THERE’S been royal approval for the efforts to raise funding for further research into the mysteries of equine grass sickness (EGS).

The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, congratulated the team at Strathearn Eventing for raising £6350 for research into the often fatal disease from its annual hunter trials – the 2018 event takes place, near Perth, on May 27.

This popular annual fixture started in 2012, since when it has raised that fantastic amount of money for EGS research at the Moredun Foundation. In recognition of this, Hazel England and her daughter, Sarah Houlden, attended a recent reception at Moredun to meet the EGSF patron, Princess Anne.

The fund’s spokesperson, Kate Thomson, said: “Congratulations to Sarah and Hazel for this achievement. They run a fantastic fundraiser, but also help raise awareness of this deadly disease.”

Strathearn Eventing’s mother and daughter team have had painful experience with the disease, with five generations of the family breeding horses at the popular Perthshire venue. Hazel’s father bred working Clydesdales long before the current generation of outstanding sports horses came on the scene.

Young horses are at increased risk of grass sickness and as the Englands know, careful management is required to help reduce the risk of the disease. Twenty years ago they nursed a young palomino back to full health after a brush with EGS – not only did the horse make a good recovery it went on to enjoy a full competition career.

The Equine Grass Sickness Fund also called for volunteers to help jump judge at this year’s fixture.

n For further details or to enter the hunter trials please visit

www.grasssickness.org.uk, email info@grasssickness.org.uk or call 0131 445 6257.

Equine grass sickness is a predominantly fatal disease, causing damage to the digestive system. Around 5% of horse can get a milder, chronic form of the disease, which is possible to survive with intensive nursing.

The cause of the disease remains unknown and the Moredun EGS fund is the only UK charity raising funds specifically for research into this distressing disease.