Esther Harper

Esther holds a BA in History & Sociology and an MA in Museum Studies. Prior to joining King's in September 2013, she worked in the curatorial department at the American Museum in Britain, and as a project co-ordinator for a Heritage Lottery funded community history project. ​

Esther is researching the history of the science of horse racing between 1800 and 1920. Her research focuses on the training, equine healthcare, feeding, housing and memorialisation of racehorses during this period. She is particularly interested in the equine body as a site of human-animal interaction, and what occurs when the racehorse is foregrounded in the history of the sport. Her research is conducted in collaboration with the National Horseracing Museum, which is currently developing a new National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art in Newmarket.