The equine sector exhibits a wide range of practices, challenges, and approaches across different countries due to variations in climate, geography, culture, and local regulations. Cross-visits provide an opportunity for stakeholders to gain insights from equine farms in different European countries, enabling them to learn about different and meaningful strategies, techniques, and innovations. This exposure fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the sector’s intricacies and encourages the adoption or adaptation of best practices that may be applicable across borders.

Cross-visits facilitate the direct exchange of knowledge, experiences, and expertise among participants. By physically visiting equine farms in other countries, stakeholders can witness firsthand the application of various management practices, husbandry techniques, and technologies. This immersive experience goes beyond theoretical knowledge-sharing, promoting practical learning and skills development that can be directly implemented in their own contexts.

Equine farm owners, managers, and professionals often have valuable insights and practical solutions that peers can benefit from. Cross-visits create an environment where stakeholders can engage in meaningful discussions, share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and collaborate on innovative approaches. Peer-to-peer learning promotes a sense of community, encourages open dialogue, and fosters the emergence of collective thinking within the network.

Cross-visits provide a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and interaction among participants from diverse countries. This cultural dimension adds depth to the learning experience as stakeholders gain an understanding of different traditions, perspectives, and approaches of equine husbandry. The exposure to different cultures can broaden horizons and stimulate creative thinking.

The primary goal of the project is to improve the resilience of equine farms. Cross-visits contribute to this objective by exposing stakeholders to various strategies for addressing challenges such as disease outbreaks, environmental changes, market fluctuations, and regulatory shifts. By learning from farm experiences in different countries, participants can develop a more robust set of tools and strategies to enhance the resilience in their own operations.

Cross-visits offer a platform for building and strengthening relationships among stakeholders from different partner countries. These interactions foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration, leading to the creation of a cohesive European network. The connections established during cross-visits can extend beyond the project’s duration, facilitating ongoing information sharing and cooperation within the equine sector.

Therefore, cross-visits in the context of a European Network for knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning within the equine sector contribute significantly to the project’s goals by enabling stakeholders to learn from one another, exchange practical insights, enhance their resilience, and foster a sense of interconnectedness across borders.

Cross-visits have been orchestrated as a means of fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration within the equine sector, originating with the intent to introduce farmers to innovative practices. In more recent times, these cross-visits have evolved to encompass not only the sharing of experiences among farmers in a peer-to-peer setting but also the facilitation of co-creative knowledge processes among farmers and various stakeholders.