| Research
Associate Programme
In order to further its charitable
aims, the trust actively seeks to develop a network
of Research Associations with interested parties who
wish to further the aims and objectives of the trust
and participate in research studies and projects.
A voluntary position with no attached commitments,
a Research Associate may be any person, business or
institution that applies to and is accepted by the
Trust to collaborate in research studies and projects.
The SRT will play a vital role in the co-ordination
of projects undertaken by its Research Associates,
and enable collaborations with other recognised SRT
Research Associates through its administrative channels.
The broad ranging and complex nature of the SRT’s
work requires many Research Associates from veterinary
institutes, universities and industry who are able
to collaborate in investigating a wide range of performance
indicators.
Applications are also welcomed and invited from research
students whether they wish to further their own projects
or wish to become involved with an existing one.
SRT Associations will bring positive benefits to commercial
enterprises that provide related services and products
by promoting objectivity, scientific validity and
the future possibility of endorsements for products
or services that have been robustly tested and validated
in the field.
The Research Associate programme will promote the
trust and its work, assisting in raising its profile
and public awareness worldwide.
The trust’s work may be:
- offered
for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals
- utilised
by SRT Associates in further research, development
and design projects
- published
as educational articles to inform equine industry
professionals and the horse owning public
- made available
as a resource on the Trust’s website
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If
you are interested in becoming a Research Associate
please contact us here.
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| Current
Research Associates |
Biosense
Medical Ltd - Director of Biomechanics,
Colin Burgess.
Biosense Medical is a distributor of medical equipment
and supplies in the United Kingdom and supplies
specialist equipment for use in biomechanics. They
supply the Tekscan Equine Conformat pressure mapping
system that is used and endorsed by the SRT. The
system has been robustly tested for equine use by
the trust.
www.biosensemedical.com/
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Animal Health
Trust - The
Centre for Equine Studies (CES) of the Animal Health
Trust (AHT)
The CES provides a state of the art comprehensive
referral service for the investigation of all types
of lameness and poor performance in competition
and pleasure riding horses. Our clinicians are world-renowned
experts who are also riders and therefore in an
excellent position to understand performance problems.
We also offer a range of other clinical services,
including ophthalmology (eye problems), oncology
(cancer problems) and dermatology (skin problems).
The AHT is also a leader in infectious disease surveillance.
The CES is internationally recognized for its expertise
in orthopedics, particularly in assessing the causes
of subtle, undiagnosed lameness and poor performance.
Our research work is driven by the clinical cases
and the questions that arise from their investigation,
as we strive to understand better the causes of
various clinical problems and to improve treatment.
To read more about the collaboration between the
CES and the SRT, click here.
ww.aht.org.uk
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University
of Sunderland
The main research currently being undertaken with
the University of Sunderland is a 3 year Doctoral
Research Programme which is being run in conjunction
with the Sports Science and Health faculties. A
research group has been formed within the university
involving several collaborative projects, all of
which will produce their own results and papers.
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Debbie
Symes – BSc (Hons) Sport Science with
Human Biologyy
Currently a PhD student at the University
of Lincoln researching rider kinematics – particularly
asymmetry in movement of the rider and the interaction
with the horse.
Competed advanced level dressage and
currently trains with Dutch team rider Karen Nijvelt
with occasional help from Conrad Schumacher. Originally
involved in dressage coaching (UKCC level II) and
returned to university to acquire sport science knowledge
to compliment coaching but the academic bug took over!
Symes, D. and Ellis, R. (2009) A preliminary
study into rider asymmetry within equitation. The
Veterinary Journal, 181(1), pp. 34-37
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Amanda
Sutton - MCSP ACPAT Cat. A - Equine
Physiotherapist
Suttons Animal Physiotherapy Practice, Hampshire
Amanda has been treating animals since 1988, is an
international lecturer on the subject of veterinary
physiotherapy, British Equestrian Team therapist and
author.
An expert in treating muscular-skeletal conditions,
she uses a combination of soft tissue manipulation
and joint mobilization techniques.
www.animaltherapy.co.uk/
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Central
Scanning
Central Scanning was established in
2006 by Nick Godfrey to offer a digitising and reverse
engineering service.
The 3D hand held white light scanning system is very
fast, digitising at a rate of up to 15 images per
second. It does not need target markers or reference
systems to position the scans, making scanning simple.
The scans are automatically aligned using clever software
algorithms. Data processing is very intuitive using
3 steps to generate the following file formats.
The system is utilised within aerospace, medical,
rapid prototyping and the film industries.
Typical applications also include archaeology,
architecture, arts, heritage and motor sport.
www.central-scanning.co.uk
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Pegasus
ETB
Dr. Diana Hodgins MBE, Dsc Honorary
(left) is the Managing Director of ETB, who have
developed the Pegasus system.
Jo Green (middle) is an amateur dressage
rider competing at local level on her mare. Jo has
developed her business skills working for a global
blue chip company and is now enthusiastically using
her experience to promote Pegasus, particularly
for Dressage riders like herself.
Jessica Dilliott (right) is the Equine
Sales Manager for Pegasus and has graduated from
Nottingham Trent University with a Bsc (Hons) Equine
Sport Science. Jessica is particularly interested
in horse and rider biomechanics, and quantitative
assessment of gait. She has recently completed a
preliminary investigation into objective versus
subjective assessment of dressage movements and
hopes to continue her research in this area.
www.pegasus.uk.com
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Emma
Halliday - MRes student at the University of
Plymouth.
Having completed an FdSc Equine Sports Performance
and Coaching, Emma then went on to the BSc (Hons)
Equitation top up course at Duchy College. Emma is
particularly interested in rider performance and has
recently presented a study into the 'Physiological
Measures of Fitness of riding and non riding athletes'
at the International Society of Equitation Science
conference in Sweden. In the future Emma would like
to expand upon this research and hopes to help riders
improve their performance.
Academia aside Emma is passionate about the breeding
and production of sport horse and ponies and enjoys
producing her homebreds from foals to competition.
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Solution
Saddles
Solution Saddles supports the Saddle Research
Trust by donating time, resources and also £50 from
the sale of each SMART Saddle.
As well as this, several Solution Saddles have
been used in some of the testing that has been completed
to date. As Solution Saddles are different to traditional
saddles, they have been a useful tool in pinpointing
changes between saddle designs.
www.solution-saddles.co.uk
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Alex
Jakob-Whitworth - MA,
MIPTI, EThPK, PGCE
Alex has been involved with horses all her life
and it is through her work as an Equine Massage
Therapist that she has become more involved in the
equine back and the demands made upon it.
She trained at the world famous Yorkshire Riding
Centre with Jane and Christopher Bartle, competed
up to Elementary in Dressage and has started her
own young horses.
Her business, “Equine Awareness”, focuses
on Equine Massage and the holistic well-being of
horses and their riders. She runs workshops and
clinics in Equine Massage, Behaviour, Anatomy, Handling
and Groundwork, and Tack Awareness.
She is currently extending her studies (Professional
Diploma in Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation) into
equine biomechanics as she believe that this can
greatly enhance our understanding of how the horse
and rider function as a pair, as well as increase
knowledge of the subtle differences that different
equines exhibit depending on the stresses made on
them.
www.equine-awareness.co.uk
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Tim
Pigott - BSc(Hons) MCSP MACPSM PGcMSK
The
Performance Clinic
Tim graduated in 2003 at Northumbria
University and since then has gone onto gain qualifications
from the Society of Orthopaedic Medicine and is
working towards his masters degree in manipulative
therapy. A passionate sportsman, Tim competes in
Triathlon and is a contributor to TriathlonPlus
magazine. Tim is a Triathlon Coach at Ryton Triathlon
Club, the North East Regional Academy and Athletes
With A Disability (AWAD) age group athletes.
Tim is Head Physiotherapist at Durham
City Rugby Football Club and is physiotherapist
for Team VIper (Visually Impaired Triathlon Team).
www.theperformanceclinic.co.uk
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| Jane
Cherry - BHS
II, RDA I, Washington Riding
Centre
My passion is 'the horse' and if
I can train people to have a greater understanding
when riding and handling then this is all to the good.
After achieving my BHS AI I got a
job at Washington Riding Centre as an instructor/trainer.
Basically the day to day running of the yard and overseeing
the health and well being of the 30 horses at the
Centre.
I also have a great interest in the
RDA and sat the RDA Instructors exam in 2004. This
means I can instruct at any RDA centre in the UK.
www.washingtonridingcentre.co.uk |
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Former
Research Associates |
Hayley
Edwards -
MRes
student at University of Plymouth
Hayley
has just completed a Foundation Degree in Equine
Sports Performance and Coaching and a BSc (Hons) Equitation
Science (Top-up) at Duchy College.
Over the past two years Hayley has
presented work at the International Society of Equitation
Science (Sydney- The effect of rider position on the
horses stride length at canter; Sweden- Perceived
rider rein contact and the effect of the horses stride
and step length at walk and trot).
Hayley is hoping to pursue a career
that involves research as she feels it is important
to educate horse owners on how their actions are affecting
horses, using quantifiable data, to improve the welfare
of the horse. |
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| Grace
Maxwell – Maxwell Equine Therapy
MSc Equine Science,
Masters McTimoney Animal Manipulation
Grace completed
an honours degree in Equine Science from the University
of Limerick, Ireland, graduating at the top of her
class and winning the Ford Prize for excellence. She
proceeded to complete a Master of Science degree by
research based on equine Virology at the Irish Equine
Centre, Kildare. Her thesis; Real-time RT-PCR for
the Detection and Quantitative Analysis of Equine
Rhinitis Viruses resulted in publication of a paper
of the same title in the Equine Veterinary Journal.
After spending
time working in various yards in Ireland, England
and America, and running a successful breaking and
pretraining business, Grace obtained a Masters Degree
in McTimoney Animal Manipulation. Her thesis, A comparison
of the Forces Acting on the Horse’s Back under a Half-Tree
and Full-Tree Race Exercise Saddle at Walk and Trot,
very kindly facilitated by the SRT and Tekscan, obtained
a distinction and won the Dorothy Waring Prize.
As Maxwell
Equine Therapy Grace provides McTimoney treatment
and massage for horses and dogs in Wiltshire and surrounding
counties, and all over Ireland.
www.maxwellequinetherapy.com/ |
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| SRT
Support Team |
Emily
Howe
Emily
brings with her a wide skill base, having been involved
with horses for most of her life. She has a keen interest
in the scientifical development of saddle fitting
and will play a key role in assisting during SRT study
days.
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Emily's horse Tom, before and after his rehabilitation
under Emily's care. |
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