EEHNC - Congress - Ghent, 2006

The impact of nutrition on the equine athlete is often underestimated, although the condition of the horse and its performance are often related to feed. Many efforts have been made to understand equine nutritional physiology. Interactions with human research and findings in the bio-industry have contributed to the understanding within the horse community.

Still many questions remain unanswered. The discussion about the potential health effects of feed should be continued, especially in relation to sport performance, training and well-being of the horse. The relations between breed, prevention, cure, metabolism, feeding habits and nutrition still have many areas of discussion. Practical experience and scientific research should combine their efforts in finding solutions to pending problems.

A group of individuals, institutions and companies has set up a multidisciplinary approach to understand the influence of feed on equine health. The organizing committee invites all researchers, veterinarians, universities, feed industry, nutritionists, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry, breeders, professional horse men/women and their co-workers, sport federations and educative institutions to participate in this learning process.