The Equestrian Connection

wehorse - The Online Riding Academy

Every two weeks, wehorse team member Danielle Crowell sits down with trainers, industry experts, and horse people from all over the world to talk about everything related to horses and the equine industry so we can learn and do better as horse-first equestrians.

  1. #94 Understanding Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome with Dr. Ben Skyes

    JAN 18

    #94 Understanding Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome with Dr. Ben Skyes

    Dr. Ben Sykes is a world leading expert on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and is actively changing the way we think, talk about, treat, prevent, and manage gastric ulcers in our horses. He has pioneered research on gastric ulcers with a focus on Equine Glandular Gastric Disease and is a well-recognised speaker at numerous conferences around the world on subjects relating to equine health and Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Dr. Sykes is also a veterinarian with over 28 years of clinical experience and is boarded with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He graduated from Murdoch University in 1997 before completing an internship at Randwick Equine Centre followed by a residency in Equine Internal Medicine in Virginia, gaining his Diplomate Registration in Large Animal Internal Medicine in 2004. He then spent 7 years in Finland as head of the Equine Hospital at Helsinki University, in private practice, and as a visiting Professor in Equine Medicine and Surgery in Estonia. He has a special interest in equine gastric ulcers, with many peer-reviewed publications to his credit, including being the lead author on the 2015 European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in adult horses. Throughout his career Dr. Sykes has worked with a wide range of horses, focusing on high performance horses in racetrack, breeding, and sport horse settings. In this episode, we discuss - you guessed it - ulcers. Our discussion includes what they are, signs to look for, treatment, prevention, and so much more Connect with Dr. Ben Sykes: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.sykes.5095 Email: b.sykes@protekgi.us

    51 min
  2. #92 Expert Perspectives on the FEI Blood Rule with Dr. Michael Köhler & Joachim Geilfus

    12/14/2025

    #92 Expert Perspectives on the FEI Blood Rule with Dr. Michael Köhler & Joachim Geilfus

    The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has changed the so-called Blood Rule in show jumping – sparking debate throughout the equestrian world. This rule concerns how to handle situations in competitions where blood is detected on a participating horse before, during, or after a test. From the date the new regulation comes into force on January 1, 2026, horses will still be able to participate in the competition under certain circumstances despite visible blood, for example in a second round of a Grand Prix or a jump-off. What does this mean for equestrian sport? Why did the FEI General Assembly reach this voting result? And why do many experts see it as a step backward for animal welfare? In this episode, we explore these and other questions together with two insiders who both hold positions within the FEI: veterinarian Dr. Michael Köhler and judge Joachim Geilfus. They explain: • how the controversial vote came about – and why each nation only has one vote • what scenarios could arise at future competitions • what new responsibilities now lie with judges and veterinarians • why they view the rule change critically and what effects they expect An episode for anyone who wants to understand what happens behind the scenes of international sport – and what the decision means for horses, riders and trust in the sport. *Important to note: This podcast episode was originally recorded in German for the wehorse podcast. We used translation software to dub the episode for our English podcast, The Equestrian Connection.

    41 min
5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Every two weeks, wehorse team member Danielle Crowell sits down with trainers, industry experts, and horse people from all over the world to talk about everything related to horses and the equine industry so we can learn and do better as horse-first equestrians.

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