Princess Anne underlined her long-standing commitment to equine welfare on Friday afternoon as she attended the World Horse Welfare Annual Conference in London, accompanied by her daughter, Zara Tindall. The event, held at the Royal Geographical Society, brought together international specialists to examine the latest research into horse behaviour and wellbeing.
Princess Anne, who has served as President of the charity since 2000, presided over a programme that invited delegates to consider “the world through the horse’s eyes”. The theme drew on a growing body of scientific work challenging long-held assumptions about equine management and training.
In a keynote address, Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said that advances in behavioural science were reshaping modern understanding of how horses experience their environment.
“We have learned a great deal in recent years,” he said. “Evidence is emerging that obliges us to reassess what constitutes a good life for the horses in our care, and to recognise the limits of what they can and cannot cope with.”
Speakers included veterinarians, researchers, elite riders and animal-care specialists from Europe, Asia and the United States. Sessions were chaired by Caroline Nokes MP, with a discussion panel later led by David Eades, the former BBC presenter.
Zara Tindall, who is a long-standing patron of the charity, contributed to the closing panel, reflecting on what the world looks like through the eyes of a horse.
Zara said: “I think seeing through their eyes is all about partnership, it’s feeling them every day and how different they come out, being receptive to that and working with that.”
Princess Anne’s presence served to reinforce her decades-long association with equestrian affairs and her personal advocacy for rehoming. In 2013 she adopted a horse, Annie, through the charity, and has since encouraged owners to consider rehomed animals. At the time, she observed: “Rehoming offers a clearer understanding of an animal’s background. It allows people to make a tangible difference.”
World Horse Welfare, founded in 1920 following the work of Marta Cunningham with injured servicemen returning from the First World War, now operates internationally. The charity provides rescue, rehabilitation and advocacy programmes and works closely with governments, veterinary bodies and sporting organisations. More than 800 delegates from the UK and abroad registered for this year’s conference, which was also streamed online with simultaneous interpretation.
