BMC兽医研究editorial adviser Professor Chris Proudman, leads Grand National vet team and chats about improvements to equine welfare

克里斯·普罗德曼（Chris Proudman）教授，负责人萨里大学兽医学院，，，，will soon swap Surrey for the racecourse at Aintree, where he will be part of the team overseeing the health and welfare of horses competing in the world’s most famous steeplechase, theGrand National。

As the National Hunt season comes to an end, the Aintree Grand National Festival begins on Thursday 3rd April with an exciting day of racing, with Ladies Day following on the Friday and the Grand National itself on the Saturday.

这Grand National is steeped in history, crowning the winning horse a champion amongst champions. It is the longest race in the UK horse-racing calendar, covering a distance of 4.5 miles, and tests the skills and endurance of both horse and jockey through a series of demanding fences, includingBecher’s Brook，，，，椅子和运河转。

However, the Grand National is a race that has always divided opinion as to whether the health and safety of participating horses are truly considered.

Professor Proudman has been on the veterinary team for the three day Grand National Festival for more than 15 years and will be part of a team of 11 vets ensuring the highest standards of equine welfare and veterinary care during the festival.

Major advances in veterinary medical knowledge, in conjunction with stricter regulations (covering course irrigation, fence design, landing areas, start procedures, and loose horse catching areas) have seen major improvements in the on-course veterinary care and the subsequent welfare of the racehorses at Aintree over the years. Now, when the dreaded screen comes out, it no longer means the worst for any horse hidden by its veil, but now serves as a privacy measure whilst the vets provide a thorough assessment on the track.

这racehorse’s welfare is paramount

Before the racing gets underway, every competing horse has to pass a thorough veterinary inspection before being allowed to race.这British Horseracing Authority兽医还要照顾马匹识别，对抗兴奋剂控制和赛车规则的执行进行采样。

在活动期间，一支经验丰富的赛马队兽医团队驻扎在课程周围，以便他们可以立即出发参加任何事件。Aintree赛马场拥有自己的现场急救设施，其中包括X射线单元，日光浴室和视频内窥镜检查的最先进的诊断现象是标准配置。

兽医在赛马场工作的重要部分是将轻伤与可能需要进一步调查的更重要的伤害分开马医院在威拉尔的莉哈斯特。

Generally, the Grand National race will see many horses falling over the challenging fences. Common injuries are cuts and hairline fractures. Serious injuries are thankfully few and far between, but thanks to the advanced medical facilities at Aintree and the nearby Equine Hospital, a horse’s chance of survival is now better than ever.

教育人们

Professor Proudman currently acts as a liaison between the racecourse management, the veterinary team, and the media, having provided veterinary treatment for horses for many years. With social media providing a voice to the people on a global scale, incorrect information from the racetrack can provoke heated debate very quickly, giving one of Britain’s most prestigious sporting events a bad name. So what is being done to reassure people that the health and safety of the horses is paramount?

Proudman教授证实，他的角色是“教育媒体和赛马追随者有关Aintree赛马场和赛车行业的认真对待。我将讲述围栏和赛车表面的细致准备的故事，对浇水技术的大量投资以及对比赛中每一匹马的仔细风险评估。”

“自从我刚开始在Aintree工作以来，马的福利和兽医护理的标准已大大提高。该行业在福利研究方面进行了大量投资。在过去的十年中，赛马博彩税板已向赛马健康和福利投资了2500万英镑的研究。这样做的结果是，我们现在可以更安全有效地训练马匹，我们可以创建赛车条件，以最大程度地减少受伤的风险，并且我们能够更好地保护马匹免受使人衰弱的传染病。”

He added, “It’s a very intense three days. More than 600 million people around the world watch the Grand National, an event with a rich and fascinating history. It is a tough challenge, but a fair one, for the very best racehorses in Europe. The winner is rightly lauded as a worthy champion.”

Continuing Research

但是，正如Proudman教授确认的那样，大国家节日的乐趣和游戏不止于此，对运动马的研究（例如改善赛马场设计）的研究绝不耗尽。利物浦大学经常与Aintree赛马场进行乏味，以在这两个设施之间进行研究。利物浦大学马医院是英国最繁忙的一家，专门研究肿瘤学，胃肠病学，骨科和神经病学。此外，回到萨里大学（University of SurreySchool of Veterinary Medicinethis year. This is constructed around the theme that human and animal health is intrinsically linked, which will help to propel veterinary medicine further.

类似于今年大国参加的兽医BMC兽医研究还致力于确保所有动物的安全和福利都得到考虑，尤其是在研究中。此外，成为open-access期刊意味着任何人都可以访问和阅读所有正在发表的优秀研究BMC兽医研究，有助于对兽医研究和动物福利的当前发展提供更广泛的了解。

Our top tip for the Festival may not be the winner of the ‘big race’ itself, but is instead that we should remember the hard work and specialised research that has gone into making the Grand National not only one of the most famous horse racing events of all time, but that the safety, health, and welfare of all participating horses has not been overlooked for the sake of entertainment.