Behaviour in focus at BEVA26

Fiona Williams
Mar 30
2 min read

This year’s BEVA Congress builds on the behaviour‑focused content you may have seen in previous programmes, but for the first time, we’re expanding this area significantly by offering two dedicated sessions on equine and human behaviour.

Curated by equine vet and clinical behaviour specialist Roxane Kirton, these sessions highlight one of the fastest‑growing and most relevant areas of modern equine veterinary practice.

We caught up with Roxane to find out what you can expect from this new and exciting area...

Two dedicated sessions

“It’s super exciting that there are two sessions focusing on equine clinical behaviour this year” said Roxane, titled:

Bridging the gap (Saturday, 13:30, Hall 9)- exploring the vet’s role in clinical behaviour cases
From stress to success (Saturday, 16:00, Hall 1) - recognising the stress experienced by both horses and humans, and how to navigate challenging behavioural scenarios

Interest in the area continues to grow, driven by “evolving client expectations around how horses are managed and handled, including in the veterinary setting.”

Roxane also notes the increasing influence of public scrutiny and social licence: “It’s a very topical subject… and super important that vets are really leading the way in these areas.”

Practical tools you can use right away

Both sessions place strong emphasis on real‑world application, no matter your role.

“We’ve tried to make it super practical,” Roxane says. “We want to increase confidence and competence so these difficult situations lead to better outcomes for everyone - the vet team, the clients, and the horses.”

You’ll gain tools for:

Behavioural first aid
Managing stress in horses and handlers
Safer handling strategies
Improving communication in challenging situations

“These situations can really affect our relationships with clients and put us in stressful situations. If we can navigate them better, everyone benefits.”

A Multidisciplinary speaker line‑up

The behaviour sessions feature a diverse range of speakers, many appearing at BEVA Congress for the first time.

Confirmed contributors include:

Milly Jones, equine clinical behaviourist at the RSPCA, on practical behavioural first aid and navigating risky situations safely.
Dr Emma Lethbridge, behaviourist and cognitive neuroscientist, delving into the neurophysiology of fear and trauma in horses.
Dr Karen Hiestand, European specialist in animal welfare ethics and law, exploring the ethical considerations of behaviourally challenging cases and the principle of “first, do no harm.”
Andi Davison, US‑based vet tech and positive psychology practitioner, providing tools to support your own wellbeing during difficult cases.
Alex Wood and Jenny Hindmarsh, UK-based vets offering sessions on ulcer prevention, psychopharmaceuticals and cooperative care.

Supporting social licence through better behavioural practice

“There’s a lot of public focus on the equestrian sector right now - including how we show up as vets.”

Roxane hopes the sessions help the profession demonstrate leadership through:

More empathetic, whole‑horse approaches
Better understanding of behavioural science
Improved communication and decision‑making under pressure

“If the public and clients see a more empathetic, welfare‑based approach, that really helps build trust in vets as the gatekeepers of equine welfare.”