The National Equine Health Survey (NEHS) is an important annual survey run by leading charity Blue Cross, in partnership with the British Equine Veterinary Association. It's a unique opportunity for horse owners to give feedback about the health of their horses, ponies and donkeys so that the most common diseases and problems can be identified, prioritised and addressed.
NEHS is supported by the UK's leading equestrian organisations and charities and sponsored by SPILLERS and Zoetis. It has now been running for 5 years and is already helping our knowledge of horse heath. Participation increased threefold last year, with data collected from over 11 000 horses, ponies, don-keys and mules in the UK, demonstrating the equestrian nation's enthusiasm to do their bit. The results help to establish benchmarks for equine health and disease in the UK and define priorities for future research, training and education. Equine and veterinary colleges and universities also use the data as primary source material.
Last year we discovered more about the rise of atypical myopathy in the UK. Further awareness of this highly fatal disease is now being raised, incidences are being recorded and monitored by UK vets, and further research is continuing.
For the second year lameness was identified as the most common syndrome and there was an apparent increase in laminitis compared with previous years. Last year's results revealed that almost one in five (18.5%) horses were suffering with lameness due to joint disease or other non-foot related problems. The results are consistent with last year's non-foot related lameness figure of 18.6%.
NEHS 2014 also highlighted that laminitis had a much higher prevalence than in previous years (7.1%) with 43% of these recorded as first episodes. Past NEHS results showed a lower number of horses affected by laminitis (4.4% overall prevalence of laminitis, with 25% first episodes, 2013) but further work is needed to confirm if this increase is representative of the total horse population in the UK. This increase may have been linked to last year's mild winter, extensive rainfall and consistently warm spring. These conditions were ideal for flushes of grass growth, known to be a trigger for the disease.
The 2014 survey also highlighted that 20% of owners are unaware of the risk of encysted small redworm and showed that the reported number of overweight horses and ponies had more than doubled since the previous year.
Year on year we are continuing to build a more precise picture of the health of our horses and ponies. The data we collect have become a crucial information resource for the equestrian industry. The annual surveys have shown consistent trends and already challenged some established dogma on disease prevalence, for example laminitis, and validated much of the accepted veterinary opinion, for example on lameness and colic. NEHS is helping us to steer awareness, education and research with the sole purpose of safeguarding the future healthcare of our horses. By giving 5 minutes of your time to complete the survey you can help to make a lifetime of difference.
Visit www.bluecross.org.uk/NEHS or email NEHS@bluecross.org.uk to register. You can also help to spread the word via twitter @bluecrossedu or join our Facebook events page and invite others at https://www.facebook.com/events/399709143522970/