VfCA November Masterclass: Horses and Heat

Join Vets for Climate Action to hear about the impact the heat has on horses from equine medical specialist Dr Lidwien-Elisabeth Verdegaal.

We will also hear from Canter for Climate's Rebecca Gorman, Diana O'Donnell and Amy Curran as they share their experiences with horses in bushfires, Learn about action plans in case of fire, suitable emergency kits, and how to care for horses with burns.

7 - 7:10pm - Introduction and Acknowledgement of Country

7:10pm - 7:40pm Canter for Climate

7:40 - 7:45pm Introduction to Dr Verdegaal 

7:45 - 8:15pm Dr Lidwien-Elisabeth Verdegaal

8:15 - 8:30pm Q&A with Speakers

8:30pm FIN

About the Speakers

Dr Lidwien-Elisabeth Verdegaal is the author of multiple peer-reviewed publications and one book chapter to date. She has also been an invited speaker at international and national conferences during the academic years of her long career caring for horses. Her focus on equine medicine led to 8 years of valuable experience as an Equine Medicine Specialist in private high-profile clinics in Jordan and Kuwait. While there, she was a member of Jordanian and Kuwaiti endurance and jumping FEI committees where she developed her deep ongoing interest in thermoregulation and heat stress.

Canter for Climate

Rebecca Gorman is a former ABC journalist now running a beef cattle farm using Holistic Management principles. Rebecca is a long time supporter of Farmers for Climate Action and set up Canter for Climate to encourage horse owners into positive conversations on climate solutions. Rebecca is on the board of the Australian Holistic Management Cooperative and Sustainable Table and is a member of the Australian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network.

Diana O’Donnell has been a horse rider most of her life and  horse owner for 23 years across Queensland. While in Far North Queensland she was a Pony club instructor but now her riding is on the trail around Noosa Hinterland in S/E Queensland. Diana has worked in agriculture and land care in her professional life and has been a member of the QLD Rural Fire Service for over 10 years. The fire season her region is currently facing emphasised the need to be well prepared for possible fires on her property.

Amy Curran has been involved in the horse industry for over thirty years as a rider and competitor being successful at Royal and National levels. Amy resided in Canberra through the 2003 fires and helped to coordinate the transport of horses from fire affected properties to evacuations points. After the fires, Amy organised gorse food, equipment, donations and deliveries.

Canter for Climate's mission is to support the equine community in understanding and acting on climate change. They believe that horse owners can make a positive climate contribution for horses, and in doing so, encourage better climate action from the industry. It is their goal to inspire discussion and appropriate land management for the changing climate, and its impact on our equine partners, increase environmental responsibility in the equine corporate industry, and offer the equine community opportunities to advocate for action on climate.