A novel horse-riding simulator offers new possibilities for rider training and welfare of the ridden horse. The simulator was developed at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland, as part of a project to monitor body and brain behaviour of both professional and non-professional riders.

Demand for donkey hides, used to make ejiao, has built a lucrative trade industry, endangering the livelihoods of those who rely on them - Half the world’s donkey population could be wiped out in the next five years, as millions are slaughtered to meet the rising demand for “ejiao,” a gelatin-based traditional Chinese medicine derived from boiling the hides of donkeys. Believed to improve blood circulation and treat conditions like anemia, infertility, and impotence, ejiao is found in powders, tonics, cosmetics, and even food products.

Research shows that wells dug by feral donkeys and horses benefit other species and the environment. Erick Lundgren and colleagues studied the behaviour of feral equids in the Sonoran Desert in the Southwestern United States. They found that feral horses and donkeys dig their own wells, which are sometimes up to two metres deep. The wells provide benefits for other species and lead to an increase in biodiversity in the surrounding area.