"Never listen too much to old advisors, but feel what you believe deep down, because you are the ones at the forefront." That was Ingvar Fredricson's message to the young doctors, in connection with his being appointed Jubilee Doctor at the Swedish University of Agriculture.
VETERINARY MEDICINE JUBILEE DOCTOR INGVAR FREDRICSON obtained his veterinary degree at the University of Veterinary Medicine in 1967 and defended his thesis "Equine joint kinematics and co-ordination - Photogrammetric methods involving high-speed cinematography" in 1972. At SLU, his research group developed a movement laboratory for high-speed filming of horses in fast tempos and a minicomputer-based image analysis system. The research resulted in horse-friendly trotting, galloping, and riding tracks nationally and internationally. In 1982, Ingvar Fredricson was appointed adjunct anatomy and histology professor specializing in biomechanics. After 23 years, Fredricson left the academy to, as CEO of the Flyinge Foundation, Sweden's breeding and sport horse center, during the years 1983–1998, develop a modern center for horse breeding, equestrian sports, research, and horsemanship training.
At Flyinge’s Horse Welfare Summit, the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation awarded its 2026 scholarship to Dr Andrew McLean, recognising his pioneering work in equitation science and his longstanding contribution to equine welfare.
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Two days. One shared goal: advancing horse welfare through science, education and practice. Join leading international experts at the Horse Welfare Summit 2026, where Dr Andrew McLean will deliver two keynote lectures and receive the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation Scholarship.
A new review examines how smartphones are becoming genuine tools for monitoring a horse's soundness, heart rate and recovery, and even for meeting international competition requirements. Among the systems it highlights is Sleip, co-founded by Dr. Elin Hernlund, one of the Foundation's own scholarship recipients, whose work builds on decades of Swedish equine biomechanics research going back to Professor Ingvar Fredricson himself.
On November 2, visitors gathered in Hall B at the Jönköping Horse Show for the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation’s 2025 scholarship ceremony, celebrating groundbreaking Swedish research in equine biomechanics. From the pioneering efforts of the 1970s—when high‑speed cameras and manual measurements were the researcher’s tools—to today’s AI‑powered motion analysis and robotic hoof simulators, the audience was taken on a journey through decades of innovation. Professors Lars Roepstorff and Marie Rhodin, together with Associate Professor Elin Hernlund, shared their latest breakthroughs, followed by live demonstrations showing how AI and high‑precision sensors are transforming the understanding of horse–rider interaction. Moderator Jens Fredricson guided the dialogue and inspired exchange between researchers, while post‑event discussions with attendees helped build valuable bridges between research and practice.