Vet students will be better prepared to tackle a common condition in horses by practising on the first life-size equine model of its kind in the UK.

The anatomical model will enable students at the niversity's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies to improve their diagnosis of colic, which affects many horses during their lifetime and can be life-threatening.

It contains large intestines and other organs made of latex that can be inflated to different degrees to help familiarise students at the university with the condition.

The equine colic simulator has been imported from Canada. It enables students to identify colic, which causes abdominal pain and is a leading cause of premature death in horses, by performing an internal examination of the horse's intestines and sampling for free fluid in their abdomen.

The model also has the potential to help students develop their ability to identify reproductive problems in mares.

Dr Catriona Bell, senior lecturer in veterinary education at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: "The realistic attributes of these models will allow students to learn and then refine their basic dexterity and practical skills before undertaking the procedures on live animals. This is not only safer and less stressful for the students, but is also importantly a more welfare-friendly way of learning."