14th International Equitation Science Conference.This year’s ISES conference features one of the most exciting and varied programmes to date, with over 140 different plenary lectures, oral and poster presentations, workshops and practical demonstrations exploring the best of what’s new in equine science.

The conference theme is Equine welfare: good training, good feeding, good housing, good mental states, good health and good behaviour. Whether you are an equine student, professional, owner or enthusiast the wealth of research to be presented will undoubtedly be thought-provoking.

The four-day programme begins with two innovative workshops: Kate Fenner will be giving delegates the chance to be involved with the development of her ongoing Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ). Attendees will discover how E-BARQ can benefit different areas of the equestrian community and make positive, lasting impacts on horse welfare.

Paolo Baragli, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy, will be exploring emerging technologies and methods to analyse heart rate variability (HRV) in equines. Used correctly, HRV analysis can be a powerful diagnostic tool, helping to measure stress levels, fitness and heart health, potentially giving valuable insight into equine welfare.

After a packed programme of plenary lectures, oral and poster presentations, the last day of the conference promises plenty of informative practical demonstrations:

Dr Sue McDonnell, Adjunct Professor and Head of the Equine Behaviour Program at the University of Pennsylvania will be giving advice on how to keep horses comfortable during healthcare procedures and rehabilitate those who have learned aversions. Some of the most common horse behaviour problems are related to healthcare and examination procedures, such as injections, lifting limbs and taking temperatures. Dr McDonnell will demonstrate how to ensure these procedures are easier for both horse and handler, how to avoid creating further problems, and how to instead reinforce relaxation and compliance.

Dr Barbara Padalino, Assistant Professor at the University of Bari and Hong Kong will teach delegates how to assess horse fitness for transport, which is compulsory in many live animal transportation regulations worldwide. Dr Padalino will demonstrate some simple health checks that horse owners and caretakers can carry out themselves to reduce the risk of transport-related disease.

Dr Pat Harris, Head of the Waltham Equine Studies Group will be discussing the importance of using a Body Condition Score (BCS) system to identify equines at risk of obesity-related health problems. Delegates will learn how to carry out a BCS in a consistent and uniform way so that veterinary advice and appropriate changes in management can be made as soon as possible.

Angelo Telatin, Ass. Professor, Department of Equine Science, Delaware Valley University, United States, and Marco Pagliai, Addestramento Etologico, San Marcello Pistoiese, Italy, will both be demonstrating how you can use the principles of learning to improve communication with your horse, either when riding or training your horse from the ground at liberty, thereby avoiding the confusion and stress that leads to behaviour problems and poor welfare.

Rebecca Gimenez of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue will be demonstrating how barn fire evacuation procedures can be improved with training and practice. Unfortunately, fire prevention and response information often fails to address strategies recommended by fire service personnel for equine facilities. This demonstration will provide practical, tested methods for reducing evacuation times.

ISES Hon. President and Associate Professor at Aarhus University, Janne Winther Christensen is looking forward to this year’s conference. “We have a number of exciting presentations related to the cornerstones for good horse welfare. I look forward to seeing you in beautiful Rome!’

Tickets are now on sale and will be available until the conference begins on September 21st. Tickets are available at a discounted rate to ISES members.

For more information about the programme, speakers, venue, accommodation and tourist information, please visit the conference website here: https://equitationscience.com/conferences/

Ises Press Release