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Programme
Your complete guide to BEVA Congress, packed with expert speakers discussing the issues that matter and over 50 sessions to choose from across the programme.
Newshour: the year in review
Chair to be confirmed
A rapid round‑up of the year’s biggest developments across qualitative research, medicine, sports medicine, orthopaedics and surgery.
8:45 Qualitative and social
9:05 Medicine
9:25 Sports medicine and orthopaedics
9:45 Surgery
08:45
Hall 1
Donkeys
Chair to be confirmed
An in‑depth look at what makes donkey care unique, from PPID and parasites to hospital care, pain assessment and welfare.
8:35 PPID: what's different about the donkey?
8:55 GI parasites: what's different about the donkey?
9:10 Care of the hospitalised donkey
9:30 Objective pain assessment in the donkey
9:50 Discussion
08:35
Hall 5
Modern equine veterinary buisness
Chair to be confirmed
An overview of the financial and operational realities of equine practice, exploring EVN roles, CMA impacts, business models and future‑proofing.
8:30 What is the business case for EVNs in frontline equine practice?
8:50 What's the future of equine veterinary businesses post CMA?
9:10 How do the finances of first opinion equine practice work?
9:30 Can equine practices learn from farm practice buisness models?
9:50 Discussion
08:30
Hall 9
Wound Management
Chair to be confirmed
A practical session covering wound closure, topical treatments, advanced surgical techniques and challenging real‑world cases.
8:35 Achieving closure - tips for closing acute wounds
8:55 Wound creams and potions, which one and when?
9:10 Advanced surgical techniques: plastic and reconstructive surgery for wounds
9:30 My worst case ever - case presentations by all speakers
9:50 Discussion
08:35
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
08:30
Hall 8b
Opening address and John Hickman Memorial Lecture
Chair to be confirmed
BEVA’s presidential welcome followed by a keynote exploring how veterinary practice shapes equine welfare.
10:50 Opening Address Imogen Burrows, BEVA President
11:10 John Hickman Memorial Lecture
Threads, patterns and boundaries - understanding veterinary influence on equine welfare
10:50
Hall 1
BEVA AGM and Awards
Chair to be confirmed
An update on BEVA’s activities, achievements and strategic direction, with presentation of annual awards.
12:00
Hall 1
Laminitis
Chair to be confirmed
A comprehensive update on laminitis risk, advancing diagnostics, farriery approaches and the impact of box rest from the horse’s perspective.
13:30 Understanding laminitis risk
13:50 What's new in laminitis? Advances in imaging, understanding pathology and treatment
14:20 The role of the farrier: what are we trying to achieve?
14:40 Prison cell or holiday stay? What does the horse feel about box rest?
15:05 Discussion
13:30
Hall 1
Injury prevention in equine athletes
Chair to be confirmed
Insight into preventing injuries in horses from leisure to elite level through monitoring, imaging, conditioning and risk reduction.
13:40 Injury prevention in the pleasure horse
13:55 Regular clinical monitoring of competition horses
14:15 Diagnostic imaging in injury prevention
14:35 Training and conditioning of bone in Thoroughbreds
14:55 Equine fatalities in equestrian sport - which are preventable?
15:15 Discussion
13:40
Hall 5
Reproductive emergencies for the ambulatory vet
Chair to be confirmed
A practical guide to foal resuscitation, dystocia, safe youngstock handling, older foal medicine and stud‑vet welfare.
13:50 On farm neonatal foal resuscitation and management
14:10 Dystocia: a practical approach to actions and decision making
14:35 Keeping humans and patients safe: handling and sedation of young horses
14:50 The pyrexic older foal
15:10 Welfare of the stud vet
15:25 Discussion
13:50
Hall 9
Preventing pain and protecting patients
Chair to be confirmed
Strategies for improving patient safety through checklists, safer anaesthesia, speaking up, pain recognition and multimodal analgesia.
13:45 Pre-anaesthetic check and checklist, are they useful for preventing harm to our patients?
14:00 General anaesthesia, can we make it safer?
14:20 Speaking up for patient safety. When to do it and how to do it effectively
14:45 Recognition of chronic pain by vets and owners
15:05 Practical analgesia beyond NSAIDs
15:25 Discussion
13:45
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
13:30
Hall 8b
Moral maze: equine welfare - our constant
Chair to be confirmed
A panel debate on the complexities, challenges and evolving expectations of equine welfare.
Panellists to be confirmed
16:00
Hall 1
Lasers in equine practice
Chair to be confirmed
An exploration of surgical and therapeutic laser use, from tumour treatment to transendoscopic techniques and myth‑busting.
16:00 An introduction to laser surgery and types of laser
16:15 CAT: is laser surgery effective for treatment of cutaneous neoplasia
16:35 Transendoscopic laser surgery: indications and potential complications
16:55 Therapeutic lasers: facts or fiction
17:15 Discussion
16:00
Hall 5
Employers
Chair to be confirmed
A practical session on managing performance, tackling discrimination, supporting careers and implementing flexible working in equine practice.
16:05 How to manage underperforming employees and help them change
16:25 Discrimination in veterinary practice: confronting reality and changing it
How to support career development and retain team members
17:00 How can flexible working work in equine practice
17:20 Discussion
16:05
Hall 9
Pre-purchase imaging: how much is too much?
Chair to be confirmed
A discussion of the role and limits of radiography, ultrasound, MRI and CT in PPEs for different types of horses.
15:55 Should we radiograph the pleasure horse for PPEs
16:10 Radiography in international sales
16:30 Ultrasound, should we do it? Can we interpret it remotely?
16:50 Prepurchase MRI and CT - worthwhile investment or a can of worms?
17:10 Discussion
15:55
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
16:00
Hall 8b
Lameness diagnosis: to block or not to block
Chair to be confirmed
A balanced discussion of diagnostic analgesia, its limitations, differing philosophies and the role of objective gait analysis.
8:40 Limitations and pitfalls of diagnostic analgesia
9:05 Why do I block horses religiously?
9:25 Why I don't block most cases
9:50 How much do I rely on objective gait analysis when blocking horses?
10:10 Discussion
08:40
Hall 1
Dermatology
Chair to be confirmed
Updates on exotic skin diseases, electrochemotherapy, allergy testing and vaccine use in equine dermatology.
08:50 Exotic skin diseases that might come to the UK
09:05 Electrochemotherapy for melanomas and sarcoids
09:25 Serology for the pruritic horse, useful diagnostic or delaying tactic until the steroids work?
9:45 When are vaccines useful for atopic dermatitis?
10:05 Discussion
08:50
Hall 5
Assisted reproduction and the competing horse
Chair to be confirmed
Guidance on managing stallions and mares in competition while optimising breeding outcomes.
08:45 Assisted reproduction, setting up for success
09:05 Managing the breeding and competition stallion
09:35 How to breed with a competing mare
10:05 Discussion
08:45
Hall 9
Practical equine nursing
Chair to be confirmed
Core nursing skills covering anaesthetic safety, critical care, lab interpretation and radiography technique.
08:40 Keeping horses safe under anaesthesia: the Nurse's role
09:05 On the front line: critical care mastery for equine vet nurses
09:25 From sample to sense: interpreting lab results in equine nursing
09:45 Picture perfect: mastering equine x-rays as a nurse
08:40
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
08:30
Hall 8b
Lameness and diagnostic imaging case discussion panel
Chair to be confirmed
A live case‑based panel exploring lameness assessment and imaging interpretation.
11:00
Hall 1
Medicine use and abuse
Chair to be confirmed
A critical look at medication rules, controversial substances, environmental impacts and the future of equine drug innovation.
10:45 Doping rules and detection times. Bastions of clean sport or a game to be played?
11:05 Omperazole use in competition. Is there a basis for restricting it?
11:25 Lifestyle drugs: if they improve quality of life what's not to like?
11:45 Which medicines are most environmentally damaging and what should we do?
12:05 Are 'specials' the only viable route for innovation in the development of equine medicine?
12:30 Discussion
10:45
Hall 5
The first year of life
Chair to be confirmed
A holistic look at foal development, from microbiome and weaning to fostering, health and orthopaedic growth.
10:45 The foal biome
11:05 How to wean foals well
11:25 Fostering foals: how, when and why?
11:45 How to grow a healthy foal: medical and social development
12:05 How to grow a healthy foal: orthopaedic and musculo-skeletal development
12:25 Discussion
10:45
Hall 9
Nursing: prioritising welfare in our patients and team
Chair to be confirmed
A welfare‑focused session on reducing stress, enriching hospital care, recognising pain and supporting nursing resilience.
11:00 "Keep the bloody thing still!" Taking the stress out of procedures and handling for calm
11:25 "Enjoy your stay". Enriching the environment for hospitalised horses
11:45 Seeing what horses can't say: the vital role of nurses in equine pain care
12:10 Staying in the saddle: thriving, not just surviving in equine nursing
12:35 Discussion
11:00
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
10:30
Hall 8b
Peter Rossdale Clinical Evidence Lecture
Chair to be confirmed
A keynote on building better veterinary care through practice‑based evidence.
Beyond gut feelings: building better care from practice based data
13:55
Hall 1
Controversies in orthopaedic surgery
Chair to be confirmed
A debate on the necessity of angular limb corrections, pre‑sale fragment removal and ‘sales‑driven’ surgical decisions.
15:30 Transphyseal screws and other angular limb surgeries. How many are really necessary?
15:50 Pre-sale fragment removal - treating the x-ray or the patient?
16:10 Panel discussion: 'sales enhancing' orthopaedic procedures
15:30
Hall 1
Neurology
Chair to be confirmed
Updates on seizures, imaging choices and the causes and management of equine sleep disorders.
15:35 Advances in the understanding of seizures and epilepsy
16:00 Neuroimaging: which modality is best and what's pratical?
16:25 Sleep disorders: why do they occur, what can we do?
16:50 Discussion
15:35
Hall 5
The pregnant mare
Chair to be confirmed
Guidance on emergency management, laminitis, size‑related clinical challenges and early pregnancy loss.
15:40 Management of medical emergencies in the pregnant mare. Which medicines can I use?
16:00 Managing laminitis in the pregnant mare, should we and how do we?
16:20 Size variation from breeding drafts to ponies: how to provide the best treatment in all cases
16:35 An update on early embryonic loss
16:55 Discussion
15:40
Hall 9
Equine veterinary nursing profession
Chair to be confirmed
Insights into career pathways, dual‑qualification, empowerment and ethical challenges in equine nursing.
15:40 The VN Vision Project
16:00 Nurse by nature, dentist by design: a dual-qualified equine expert
16:!5 From hesitant to heard: empowering equine nurses in the workplace
16:30 On the road with responsibility: ethics in ambulatory equine nursing
16:50 Discussion
15:40
Hall 10
Diversification in practice
Chair to be confirmed
Exploration of varied veterinary career routes from education and research to welfare, regulation and forensics.
15:30 Combining clinical work and veterinary education
15:40 Mixing research and clinical practice
15:50 Working as a BHA veterinary officer
16:00 Working as a riding establishment inspector
16:10 Veterinary forensics and expert witness work
16:25 Working in the welfare sector home and away
16:35 Discussion
15:30
Hall 8b
Everyday orthopaedics: no foot, no horse
Chair to be confirmed
A practical look at common foot conditions, their diagnosis and management in first‑opinion practice.
09:00 Digging deep: problematic solar abscesses, white line disease and pedal osteitis
09:20 Troublesome hoof capsule diseases: thrush, canker and cracks
09:40 Foot pain, diagnosis and decision making in first opinion practice
10:00 Sidebones, when are they a problem
10:20 Discussion
09:00
Hall 1
Changing climate, changing diseases?
Chair to be confirmed
An update on emerging disease threats including WNV, AHS, tick‑borne infections and national surveillance efforts.
09:00 Are we ready for West Nile Virus? How to spot it, when is it coming?
09:20 African Horse Sickness, what is it and is it a threat here?
09:40 Tick bourne disease threats
10:00 Surveillance for new disease incursions. What are the APHA doing?
10:20 Discussion
09:00
Hall 5
Nutrition
Chair to be confirmed
Key principles of equine nutrition covering basics, ulcers, protein use in laminitics and refeeding strategies.
09:10 How to feed a horse: basic nutrition for the equine vet
09:30 Tips for feeding the ulcer prone horse
09:45 Does protein matter when feeding the laminitic?
10:00 Refeeding the thin or debilitated horse
10:15 Discussion
09:10
Hall 9
Dentistry in first opinion practice
Chair to be confirmed
Core dental knowledge from anatomy and prophylaxis to fracture recognition and case decision‑making.
09:15 Functional dental anatomy
09:35 Dental prophylaxis - what's the evidence it improves equine welfare?
9:50 How to spot fractured cheek teeth and decide what to do
10:20 Discussion
09:15
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
09:00
Hall 8b
Everyday orthopaedics: chronic conditions
Chair to be confirmed
Management strategies for chronic pain, tendon lesions, distal hock issues, analgesia trials and whole‑horse rehabilitation.
11:00 Chronic OA and degenerate soft tissue lesions. Managing cases and when do they become a welfare concern?
11:20 Troublesome cobs: digital flexor tendon sheath and annular ligament
11:40 Spavin or suspensory? Challenges in diagnosis and treatment of distal hock pain
12:00 Analgesia trials: when to do them and how to do them well
12:20 Whole horse rehab, how to avoid the development of unwanted behaviours
12:35 Discussion
11:00
Hall 1
Opthalmology 1
Chair to be confirmed
Practical ophthalmology essentials including examinations, pain management, uveitis, ultrasound and SPL placement.
11:00 How to perform a good optho exam in first opinion practice
11:20 Recognising and treating occular pain
11:40 Uveitis: when steroids aren't enough
12:00 Occular ultrasound: tips and interpretation
12:20 How and where to place an SPL?
11:00
Hall 5
Contextualised care - what does it mean?
Chair to be confirmed
A discussion on balancing client needs, animal welfare, future planning and team wellbeing, supported by real cases.
10:55 Contextualised care: finding what's right for the client
11:15 Doing what's right for the animal, not just what's ideal
11:35 Future-focused decisions that balance horses' welfare with the realities of care
11:55 Why delivering contextualised care is important for wellbeing in veterinary team?
12:15 Case discussion
10:55
Hall 9
Respiratory medicine
Chair to be confirmed
10:55
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
11:00
Hall 8b
Urgent surgery on the yard
Chair to be confirmed
A guide to managing field‑side surgical emergencies, from castration complications and skull fractures to abdominal wall injuries, acute respiratory crises and fracture stabilisation techniques.
13:45 Castration catasrophes in first opinion practice
14:05 Skull fractures: deciding which cases can be managed in general practice
14:25 Abdominal wall injury: how do I know if its serious
14:45 Every breath you take: cases where surgical management is indicated for acute respiratory distress
15:10 The BEVA toolkit for fracture stabilisation: highlights and how to use it
15:25 Discussion
13:45
Hall 1
How does advanced imaging help interpret basic imaging
Chair to be confirmed
An exploration of how insights from CT and MRI improve interpretation of ultrasonography and radiography across the suspensory ligament, fetlock, pastern, neck, stifle and foot.
13:30 What has MRI taught me about ultrasonography of the suspensory ligament?
13:50 Subchondral bone lesions in the fetlock and pastern: lessons learnt from MRI and CT
14:10 What has CT taught me about neck radiographs
14:30 What have I learnt from stifle CT?
14:50 Have CT and MRI made us better at interpreting foot radiographs?
15:10 Discussion
13:30
Hall 5
Bridging the gap: the vets role in clinical behaviour
Chair to be confirmed
A behaviour‑focused session linking physical health, first‑aid strategies, EGUS‑related behaviour, and practical management approaches to support safer, more effective clinical decision‑making.
13:30 First do not harm, does this apply to behaviour too?
Monitoring matters: gathering data on physical health in behaviourally challenging cases
14:05 Behavioural first aid for the general practitioner
14:20 EGUS untangling the web of pain, ulceration, inflammation and behaviour
14:40 EGUS management and prevention beyond omeprazole
15:00 Discussion
13:30
Hall 9
Diagnostic testing - asking the right questions, getting the best answer
Chair to be confirmed
A clear, case‑driven look at when and how to use diagnostic tests for insulin, strangles, cyathostomes, EHV‑1 and foal IgG to ensure meaningful, accurate clinical answers.
13:45 How and when to test insulin: diagnosis and monitoring?
14:00 Is it time to finally stop pre-movement serology for strangles carrier detection?
14:20 Testing for cyathostomes - which test and how to interpret
14:45 EHV-1, which test should I use, when and why?
15:05 CAT - is a point of care IgG test useful for screening apparently healthy foals?
15:20
13:45
Hall 10
Dentistry state of art
Chair to be confirmed
A forward‑looking update on equine dentistry, covering pulpitis pathways, PPID links, fistula management and emerging research developments.
13:30 Molecular pathways of equine pulpitis: why do they matter?
13:50 Are there links between PPID and dental disease?
14:05 Dealing with oro-nasal and oro-sinus fistulae
14:20 Dentistry research spotlight: news and views
14:50 Discussion
13:30
Hall 8b
From stress to success for horses and humans
Chair to be confirmed
A wellbeing‑centred session exploring conflict resilience, trauma‑informed care, cooperative handling and the considered use of psychopharmaceuticals in equine practice.
16:00 Caring through conflict: how to stay whole in the work you love
16:20 Trauma informed equine veterinary care
16:35 Low-stress, high success: cooperative veterinary care
16:55 Messing with mood states: what, when, why and how of psychopharmaceuticals?
17:10 Discussion
16:00
Hall 1
Opthalmology 2
Chair to be confirmed
An advanced look at ophthalmic challenges from vision loss and corneal ulcers to AI‑supported diagnostics and safe, effective enucleation techniques.
15:45 When vision fails: diagnosis, prognosis and welfare considerations
16:05 Corneal ulcer conundrums
16:25 Artifical intelligence and the equine eye: how can your smartphone help?
16:40 How to perform an enucleation safely and effectively
17:00 Discussion
15:45
Hall 5
Advanced orthopaedics: proximal forelimb and caudal neck
Chair to be confirmed
A detailed exploration of diagnosing and treating complex elbow, shoulder and cervical pain, with practical guidance on joint medication and foraminotomy surgery.
15:45 Elbow and shoulder lameness
16:05 Diagnosis of pain of the caudal neck and cervicothoracic junction
16:25 How to medicate the neck and costotransverse joint
16:40 Foraminotomy surgery: indications, outcomes and potential complications
17:00 Discussion
15:45
Hall 9
Imaging the severely lame horse
Chair to be confirmed
A session on using imaging effectively in severe lameness cases, including penetrating foot injuries, wounds, distal limb fractures and septic synovial structures.
16:00 Penetrating foot injury
16:25 Wounds, how and when to image
16:50 My approach to distal limb fractures and septic synovial structures: case studies
17:15 Discussion
16:00
Hall 10
Clinical Research
Chair to be confirmed
A selection of peer‑reviewed clinical research abstracts (final line‑up to be confirmed).
15:30
Hall 8b
Schedule
Modern Equine Veterinary Businesses
What is the business case for EVNs in frontline equine practice?
Hall 9
Cassie Woods
Wound Management
Achieving Closure
Hall 10
tips for closing acute wounds Safia Barakzai
Donkeys
PPID: what's different about the donkey?
Hall 5
Alex Thiemann
Newshour: the year in review
Qualitative and social
Hall 1
Tamzin Furtado
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