THE British Horse Society (BHS) and the University of Nottingham are inviting horse owners’ input to a new research project designed to give essential information on the best way to heal equine wounds.

On Monday, the BHS teamed up with researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, to launch the Equine Wound Project.

Wounds are a common emergency problem in horses, but at present there is a lack of research into which factors may delay or help common equine wounds to heal.

Therefore, the BHS said there is no clear guidance available for owners about which type of wounds need to be treated by a vet or how long different wounds take to heal.

Horse owners are being asked to contribute to the research project by sharing details and photos of their horse’s initial wound, as well as the subsequent assessment, treatment process and healing outcome.

Information is submitted via Googleforms to the University of Nottingham, who 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.

Emmeline Hannelly, BHS welfare education manager said: “Owners sometimes have to deal with extremely variable wounds, and we want to hear from them no matter how small the wound may be. Decisions about how to treat the wound can be confusing, as some treatments may be detrimental to healing.”

Professor Gary England of University of Nottingham said: “We are delighted to be working together again on this new initiative, working closely with horse owners to gather new evidence on wounds and wound healing.”