Equine Research Collaboration NetworkShare. Connect. Advance.

Connecting the Global
Equine Research Community

The Equine Research Collaboration Network is building an international, searchable database of equine studies, datasets, and biological resources — designed by researchers, for researchers — to accelerate discovery and foster collaboration across institutions and disciplines worldwide.

11+Disciplines represented
InternationalScope & community
OpenTo all equine research areas
Our Mission

Bridging a Gap in Equine Science

A fragmented landscape

Equine research is conducted by a wide and talented community spanning universities, veterinary institutions, and industry organizations around the world. Yet for all that expertise and effort, the field lacks a shared, accessible record of what work has been done, what data exists, and who holds it.

Valuable datasets, biological samples, and research protocols remain siloed within individual labs, institutions, and companies. Researchers cannot easily discover what resources are available elsewhere, making collaboration harder than it needs to be and leading to unnecessary duplication of effort.

ERCN was created to address that gap by providing a single, trusted place where equine researchers can make their work discoverable, find complementary resources, and connect with colleagues who share their scientific interests.

Built on community input

ERCN's design was shaped directly by the researchers it is intended to serve. Through a large-scale international survey, equine scientists across academia, veterinary medicine, and industry shared what they need from a shared database, such as what information to include, how to search and browse the database, and what would make them willing to contribute their own resources.

The community's message was consistent: what matters most is a trustworthy, well-organized, and easily searchable system with clear governance and standardized descriptions.

Survey respondents spanned a broad range of equine research disciplines — underscoring the need for a database that serves the full breadth of equine science, not just any single specialty.

How We're Building It

Designed Around What Researchers Need

International community input identified four key pillars that are critical to designing and implementing a useful research database. These pillars have been used to guide the design decisions for this effort.

🔍

Easy to Search

Being able to search by topic, condition, data type, and horse population is the foundation of the database. Researchers should find relevant resources quickly, without needing to navigate complex menus.

⚡

Simple to Use

Both finding and submitting resources should feel intuitive, with clear next steps at every stage.

📋

Clear, Standardized Metadata

Each record uses a consistent schema, including study design, horse population, data types, access conditions, so researchers can quickly judge whether a resource may fit their needs.

🔒

Trustworthy Governance

Contributors retain ownership of their data and samples. The database does not hold specific research data; rather, it is meant to be a platform by which collaborations can be built and decisions made regarding control and transfer of study materials.

What the Database Covers

A Broad Range of Equine Research Resources

Survey input guided which resource types and record fields to prioritize, ensuring the database reflects the actual needs of the research community from the outset.

Resource types the database is designed to hold

  • Clinical & health records
    74%
  • Training & workload data
    57%
  • Epidemiologic datasets
    51%
  • Biomarker & omics data
    45%
  • Wearable sensor data
    43%
  • Imaging datasets
    39%
  • Biological sample inventories
    36%

% of surveyed researchers who identified this type as a priority

How every record is structured

Each database entry follows a standardized metadata schema, making records across studies directly comparable. Core fields include:

  • ✓ Study title & summary
  • ✓ Number of horses
  • ✓ Age range & breed
  • ✓ Discipline & use
  • ✓ Study design
  • ✓ Sampling methods
  • ✓ Variables collected
  • ✓ Access requirements
  • ✓ PI & contact info
  • ✓ Linked publications

Join the Network

Registration is free and open to equine researchers worldwide. Apply for membership and, once approved, gain access to the database and the ability to submit your own research records.

Help Us Improve

ERCN is in active development and your input matters. Whether you have a suggestion for a new feature, spotted something that could work better, or just want to share your thoughts — we'd love to hear from you.

Register Your Interest

ERCN membership is open to equine researchers, veterinarians, and research professionals worldwide. Complete the form below and our team will review your application within 5–10 business days.

1
Apply
2
Review
3
Approved
4
Access
Who can apply? ERCN membership is available to academic researchers, veterinary professionals, and research-affiliated industry personnel with a genuine interest in equine science. Applications from students should be co-sponsored by a supervising PI.
Use your institutional email where possible — this helps us verify your affiliation.
Providing a verifiable profile link significantly speeds up the vetting process.
0 / 200 words
Graduate students: Please include your supervising PI's name and institutional email address in this field. This helps us verify your affiliation during the application review.
Having trouble? Email membership@equineresearchnetwork.org to apply directly.

Data Collection & Your Rights

By submitting this application, you are providing ERCN with the following personal information: name, email address, institution, country, primary role, and research areas, along with a brief personal statement. This information will be used to review your membership application, verify your research affiliation, facilitate collaboration contact requests between verified members, and send network communications.

Your data will be stored on servers managed through the University of Kentucky's CreateUKY hosting service, based in the United States. By submitting this form, you consent to this transfer and storage.

The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides individuals whose data will be collected with certain rights. These rights include:

  • The right to access, correct, or request that your data be removed;
  • The right to restrict processing of your data;
  • The right to object to the processing of your data;
  • The right to withdraw your consent without any penalty; and
  • The right to lodge a complaint about the data collection or handling process.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@equineresearchnetwork.org. For full details see our .

Already approved?

Application Submitted

Thank you for applying to join ERCN. Here's what happens next.

✓
Applied
2
Under Review
3
Approved
4
Access
Your application has been received. A confirmation email has been sent to the address you provided.
⚠️ Check your spam folder

Despite our best efforts, ERCN emails are often filtered as spam. If you don't see our email within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder before contacting us.

To prevent this: add membership@equineresearchnetwork.org to your contacts, or add the domain @equineresearchnetwork.org to your safe senders list (supported in Outlook and most institutional email clients).

📧 Watch for these emails from ERCN:
Confirmation receipt: membership@equineresearchnetwork.org
Subject: [ERCN] We have received your membership application
Decision email: membership@equineresearchnetwork.org
Subject: [ERCN] Your membership application

📋 What the review process involves

ERCN reviews all applications to ensure the network remains a trusted community of equine research professionals. The review typically takes 5–10 business days and may include:

  • Verification of your institutional affiliation
  • Review of your stated research interests
  • ORCID or publication record check (where provided)
  • Contact with your supervising PI (for student applications)

📧 What to expect

Once your application is reviewed, you will receive one of two emails:

  • Approval email — includes a link to set your password and access the database
  • Request for additional information — if we need anything further to complete the review

If you have not heard from us within 10 business days, please contact membership@equineresearchnetwork.org.

Member Login

Access is available to approved ERCN members only.

Enter your registered email and we'll send you a secure sign-in link — no password needed.

Not yet a member?

Welcome to ERCN

Let's get your account set up before you explore the database.

1 · Preferences
2 · Quick Tour
3 · Get Started

Communication Preferences

Choose how you'd like ERCN to contact you. You can update these at any time from your account settings.

📧 Email notifications

Search the Database

Browse and filter equine research records submitted by ERCN members. Use the keyword search, filters, or both together to find the most relevant results. Click any record to view full details and request contact with the research team.

🔽 Filter Results — select one or more options in each category

Filtering tip: Multiple selections within the same section return records matching ANY of them. Selections across different sections return only records matching ALL of them.

Submit a Research Record

Add your study, dataset, or biological resource to the ERCN database. Fields marked ✱ are required.

⚠️
Do not include confidential or identifiable information Do not enter any personal information about individual study participants, patient records, proprietary data, or any information that could identify a specific animal or owner. Describe your research in general terms only.
1

Researcher & Contact Information

Principal investigator, data steward, and submitter details

NOTE FOR WEBSITE TESTING: You are welcome to submit real database entries based on your research OR test entries. If you are submitting a test entry, PLEASE START THE TITLE OF THE PROJECT WITH "TEST" so that we can easily clean up these entries prior to going live with the website.
👤 Principal Investigator (PI) The lead researcher who owns or oversees the study or dataset. The PI's name and contact email will be visible to verified ERCN members so they can request collaboration.
🗂 Data Steward The person responsible for day-to-day management of the data or samples — often a postdoc, lab manager, or coordinator. If different from the PI, collaboration requests will be sent to both the PI and the Data Steward.
2

Study Overview

Core description — what researchers see first in search results

Minimize or define abbreviations when possible.
3

Study Design & Topics

Helps researchers evaluate methods and comparability

To maximize searchability, please use standard terminology, common spellings where possible, and include both abbreviations and their full text equivalents (e.g., "complete blood count (CBC)").
4

Horse Population

Enables filtering by cohort characteristics

5

Samples & Data

What samples/datasets are available

6

Welfare, Access, and Availability

How other researchers can request or access your resources

⚠️ Consider Animal Welfare & Informed Consent Restrictions Before submitting, please review whether your IACUC/animal welfare approval and/or any owner consent agreements impose conditions that restrict or prevent sharing of data or samples. You remain responsible for ensuring any collaboration you accept is consistent with your approvals and consent agreements. When in doubt, consult your institutional research or compliance office.
Separate multiple entries with a semicolon. Accepts accession numbers, DOIs, or repository URLs. Required if “Open access” is selected above.
7

Publications, Keywords, and Comments

Comma-separated.

You will be able to review your full submission before it is sent.

Privacy & Cookie Policy

How ERCN collects, uses, and protects your personal data

Last updated: July 2026  ·  This policy applies to the ERCN website at www.equineresearchnetwork.org and its member database.

🔑 Important: What ERCN Does and Does Not Store

ERCN does not store research data or biological samples. The database is a discovery and collaboration platform — it holds descriptive metadata about research (who did what, with how many horses, using what methods) so that researchers can find each other and initiate contact. All decisions about sharing actual data or samples are made directly between researchers, outside of this platform.

📧 Personal Data We Collect Is Minimal

ERCN collects only the information needed to operate the network: your name, email address, institution, country, role, and research areas, along with a brief personal statement submitted as part of your membership application. This information is used to review your application, verify your affiliation, facilitate collaboration contact requests between members, and communicate network updates. We do not collect financial information, special category data, or any research data.

1. Data Controller

The Equine Research Collaboration Network (ERCN) is a not-for-profit international research network and is the data controller responsible for your personal data. Our website is www.equineresearchnetwork.org. For any data protection enquiries, contact us at support@equineresearchnetwork.org.

ERCN's mission is to facilitate collaboration and sharing of information about equine studies so that different parties can get in contact and work out the details for sharing information directly with one another. ERCN acts as the connector — not the custodian of research data or samples.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data in the following contexts:

We do not collect or process special category personal data. We do not store any research data, biological samples, or study datasets — these remain entirely under the control of the contributing researcher and their institution.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

ERCN processes your personal data on the following legal bases under UK and EU GDPR:

4. How We Use Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for commercial purposes.

5. Data Retention

6. International Data Transfers

ERCN is an international network. Your personal data is stored on servers managed through the University of Kentucky's CreateUKY hosting service, based in the United States. If you are based in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA), this means your data is transferred to and processed in a country outside the UK/EEA. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable data protection law (such as standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions). For further information, contact us at support@equineresearchnetwork.org.

7. Cookies

This site uses only strictly necessary cookies — specifically, a session cookie that keeps you logged in while you use the site. This cookie is deleted when you close your browser or your session expires. No analytics, advertising, or third-party tracking cookies are used.

8. Your Rights

Under UK and EU GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, email support@equineresearchnetwork.org. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Security

We use TLS encryption for all data in transit, cryptographically secure single-use authentication tokens (magic links) in place of passwords, Cloudflare security services, and strict internal access controls. We will notify affected members and relevant supervisory authorities promptly in the event of a data breach, in accordance with our legal obligations.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time and will notify members by email of any material changes. The date at the top of this page reflects when the policy was last revised.

Network News

Press releases, announcements, and updates from the Equine Research Collaboration Network.

August 9, 2026
Announcement

ERCN Closed Beta Now Open to Invited Members

The Equine Research Collaboration Network is now open to invited members for our closed beta. ERCN is a searchable database built to connect equine researchers across institutions and disciplines, making it easier to discover relevant work and build meaningful collaborations across the field.

July 20, 2026
Press Release

ERCN Website Goes Live; Closed-Beta Testing to Begin Shortly

The Equine Research Collaboration Network (ERCN) has completed development of its researcher collaboration platform and the site is now live for internal testing. The network is currently conducting structured internal review of all platform features ahead of a closed-beta phase.

A closed-beta, open to a limited group of invited researchers, will begin shortly. Additional information regarding the full public launch and general website availability will be communicated once the closed-beta is complete.

📬 Stay Informed

Subscribe to receive ERCN press releases and announcements by email. No account required.

📰 Media Contact

For media enquiries, interview requests, or press materials, please contact:

info@equineresearchnetwork.org

🌐 Follow ERCN

Stay connected and follow our latest updates on social media.

𝕏 @EqResearchNet

f  facebook.com/equineresearchnetwork

About ERCN

The Equine Research Collaboration Network is a researcher-led initiative. Our mission is to advance equine science through open collaboration, data sharing, and network-building across institutions.

Admin Dashboard

Full administrative access — manage members, submissions, and platform settings.

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Pending Applications
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Approved Members
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Records Awaiting Review
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Live Database Records
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Mailing List Subscribers

Pending Membership Applications

#NameEmailInstitutionRoleResearch Area(s)SubmittedStatusActions

Approved Members

#NameEmailInstitutionCountryResearch RoleAccess LevelJoinedActions

Database Submissions Awaiting Review

#Study TitlePIInstitutionSubmittedStatusActions

Awaiting Researcher Revision

These submissions have been sent back to researchers with revision requests. They will return to the Review queue once resubmitted.

#Study TitlePIInstitutionSent BackActions

Blast Email

Send a message to all members or to members who have opted in to network updates.

⚠️ Review before sending. Blast emails cannot be recalled once sent. An unsubscribe footer is automatically appended to all non-critical messages.

Public Mailing List

Subscribers who signed up via the Network News page to receive press releases and announcements. These are non-members of the network.

3 active subscribers
#NameEmailOrganisationSubscribedStatusActions

Send Announcement to Mailing List

Compose a message to all active mailing list subscribers. This is separate from the member blast email above.

⚠️ This will send to all active mailing list subscribers. An unsubscribe footer is automatically included.

Reports & Export

Filter any data source and export results as an Excel spreadsheet.

Filters

Live Database Records

#Study TitlePIInstitutionStatusActions

Request Contact?

This will notify the PI and Data Steward (if listed) that you are interested in discussing a potential collaboration. Your name and email address will be shared with them.

⚠️ Enter Impersonation Mode?

You are about to view the site as:

All actions will be performed as this member. A persistent red banner will remind you that impersonation is active.

To exit, click Exit Impersonation in the banner at any time.

⚠️ Send Blast Email?

You are about to send the following email:

Subject:
Audience:
Recipients:

This action cannot be undone. The email will be sent immediately.

⚠️ Send to Mailing List?

You are about to send the following email to all active mailing list subscribers:

Subject:
Recipients:

This action cannot be undone. The email will be sent immediately.

⚠️ Confirm Deletion

Type the code to confirm:

🔄 Confirm Record Renewal

⚠️ This will reset the 5-year review timer for this record. It will not appear in the next 5-year review digest until another 5 years have passed from today.

⚠️

✏️ Confirm Edit

How It Works

An overview of ERCN's goals, how to use the database, and what to expect when collaborating with other researchers.

On this page
Overview & Goals Key Principles How the Process Works Example Record
Overview

What ERCN Is — and What It Isn't

The Equine Research Collaboration Network (ERCN) is a searchable, member-submitted directory of equine research studies, datasets, and biological resources. It exists to make the equine research community more discoverable and to help researchers identify potential study resources and collaborators.

ERCN is not a data repository. No research data, biological samples, or raw files are stored on this platform. What the database holds is descriptive metadata, such as structured summaries of who conducted a study, what was measured and/or collected, how many animals were involved, and under what conditions access or collaboration may be possible.

All contact between researchers, and all decisions about sharing data or samples, happen directly between the parties involved — ERCN simply makes those connections easier to find.

Important to Know

Key Principles for Collaboration

📋 Data and sample sharing is entirely at the discretion of the data steward

Submitting a record to the ERCN database does not create any obligation to share data, samples, or other research materials. The principal investigator and data steward retain full control over their resources and are free to decline any collaboration request, or to respond and subsequently decide that a particular collaboration is not a good fit. There is no expectation that every inquiry will result in a sharing arrangement.

🤝 Agree on terms before sharing begins

Before any data or biological samples are transferred, collaborating parties are STRONGLY encouraged to discuss and agree in writing on the following:

  • Co-authorship and Attribution: Who will be listed as an author on resulting publications, and in what order? How will the contributing institution or researcher be acknowledged?
  • Data use: For what specific purposes may the shared data or samples be used?
  • Intellectual property: Who retains ownership of any new findings or outputs?

📄 Formal agreements may be required

Depending on the nature of the materials being shared and the institutions involved, a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA), Data Use Agreement (DUA), or other formal agreement may be necessary before any transfer can occur. These agreements are typically arranged through the technology transfer or research office at one or both institutions. ERCN does not provide legal templates and recommends that researchers consult their institutional research office for guidance.

🔖 Acknowledging ERCN in publications and presentations

When a collaboration facilitated through ERCN leads to a publication or presentation, we ask, but do not require, that authors acknowledge the network's role. This includes journal articles, conference abstracts, posters, and oral presentations. The following language is suggested:

"This project was made possible in part via the Equine Research Collaboration Network (www.equineresearchnetwork.org)."

This acknowledgment is entirely optional and can be placed in the acknowledgments section of the manuscript or on a presentation slide.

We also encourage members to let us know when a collaboration leads to a publication or presentation, even if you choose not to formally acknowledge ERCN. This helps us track the network's impact, and with your permission, we may feature the work on the ERCN news page. Contact us at info@equineresearchnetwork.org.

Step by Step

How the Process Works

1

Apply for membership

Submit your registration using the form. Applications are reviewed by the ERCN team to verify your research affiliation. Once approved, you receive login credentials.

2

Search the database

Use the search bar and filters to browse records by topic, condition, data type, horse population, discipline, or status. Each record shows a structured summary of a study and the resources associated with it.

3

View a full record

Click "View Full Record" on any result to see the complete metadata, including study design, horse population, data types, access conditions, publications, and the PI's name and university.

4

Send a contact request

Click "Request Contact" to send a message to the PI and Data Steward (if listed). Your name and email address will be shared with them. They will decide whether and how to respond; there is no obligation on either side.

5

Work out the details directly

All arrangements, including what data or samples are shared, under what conditions, and what the collaboration involves, are negotiated directly between you and the data steward. ERCN is not a party to these arrangements.

6

Submit your own record

Approved members can submit their own research records via the form. Submissions are reviewed before going live.

Database Preview

What the Database Looks Like

Search results are displayed as cards with key metadata visible at a glance. Filters on the left let you narrow results by resource type, discipline, status, and topic.

www.equineresearchnetwork.org
ERCN Search Database   Submit Research 👤 Dr. Smith   Log Out
Search by topic, condition, breed, PI name…
Search
✓ Musculoskeletal
Cardiovascular
Genetics
Epidemiology
Longitudinal tendon ultrasonography in racing Thoroughbreds: a 3-year cohort study
Completed
🏛 Midlands Equine Research Institute  ·  🐴 N = 312  ·  📁 Imaging · Clinical records  ·  🏇 Racing (Thoroughbred)
Prospective cohort study tracking superficial digital flexor tendon structure via serial ultrasound over three racing seasons…
Request Contact
View Full Record
Plasma biomarker panel for early detection of musculoskeletal injury in sport horses
Ongoing
🏛 Royal Veterinary College, London  ·  🐴 N = 148  ·  📁 Biomarker data  ·  🏇 Mixed disciplines

Illustrative preview — actual interface may vary

Example Record

What a Full Record Contains

Below is a representative example of how a completed database record appears. All information is generic and for illustrative purposes only.

Longitudinal investigation of superficial digital flexor tendon injury risk factors in competitive sport horses: a prospective multi-year cohort
Dr. Sarah Whitmore · Midlands Equine Research Institute · North America
Status
Completed
Study Design
Prospective cohort
N Horses
312
Years
2019–2023
Region
North America
Access
By request / DUA required
Added to Database
July 2026

Data Steward

Dr. James Calloway, Midlands Equine Research Institute

Study Summary

This prospective cohort enrolled 312 competitive sport horses from training facilities across North America over four racing and competition seasons (2019–2023). The primary objective was to characterize the prevalence and biomechanical risk factors for superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury using serial ultrasonographic assessment combined with force plate gait analysis. Data were collected at six-month intervals. The dataset includes complete imaging sequences, clinical examination records, and competition history for all subjects. Findings were published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2024). Collaboration requests are welcome for secondary analyses not addressed by the primary publications.

Topics

MusculoskeletalLamenessSports medicine

Resource Types

Clinical / health recordsImaging dataBiomechanical data

Breeds

ThoroughbredWarmbloodQuarter Horse

Disciplines

RacingShow jumpingEventing

Variables / Outcomes

Ultrasonographic cross-sectional area and echogenicity of SDFT; peak vertical force and impulse from force plate analysis; competition load metrics; time to injury or censoring; clinical lameness scores (AAEP scale).

Publications

Whitmore, S., Calloway, J., & Patel, R. (2024). Biomechanical and ultrasonographic predictors of SDFT injury in competitive sport horses: a four-season prospective cohort. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2024.104821

Keywords

tendon injury, ultrasonography, force plate, lameness, sport horse, prospective cohort, biomechanics

Animal Welfare & Informed Consent

IACUC/animal welfare approval is in place and allows sharingOwner/informed consent obtained for all subjects
   

My Dashboard

Manage your email preferences, view collaboration requests, and track the status of your database record submissions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ERCN membership, using the database, and research collaboration.

Don't see your question here?

Send us your question, feedback, or suggestion and we'll get back to you — and may add it to the FAQ.