The Horse Trust has awarded three new grants to support scientific research during 2008.
The charity has been providing grants to improve equine welfare since 1965 and excellent progress is being made into the diagnosis and prediction of some of the most complex equine ailments.
This year, Dr June Swinburne of the Animal Health Trust has been awarded £113,615 for her work in identifying the genetic defect in Fell pony syndrome — a condition that compromises the immune system of Fell ponies — and to Dr Martin Weaver of the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, £188,155 for his study into laminitis pain.
Dr J Matthews of the Department of Parasitology at Moredun Research Institute has been granted £241,822 to fund work into identifying resistance in small redworms.
The charity has also awarded five clinical scholarships to veterinary students over the past three years.
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (7 February, ’08)