What a trip it was! Intens, inspiring and full of warmth. Finally meeting real life with Professor Doctoral Supervisor Zhang Naisheng and Maimaiti Tuniyazi, who I had been corresponding with for several months. My meeting with them and several close (old)students of Professor Zhang Naisheng was full of  warmth and friendship. I also spoke with  Zhang Yanjing, who will publish the Chinese version of my book.

The Friendship Hotel in Harbin was the stage of the Second Conference of Equine Science, organised by the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and hosted by the Horse Branche of Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine.

My lecture was heard by 300 equine specialists. My powerpoint sheets were translated in Chinese and a translator was present to translate all my information that was not on the sheets. The lecture was very well received and at the closing ceremony I was honoured by receiving a credential for my excellent performance (best speaker) at the conference. It also lead to a spontaneous invitation from Zhang Ruixiang to lecture the same day at their Northeast agriculture university of China, which I did with pleasure.

I had the opportunity to hear many interesting lectures and speak with many people on the conference. They gave me a first insight in the horse industry in China. Horses being kept in Western stables, poloclubs, in laboratory. It kept my head spinning and in thinking modus. What projects to start in China? People are eager to hear about how to better ‘read’ their horse and improve the communication with horses and solve behavioural issues. We have been making a plan of activities to start. Hopefully they come to fruition. My sincere thank you to Professor Zhang Naisheng and the committee Equine Science for inviting me to come to the conference.