A University of Liverpool project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting horse owners and keepers in England to help researchers identify the best methods for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in healthy horses, according to a 16 September 2026 report. In its second phase, the HealthyHorseAMR study planned to use citizen science: participants would register, receive a sampling pack by post with pre-paid return packaging and collection instructions, complete a questionnaire and provide a faecal sample. People responsible for horses, such as trainers, were also encouraged to take part.

The report said the UK has well-established AMR surveillance in some livestock sectors, with harmonised monitoring of healthy pigs and poultry in its 12th year, but gaps remain for companion animals and horses. It said monitoring healthy horses poses different challenges and would require methods tailored to the equine sector. Latest estimates cited approximately 847,000 horses in the UK, including those owned by around 374,000 households and those kept in professional settings such as racing yards.

According to the report, the UK's 20-year vision is to contain, control and mitigate AMR by 2040, delivered through the National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance 2024–2029. Professor Gina Pinchbeck of the University of Liverpool described the project as an important step towards representative surveillance, and Dr Tamsin Dewé, VMD Head of AMR Surveillance and Evidence, said the study would help fill an evidence gap.