Role
Dr Kelly Yarnell is Principal Lecturer in Equine Health & Welfare within the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University. In this role, she leads academic teams delivering high-quality teaching and internationally recognised research across Animal and Equine Science disciplines as well as overseeing the integrated foundation year for the school. Kelly oversees curriculum design and quality assurance for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, ensuring innovative and inclusive learning opportunities and driving innovation in assessment and student experience
Kelly teaches and supervises students in equine health, welfare, and applied animal science, embedding authentic assessment and industry engagement into the curriculum. Alongside teaching, she leads interdisciplinary projects and knowledge exchange initiatives, including award-winning equine health communication campaigns in partnership with the British Horse Society. She also manages international collaborations, including student exchange programmes and immersive field courses in Switzerland and Kentucky, which foster global perspectives in equine performance and welfare.
Kelly's research focuses on equine health and welfare, stress physiology, and sustainable veterinary practices. Current projects include the development of medical and nutritional technologies, novel diagnostics, and treatments for equine gastrointestinal, ophthalmological and reproductive health. Kelly was part of the team that produced the worlds first equine rare breed sexed semen foal using genetic analysis to maintain breed genetic diversity
Kelly is also Academic lead for interdisciplinary projects and collaborations, for the university wide Student Knowledge Exchange Network.
Career overview
Kelly has built an academic career focused on equine health and welfare. she originally trained as a veterinary nurse before studying for a BSc in Equine and Human Sport Science. She then worked as a Welfare Executive for the British Horse Society before joining Nottingham Trent University in 2007 as a PhD researcher, investigating physiological and behavioural indicators of stress in domestic and wild species. Following completion of her doctorate in 2012, she contributed to veterinary education as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Nottingham before returning to NTU as Senior Lecturer in 2014 and was appointed Principal Lecturer in Equine Health & Welfare in 2018.
Kelly’s research is internationally recognised, focusing on equine welfare, stress physiology, and sustainable veterinary practices. She has secured significant research funding, published widely in peer-reviewed journals, and contributed to global knowledge exchange initiatives. Her work has been acknowledged through multiple awards, including the British Horse Society Award for Service to Equine Welfare and the UK Knowledge Exchange Award (Public Vote) in 2025. Kelly was awarded the Vice Chancellors Award for Inspirational Teaching in 2018 and the Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Practice in 2025.
Kelly holds a PGCHE, Senior Fellowship of the HEA and received recognised research supervisor status from the UKCGE in 2025. She also holds an executive leadership qualification from the Saïd Business School
Research areas
Current research projects include:
- Assessment of Equine Housing for optimum welfare and performance
- Development of medical and nutritional technologies to improve equine gastrointestinal, ophthalmological, and reproductive health.
- Novel diagnostics and sustainable treatments for parasitic control in equines
- Genetic analysis and reproductive technologies to support rare breed conservation.
In addition to equine-focused research, Kelly collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving wildlife species, including free-ranging brown bears, hedgehogs as well as human athletes. These studies contribute to broader conservation and biological science.
External activity
Kelly is actively engaged in external roles that complement her academic expertise in equine health and welfare. She serves as a member of the British Eventing Equine Welfare Advisory Board and the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Advisory Group for the British Horse Society, contributing to policy development and welfare standards across the equestrian sector.
She is the key liaison for the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) at NTU and regularly advises on equine welfare legislation updates for the Scottish Government. Kelly also acts as an international consultant on equine welfare, providing expertise in the UK, USA, Switzerland, and Africa.
Kelly's external activities ensure strong links between academia, industry, and policy, enhancing the impact of her research and teaching.
Publications
Naderi M, Palme R, Yarnell K, Çoban E, Çoban AK, Kusak J and Şekercioğlu ÇH (2025) Stress responses in free ranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) in eastern Türkiye. Front. Vet. Sci. 12:1639623. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1639623
Robertson, T., Thomas, E., Starbuck, G., Yarnell, K. 2024 Global distribution and gap analysis of equine housing research: The findings so far and where to go next. Animal Welfare, 33, e58, 1–18 https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.64
Couldwell, F., Cave, G., Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G. 2023 Phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol-loaded-cyclodextrins can replace egg yolk in the cryopreservation of equine spermatozoa. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104584.
Jolivald, A., Ijichi, C., Hall, C., Yarnell, K. 2022 The mane factor: compliance is associated with increased hair cortisol in the horse. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105819
Mabbutt, C., Yarnell, K., de Godoy, R, F. 2022 A short term hindlimb massage programme can improve gait symmetry in riding school horses. Comparative Exercise Physiology, https://doi.org/10.3920/CEP220022
Jolivald, A., Yarnell, K., Hall, C., Ijichi, C. 2022. Do you see what I see? Investigating the validity of an equine personality questionnaire. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105567
Vigoroux, L., Jolivald, A., Ijichi, C., Yarnell, K. 2021 Learning ability and physiological stress response of horses (Equus caballus) undergoing discrimination and reversal learning tasks using a touch screen, Journal of equine Veterinary Science DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103552
Dell, A., Curry, M., Hunter, E., Dalton, R., Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G., Wilson, P.B. 2021. 16 Years of Breed Management brings substantial improvement in Population genetics of the endangered Cleveland Bay Horse, Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8118
Dell, A., Curry, M., Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G., Wilson, P.B. 2020. Mitochondrial D-loop sequence variation and maternal lineage in the endangered Cleveland Bay horse. PLoS ONE doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243247
Dell, A., Curry, M., Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G., Wilson, P.B. 2020. Genetic Analysis of The Endangered Cleveland Bay Horse: A Century of Breeding Characterised by Pedigree and Microsatellite Data. PLoS ONE 15(10): e0240410. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240410
Ijichi, C., Wild, H., Dai, F., Bordin, A., Cameron-Whytock, H., White, S.J., Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G., Jolivald, A., Birkbeck, L., Hallam, S., Dalla Costa, E. 2020 Dually Investigated: the effect of a pressure headcollar on the behaviour, discomfort and stress of trained horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 232 doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105101
Ijichi, C., Evans, L., Woods, H. Yarnell, K. 2020 The right angle: validating a standardised protocol for the use of infrared thermography of eye temperature as a welfare indicator. Animal, 29, 123-131 10.7120/09627286.29.2.123
Yarnell, K., Starbuck, G., Riley, A., Woodhead, A. 2020 Injury incidence and locomotor behaviours in polocrosse ponies. Journal of Comparative Exercise Physiology. 16 (1): 29-33
Soroko, M., Zaborski, D., Dudek, K., Yarnell K., Gorniak, W., Vardasca, R. 2019 Evaluation of thermal pattern distributions in racehorse saddles using infrared thermography. PLOS ONE, 14(8): e0221622. doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0221622
Soroko, M., Cwynar, P., Howell, K., Yarnell, K., Zaborski, D. 2018 Assessment of saddle fit in racehorses using Infrared thermography. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 63, 30-34. DOI10.1016/j.jevs.2018.01.006
Yarnell, K., Walker, S. L. 2017 Environmental impact on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi). African Journal of Wildlife Research. 47(2): 138–143http://dx.doi.org/10.3957/056.047.0138
Yarnell, K., Walker, S. L., Purcell, R. S. 2017.Glucocorticoid assessment in the domestic horse; the impact of time and climatic variables on sample integrity. Equine Veterinary Journal, DOI:10.1111/evj.12726
Yarnell, K., le Bon, M., Turton, N., Savova, M., McGlennon, A., Forsythe, S. 2016. Reducing exposure to pathogens in the horse; A preliminary study into the survival of bacteria on a range of equine bedding types. Journal of Applied Microbiology. doi: 10.1111/jam.13298
Yarnell, K. 2016 A life less solitary [Editorial] Journal of Equine Veterinary Education, 28 (12) 659-660. DOI: 10.1111/eve.12677
Yarnell, K., Walker, S. L., Purcell, R. S. 2016. Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-Invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids. J. Vis. Exp. e53479, doi: 10.3791/53479.
Yarnell, K., Hall, C., Royle, C., Walker, S.L. 2015. Domesticated horses differ in their behavioural and physiological responses to isolated and group housing. Physiology and Behaviour. 143 p51-57.
doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.02.040
Yarnell, K., Fleming, J., Stratton, T.D., Brassington, R. 2014. Monitoring changes in skin temperature associated with exercise in horses on a water treadmill by use of infrared thermography. Journal of Thermal Biology, 45, 110–116 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.08.003
Yarnell, K., Hall, C., Billett, E. 2013. An assessment of the aversive nature of an animal management procedure using behavioural and physiological measures. Physiology & Behaviour. 118, 32-39.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.05.013
Hall, C., Kay, R., Yarnell, K. 2013. Assessing ridden horse behaviour: Professional judgment and physiological measures. Journal of Veterinary Behaviour: Clinical Applications and Research
doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2013.09.005
Hall, C., Burton, K., Maycock, E., Wragg, E. 2011. A preliminary study into the use of infrared thermography as a means of assessing the horses response to different training methods. Journal of Veterinary Behaviour: Clinical Applications and Research. 6, (5). 291-292. DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2011.05.005
Press expertise
Equine physiology
Equine husbandry and welfare
Infrared thermography
Adrenal assessment
Course(s) I teach on
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Undergraduate | Full-time / SandwichCOURSE
Equine Science - BSc (Hons)
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/course/animal-rural-and-environmental-sciences/ug/bsc-hons-equine-science
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Postgraduate taught | Full-time / Part-timehttps://www.ntu.ac.uk/course/animal-rural-and-environmental-sciences/pg/mres-msc-equine-performance,-health-and-welfare
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Undergraduate | Full-time / SandwichCOURSE
Animal Biology - BSc (Hons)
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/course/animal-rural-and-environmental-sciences/ug/bsc-hons-animal-biology
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Undergraduate | Full-time / SandwichCOURSE
Zoo Biology - BSc (Hons)
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/course/animal-rural-and-environmental-sciences/ug/bsc-hons-zoo-biology