Winter weather is on its way

The last two months have seen the year take a distinct turn towards winter, with the nights drawing in, the temperature dropping and rain on the increase – particularly in the wake of Storm Babet. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by the flooding caused by the storm.

Although the rain will benefit horse owners in terms of helping their grass after the hot and dry (ish!) summer, it may lead to fields getting churned up – and owners of light-coloured horses will likely need to pull out a rain sheet to keep their horses clean! Horses are often stabled for longer periods of time over winter, which can lead to an increase in respiratory issues as a result of the increased dust and decreased air flow (Simões et al, 2020). In this issue, Neza Adamič discusses how mesenchymal stem cells may have applications in chronic lung disease (p218), providing a detailed overview on the therapeutic potential of these cells to treat the most common equine lung diseases.