News

Friday 9 June 2006

The Evolution of Equestrian Sport in the Olympics (Dr David Marlin inaugural lecture)

Equine exercise physiologist, Dr David Marlin, gave his inaugural lecture on The Evolution of Equestrian Sport in the Olympics at Nottingham Trent University. The University’s new Visiting Professor was speaking to invited guests, staff and students on the BSc (Hons) Equine Sports Science and FdSc Sports Horse Management and Training courses. 

Dr Marlin provided an interesting background to the Olympics, explaining that competitions involving horses featured as far back as the ancient Olympics. Horse sport was not included when the modern Olympic Games began in Athens in 1896 but reappeared in the Paris games of 1900. It has continued to evolve within the Olympic movement over the last 100 years.

He highlighted some of the problems the sport had faced within the Olympics and how these had been addressed, and indicated there was more research to be done into the use of the horse as a sports horse prior to the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. It is hoped this will provide an ideal opportunity for research projects for students starting the University’s MSc Equine Health and Welfare course in December.

The lecture concluded by looking forward to the Beijing games in 2008 and by highlighting challenges facing the horses, which include transport and the climate.

ENDS

Notes for editors: Dr Marlin’s PhD was based on work undertaken at the Animal Health Trust on the metabolic response to high-intensity exercise and training in the Thoroughbred racehorse. He then worked for three years as an exercise physiologist for racehorse trainer Luca Cumani in Newmarket. From 1993-1996 he undertook studies on thermoregulation and transport of horses relating to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Dr Marlin is renowned in the equine industry and is Sports Science consultant to the British Equestrian Federation, he is the author of a book on equine exercise physiology and over 100 scientific papers and now is editor of Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology.

For more information please contact:

Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8782 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk.

Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8774 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk.