Dr Rebecca Mouncey
PhD BVetMed MRCVS
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Department: Pathobiology and Population Sciences
Campus: Hawkshead
Research Groups: Animal Welfare Science and Ethics
Research Centres: Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health
Rebecca is a veterinary surgeon and post-doctoral research fellow, currently investigating early-life determinants of performance and the economics of Thoroughbred breeding. Her fellowship is funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation.
Rebecca graduated as a veterinary surgeon from the RVC in 2003. She worked for 16 years in clinical practice in various roles, predominantly involved in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in the UK and Middle East. During which time, she was a treating veterinarian at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games in London, honorary veterinary surgeon at Lingfield Park Racecourse and head of veterinary services at the Rashid Equestrian and horseracing Club in Bahrain. In 2018 she returned to the RVC, to undertake a PhD investigating the epidemiology of disease and injury in Thoroughbred foals and yearlings, which she was awarded in July 2022.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=wNlckpsAAAAJ
Mouncey, R., Arango-Sabogal, J.C., de Mestre, A.M., Verheyen, K. Descriptive study of medication usage and occurrence of disease and injury during gestation in Thoroughbred broodmares. J Equine Vet Sci. 2022 doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104104.
Arango-Sabogal, J.C., Mouncey, R., de Mestre, A.M., Verheyen, K.V. Date of birth and purchase price as foals or yearlings are associated with Thoroughbred flat race performance in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Veterinary Record Open 2022. 9 -1. doi:10.1002/vro2.43
Mouncey, R., Arango-Sabogal, J.C., de Mestre, A.M., Verheyen, K. Causes of mortality in Thoroughbreds aged between birth and 18 months presented for post-mortem examination to a pathology facility between 2006 and 2020. Equine Vet. J. 2021, 53:1-39. doi:10.1111/evj.43_13492
Arango-Sabogal, J.C., Mouncey, R., de Mestre, A.M., Verheyen, K.V. Retrospective analysis of the population dynamics and racing outcomes of the 2014 and 2015 UK and Ireland Thoroughbred foal crops. Vet. Rec. 2021. Apr 18:e298. doi: 10.1002/vetr.298.
Mouncey, R., Arango-Sabogal, J.C., de Mestre, A.M., Verheyen, K. Exercise practices and incidence of veterinary events in Thoroughbreds between birth and 6 months of age: Preliminary findings from a cohort study. Equine Vet. J. 2020, 52: 7-7. doi:10.1111/evj.05_13365
Arango-Sabogal, J.C.; Mouncey, R.; de Mestre, A.M.; Verheyen, K.L. Born to run? Retrospective analysis of training and racing outcomes of the 2014 and 2015 UK Thoroughbred foal crops. Equine Vet. J. 2020, 52: 6-6. doi:10.1111/evj.04_13365
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Early-life determinants of performance and the Economics of Thoroughbred breeding
The project aims to improve understanding of the impact of Thoroughbreds’ early-life health and management on later-life racing performance and the financial viability of Thoroughbred breeding enterprises.
Findings from the project will align with key priorities from the Thoroughbred industry’s welfare strategy. Firstly, by increasing transparency around the fate and welfare of Thoroughbreds bred for racing during their early-life stages, and secondly by informing strategies to reduce musculoskeletal disease and injury and improve industry retention and economic viability.
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The epidemiology and genetics of congenital musculoskeletal disorders in neonatal Thoroughbreds
The project aims to investigate the contributions of gestational exposures and genetic variants to the risk of congenital developmental orthopaedic disorders (cDOD) in Thoroughbred foals.
The project will provide novel insights into the development, incidence and genetic basis of cDOD in Thoroughbred foals. The project outputs will inform evidence-based management modifications for Thoroughbred breeders to reduce the risk of cDOD in foals and improve broodmare fertility and welfare long-term.