EQUITARIAN WORKSHOP 2012 INTRODUCTIONS
Stephan Blakeway
My path to the Equitarian workshop is a bit different from most of you. My primary interest since high school has always been to understand the different ways people relate to animals and to learn what can be done to reduce the suffering that people cause to animals. To that end I became a vet, did a Masters in Animal Welfare, and got a teaching qualification. My job at the Donkey Sanctuary involves all of this. However I have had a range of veterinary jobs before I joined the DS 3 years ago. Much of this work has been about how to provide basic veterinary services to communities under-served by vets - and this too is an aspect of my work at the DS. I look forward to discussing these things with you all - for example how special events like the Equitarian workshop fit with day-to-day to services. I am aware that I am going to be in the company of some really excellent equine vets so I also hope to explore with you how we in the DS can teach better the basics of diagnosis and treatment starting with excellence in the ‘free’ tools such as observation, an understanding of topical anatomy, systematic examination, palpation, auscultation, percussion, and good communication. I hope we will all learn from the communities we work with what they know and think about their veterinary needs; and finally how we can take forward this collaboration into the future.
Chuck Boreson:
I was born and raised in a rural community in the “west river area” of South Dakota, where a mix of people of Native American and European heritage live and ranching and the livestock industry continue to be a large part of the economy. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to get a veterinary education and owe a debt of gratitude to those who have encouraged me in challenging times, including folks without a high school education, high school teachers, professors, and mentors. I have been married to my friend and companion, Bonnie, for 36 years. We have resided in Tucson, Arizona since 1976, where I have been in a general equine practice. Both of my married children and Bonnie continue to encourage me to be involved, volunteer, and explore new opportunities including those in the veterinary profession. I have seen some of the veterinary related needs of working horses that have not been attended to by their caretakers, who also may have had limited resources to care for them. I am planning to attend the workshop to find out if the Equitarian Initiative could be a venue I would feel comfortable being a part of to give back to the profession a small segment of the debt of gratitude I will never be able to repay.
Becky Bott:
I am the Equine Extension Specialist at South Dakota State University where I hold appointments in Extension, teaching, and research. I am passionate about educating people of all ages about horse care. In South Dakota, we have a number of Indian Reservations. While horses are treasured in these locations, the access to veterinary care can be limited due to distance from resources. Over the past two years, along with SDSU graduate, Angie Gebhart, I have become involved in the beginnings of an Equitarian initiative on Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge Reservations. We have integrated things that we’ve learned from the Equitarian Workshops in Mexico, and information we collected from reservation equines and veterinarians from a needs-assessment conducted in 2011. These wonderful opportunities have allowed me to learn more about cultures and to lend a hand in facilitating horse care education. I can't wait to learn from your expertise, to lend a hand in providing care for the equids and education for equine owners in Mexico, and to bring new ideas and resources home to continue our work here in South Dakota!
Chris Brasmer:
CSU graduate 1987-I have been involved in large animal practice in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas since graduation. Currently my practice is about 75% equine, mainly rodeo and racing horses, and 25% beef cattle. I see the Equitarian Initiative as a valuable way to provide some primary clinical services to working equids and also to educate their owners; I also feel that a valuable component of this work is sharing knowledge and experience with the host country veterinarians, and vet students. It’s also a lot more fun than sitting in a room in some convention center listening to the expert of the month all day.
Sabine Buerchler:
For me the Equitarian Workshop provides an opportunity to help animals and people in need for survival. I graduated 2005 from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. I've always felt the desire to travel and see different aspects of the world and it's people. Since graduation I have been working in Equine practice in England and California. Currently, I am working in an equine ambulatory practice east of Los Angeles. I am married and we have a dog. My passions are the Thoroughbreds, and I enjoy spending my spare time schooling retired racehorses to prepare them for a second career and a new home.
Alannah Chalmers:
I am entering my senior year at Texas Christian University, pursuing an economics and finance degree. I currently work for Morgan Stanley Investment firm and am also the intern for Rob Franklin and Keith Latson at FullBucket Animal Health. My dad trains cutting horses, so naturally I have been showing cutting horses my whole life. I think I showed for the first time when I was four years old. Obviously, horses and cutting are my true passions. I can’t think of a better way to incorporate my love for horses and helping others than to be a part of the Fullbucket team and join them on this equitarian workshop adventure!
Polly Compston:
I graduated from Edinburgh University in Scotland in 2007, and spent the first eighteen months of my veterinary career in mixed practice in rural East Anglia. I had always wanted to use my veterinary degree to travel, so following this position I went to work in an equine hospital in Marrakesh, Morocco with the UK-based charity SPANA. This fuelled an on-going desire to work in veterinary development abroad, and so I spent the next year or so locuming at home to fund a range of veterinary volunteer work in Latin America and the Caribbean. After my last trip away I made a decision to turn my interest in development into a career, and so I began working towards an MSc in veterinary epidemiology and public health. This is part of my role as Resident in Clinical Research at a large equine hospital in the UK, where I work alongside our clinicians to publish some of the reams of data that the hospital produces. The workshop is a great opportunity for me to keep in touch with working equid medicine - as I do not have any clinical responsibilities in my position at the moment I am looking forward to this opportunity to brush off some dusty old skills and learn a lot of new ones! I live in Cambridge with my boyfriend and my three-legged cat, Dylan.
Virginia DeChant:
I am a 2001 graduate of Ohio State, after receiving a BS in Equine Science at Otterbein College in Ohio. I have been practicing in Virginia since graduation, starting off as equine ambulatory in Warrenton, then moving to just west of Richmond. I am currently practicing small animal in Fredericksburg. I see the Equitarian mission as a chance to unite my equine knowledge with a passion for community service, while gaining valuable knowledge in burro anatomy, surgery, and medicine. Outside of work, I am an avid reader and active participant in my Unitarian Universalist church.
Leslie Easterwood:
I am a 1995 graduate of Texas A&M. I spent my first year out of veterinary school in a private practice internship at Las Colinas Veterinary Clinic in Dallas, Texas, and then spent 9 years in private equine practice. I returned to Texas A&M in 2005 to do a Large Animal Internal Medicine Residency. I have stayed on at Texas A&M in a faculty position in the Large Animal Clinic since completing my residency in 2008. I have been interested in trying to find a way to ‘Make a difference’ in the world for quite some time, and hope that this trip will be the first of many ways that I try to give back. I am one of the official veterinarians for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and cherish the interaction with our agricultural youth. I am looking forward to the new experiences that this trip will provide.
Susan Ewart:
I am an equine internist by training, but have spent the past decade running a molecular genetics research laboratory in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at Michigan State University (MSU). My research is focused on 1) the genetic and environment causes of asthma and allergies in humans, and 2) the genetics of Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies (MCOA), formerly termed Anterior Segment Dysgenesis (ASD), in horses. I have also served as associate dean for research and graduate studies in the CVM at MSU. This is my first equitarian experience and I am very excited to get back to my roots as an equine clinician. My long-term equitarian goal is to establish a sustainable program in which MSU students and faculty provide veterinary and animal welfare services in underserved areas. My husband, Tom Maves, is a small animal veterinarian and we have 3 sons ages 12, 13, and 16 years. I have been trying to learn Spanish but have not gotten much farther than counting and colors!
Rob Franklin:
I'm a '99 Texas A&M grad and have been in referral equine practice since graduation. I completed a medicine residency at UF in 2003 and have drifted from Florida to Australia, back to Florida and now to my home state of Texas. Five years ago my best friend and veterinary colleague Keith Latson & I started an animal health company as a dream to supplement horses and those that care for them. While the business has done very well, we have struggled to really develop the true essence of the company's philanthropy spirit. We have been working on and supporting off the track thoroughbreds but knew there was an additional and greater need to support people who rely on our patients to provide for their families/societies. Like many eager people, we couldn't find the way to plug in. It was a blessing to us when we received Julie & Jay's information in the AAEP newsletter. We knew right away this was the essence of what we and our company was after. I look forward to this week as a chance to learn from all of you, our future patients and their owners. I see the Equitarian Initiative as a stepping stone to greater good to help horses throughout the globe. I'm proud to join the ranks of those of you that have feverishly been plowing this rocky ground.
Camie Heleski:
Hi there! I’m a bit of an outlier for this group J My Ph.D. is in Animal Science with an emphasis in Horse Behavior and Welfare. My MS was in Animal Science, with an emphasis in equine nutrition and exercise physiology. (I am not a veterinarian sorry to say.) However, I have been passionately devoted to enhancing the welfare of working equids in developing parts of the world since I was first exposed to this topic area in 2000 in southern Brazil while attending a conference. Since then, I’ve traveled twice more to Brazil to do work with working cart horses in impoverished areas; have been involved with a research/outreach project related to working donkeys in Mali, West Africa; and have done a small stint with working mules in Honduras. I have worked at Michigan State University since 1991as an instructor and coordinator for the MSU Horse Management program. I am anxious to network with this group and discover ways that animal scientists and veterinarians can collaborate more fully to enhance the welfare of working equids and the families they work for.
Rob Hendrickson:
I was raised on a commercial cattle and quarter horse ranch operation in western South Dakota. My father was a mixed animal veterinarian for over 40 years and our entire family was involved in the successful rural practice. My first job was mucking stalls, replacing wound dressings and cleaning cages for his practice. I committed to my mantra of “do good and be good,” by joining forces with doctors Keith Latson and Rob Franklin in bringing FullBucket to life. This endeavor has given me a purpose and direction that I have experienced all too little in my professional career. Since the launch of FullBucket and our partnerships with organizations like the Equitarian Initiative, we have seen doors blow wide open. We are very excited about the program and the opportunity to make a difference.
Joan Hiltz:
I am very excited to be joining this Equitarian Workshop and look forward to meeting and learning from everyone involved. I graduated in 1983 from the University of Pennsylvania and since then have co-owned two practices in Pennsylvania with my husband. Due to our recent divorce and my leaving the practice I have relocated to New Hampshire. While I look for new employment I have concentrated on continuing education, most recently attending the AAEP Focus Meetings on Dentistry and Ophthalmology and spending time at a local equine referral hospital. I have ridden and worked with horses most of my life. Two years ago I became involved as a Control Veterinarian in Endurance and Competitive Trail Rides, which I find rewarding and fun. I am mom to four daughters, the youngest a senior in high school. I have been very fortunate in my life and feel this workshop is a perfect opportunity to really help those who struggle with so much less to care for their animals. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
Larry Kelly:
I have had the opportunity to travel with Mariano for several years to villages throughout Mexico. His directive for me has been to provide quality dental care to as many equidae as humanly possible on a daily basis. Most of the villages visited usually overwhelmed us by the number of presenting dental cases. Providing services for the animals and participating in the equitarian movement has been the most rewarding mission I have ever participated in. This will be my third year traveling with the equitarian group. I look forward to sharing this marvelous venture with everyone. I was born and raised in Leadville, Colorado. Alaska has the Iditarod dog race, and Leadville is the home of burro racing!! Keep your eye pealed for the next Seabiscuit while in Mexico.
Victor Delgado:
who is Larry Kelly's assistant has likewise travelled with me on the Mexico trips with Mariano. Victor was responsible for planting the seed in me to provide dental care for the needy animals in Mexico. Victor continues to search out and connect with individuals who possess the equitarian spirit. He is well versed in the Mexican customs, and is a tremendous asset to anyone needing his assistance. He is a fine horseman and is always in the mix with unruly equidae.
Victor Hugo Trejo Carrillo MVZ.
He will be joining our dental group again this year. He is a native of Mexico and currently practices in the state of Zacatecas. He is a solo large animal practitioner with a special interest in equine dentistry. Dr. Carrillo is an excellent hand around animals. Please do not hesitate to call on any of us during or after the equitarian trip.
Karen Kennedy, Icon Studios Photography:
I am an artist with a camera in my hand. I have been a photographer as long as I can remember. Horses have always been a passion of mine, so it only came natural for me to specialize in the equine industry. I‘ve also run a graphic design studio for over 24 years so creativity is my thing. It’s an honor for me to be a part of this workshop, and the amazing effort to help equines on an international scale. I live in Ocala, FL, have raised two wonderful boys who are now grown. I’ve been a part of the equine world for over 18 years in both Minnesota and Florida as a competitor, rider, volunteer, and organizer for many different riding organizations. As a photographer on this trip, I will be responsible for capturing images of the workshop to be used in advertising and marketing materials. Please feel free to introduce yourself to me, I‘ll be the one with a big camera. I look forward to getting to know all of you…and don’t be shy when I point my camera your way.
Kathleen Kraska:
I am a fourth year veterinary student at Oregon State University. I have spent the last three years organizing and executing our annual student-led veterinary service trip to Merida, Nicaragua, providing a unique opportunity for students to gain hands-on clinical skills while benefiting the animals and people of this community. Providing an arena for the exchange of knowledge and ideas is a foundation of international veterinary medicine and this clinic allows students and veterinarians from the United States and Nicaragua to work together with a community that is hungry for knowledge about animal and public health. I believe that working closely with a diverse group of practicing veterinarians is worth its weight in gold. Having the opportunity to tap into their minds and understand their thought processes and problem solving techniques, especially in a setting where resources are limited, offers insight and information that can be integrated into my personal approach to medicine. Medicine aside, there are many lessons to be learned in managing diverse personalities, assessing expectations, mediating conflict and efficient decision making. I intend to make international veterinary work a part of my future career and each opportunity I have to see the successes and challenges of a program in another region is valuable information that I can take with me and apply to my next project.
Keith Latson:
Hi, everyone, Keith Latson from southern California here. I am really looking forward to this year's Equitarian Initiative experience, to seeing the returning folks from last year and to meeting and working with those not on EI 2011! I'm married to Kris, a small animal practitioner currently on hiatus to be a professional Mom, have one son, Bridger (16 months old) and another son due November 19th. Rounding out the family are Chester and Sydney, our Golden Retrievers. Professionally, I have practiced on the southern California Thoroughbred racetrack circuit since finishing residency at UC Davis in 2005 and, excepting an attempt at slower paced life and referral surgical practice in Bozeman, Montana during 2007, have been on the racetrack in some capacity and somewhere in the world since 1991. For fun, I'm a cyclist, surfer, skier and, more recently, a Bikram enthusiast! I am thrilled to be attending again this year on the heels of an Equitarian trip to Guatemala earlier in October and am anxiously awaiting another soccer game with the locals after a long day of work! Travel safely everyone, looking forward to seeing you again and to meeting the rest of you in Santa Cruz.
Paul Mallonee:
I am the owner of a sports medicine/Standard Bred racetrack practice about two hours north of Philadelphia. Currently I am solo but in the past I had as many as three veterinarians in the practice. The logistics of a multi-doctor practice were not to my liking (too many hours in the office) so I down sized about 5 years ago. I would like to think I have a fairly progressive practice with a surgical facility, digital rads, ESWT and the other toys. As it has developed I have been very interested in the areas of regenerative therapies, especially with the use of bone marrow isolates for use in sports injuries. It is an exciting science and the results are amazing. I was convicted at the Univ of Florida, receiving my parole in 1988. Prior to my release I was a synthetic chemist, working the flavors and perfume industry and earned a Masters of Science at UF with research in the areas of nutrition of dairy cattle during heat stress. Chemicals, drugs, and the world of pharmacokinetics has always been fascinating, perhaps that is how I got into sports medicine. Equitarian projects have become a real passion for me. These (our) projects have restored my pride in being a veterinarian and I would like to think my contributions, small that they are, have made a positive impact on a horse and a human somewhere in the world.
John (JP) Mancini:
I was born in Dallas Texas in 84’. I grew up on a small brood farm in North Texas where I learned basic care and management of the farm and ranch industry. My family has been in the animal health industry for the last 30 years and I recently had the opportunity to get on board. I grew up traveling around the globe scuba diving and participating in volunteer work in several countries in the South Pacific as well as many countries along the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. I graduated from the University of North Texas in 07’ with a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Foreign Relations. Upon completion of my undergrad, I moved to South Florida and worked for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in West Palm Beach Florida. In 2009, I transferred to Vail Colorado where I worked with several friends until I was offered a job in the animal health industry in April of this year. I now work for a pharmaceutical manufacture called Biological Prospects utilizing the therapeutic effects of Resveratrol as an anti-inflammatory in horses and dogs. I am always looking for educational/ humanitarian opportunities and what better way to experience this then an Equitarian Workshop such as this one. I am looking forward to learning more of the medical background of the equine industry as well as the diverse cultures Mexico has to offer.
Amy McLean:
I am an Equine Lecturer and Equine Extension Specialist for the University of Wyoming where I teach equine science courses, coaches the collegiate Horse judging team, and serve as an advisor for the UW Collegiate Horsemen’s Association and the UW Ranch Horse Team. I earned my Ph.D. from Michigan State University in the area of equine science focused on donkey training, management and welfare. My research looked at evaluating learning theory in donkeys, methods to improve nutrition for donkeys as well as looking at improved working conditions for donkeys in Mali, West Africa. These studies in Mali focused on heart rate variability associated with different training methods, pressure associated with different types of harness and cart systems and how to improve donkey husbandry and management education among paraprofessionals. I have worked with donkeys and mules for years and participate in the industry by showing all around mules at national shows including Bishop Mule Days, Bishop, CA, The Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show, Shelbyville, TN and the Houston Livestock Show Mule and Donkey Show, Houston, Tx. I have shown and ridden many world and national champion mules, and serve on the board of directors for several national and regional mule and donkey organizations.
Rick Meier:
I have been working in documentary and promotional film and television for nearly forty years. My Masters is in Journalism from Boston University and my undergraduate degree is in Biology from the University of Kansas. My work has ranged from covering events like the BOC Challenge; single-handed sail boat race around the world to a PBS special on coronary bypass surgery to fund-raising videos supporting an orphanage in El Salvador. My most current series of thirty-six stories are about Merrill Lynch clients and the personal challenges they face. My specialty, if you could call it that is telling stories about people. Over the years, my work has introduced me to some of the world’s most interesting scientists, surgeons, business leaders, musicians, artists, authors, heads of state, politicians, athletes, and children. And it has been a privilege.
Jay Merriam:
I have been working in Private Equine Sport Horse Practice since 1975. I have a Masters in Equine Surgery from Auburn University and have been involved with Working Equids since beginning Project Samana in the Dominican Republic in 1992. My work there and in other countries has led to my involvement as Chair of the AAEPs Equine Welfare Committee since its formation. I am the co-founder of the Equitarian Initiative in the AAEP and currently the President of the Board of Directors. With Dr. Julie Wilson and Dr. Mariano Hernandez-Gil, we began the Equitarian Workshops in Mexico. I am a frequent speaker on Working Equid care and have taught in India, Morocco, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and Indian reservations in the US. My focus is the provision of direct veterinary care, training of veterinarians and caregivers and education on the need for a healthy working equid population worldwide.
John Mitchell:
I have been in Standardbred race track practice in South Florida since 1973. An Ohio State Vet School graduate, I did an Equine Internship at Auburn University which began my friendship with Jay Merriam. My father was a banker and I have an interest in financial planning and equine practice management. Being part of my clients’ management team for their equine pets and equine investments, was my practice specialty. I have been very active in the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) throughout my career, and consider it my professional family. I went on my first Equitarian trip in 1996 to Honduras and went to Samana, DR with Jay Merriam’s group in 2005. These trips were fantastic experiences and I have great respect for those that are dedicated to helping working equids and promoting the awareness and education to make their lives and the families they support better.
Steve O’Grady:
I have been involved in Private Equine Sport Horse Practice since graduating from veterinary school in 1981. Prior to veterinary school, I was a professional farrier for 10 years having learned the farrier trade through a formal apprenticeship with renowned farrier Joe Pierce. In 2003, I limited my practice to equine podiatry and therapeutic farriery. Through my association with Jay Merriam, I got interested and involved in working equids and Equitarian projects. I have worked with Project Samana on multiple trips, done many projects on Indian reservations and have served as a member of the AAEP Equitarian task force. My focus with the Equitarian projects is not only providing quality veterinary care put teaching the practicality of that care. I am interested in all aspects of the veterinary care we provide but one of the major problems encountered in working equids are foot problems, so an emphasis on simple effective practical farriery is placed here.
Adrienne Otto:
Hola! This is my third Mexico Equitarian effort, last year was really great!! Very excited to be able to go again this year. My photo is from one of our R&R periods near Veracruz, in 2010. Additionally I organized and led the 1st and 2nd Costa Rican Equitarian projects in 2011 and 2012, and will be leading the 3rd one scheduled for early March 2013. These days, I am basically a relief veterinarian working on both large and small animals, as well as exotics and birds. In the late 90s I was very involved in other volunteer projects in Costa Rica, working primarily on macaws and other psittacine birds. My Spanish certainly is not fluent, but serviceable. I made a pledge to see more of Mexico City at the next opportunity, so I’m arriving on the 18th, and plan to see the sites! If anyone else can come early and wants to pal around Mexico City, please let me know. I’m counting the days! Hasta Pronto!
Jeanne-Marie Palermino:
I graduated from Tufts in May of 2010 and spent my first 15 months out of school practicing in a busy mixed animal clinic in Australia. In November of 2011, I moved to Ontario to be closer to my fiancé whom I am marrying in August of 2013. I am now working in a rural mixed animal practice at which I do almost all of the equine work. Approximately half of the clients have pleasure horses and the other half are old order Mennonites who use either Standardbreds to draw their buggies or draft horses to work the fields. Consequently, I have become accustomed to working with limited resources (e.g. no electricity in the barn when called out for an emergency at night). I am half French and have been very fortunate to spend nearly every summer in Europe visiting my family. I believe that is how I developed a passion for traveling. I have been involved in a RAVS trip (small animal) during veterinary school and worked in Nepal for 6 weeks with street dogs. The latter experiences have made me realize just how important these initiatives are. Ever since Dr. Merriam got me interested in equid initiatives in veterinary school, I have been really interested in being a part of one and am so excited that the opportunity has finally arrived!
João B. Rodrigues:
I graduated from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, in Vila Real – Portugal, in 2007. After I finished vet school, I moved to a rural area, in the northeast of Portugal, just on the border with Spain, an area where local inhabitants still use donkeys and mules on a daily basis, on both sides of the border, mainly two native endangered breeds of donkeys. I have dealt with horses my entire life, but donkeys and mules were a complete new world for me! Having the chance to work with working equids made me understand how important these animals are for their owners and how these animals represent a master piece in the rural world! At the same time, I had the chance to learn more about equine dentistry and develop my skills in this field. Right now I’m a PhD student, working with dentistry and donkeys! Luckily for me, I had the chance to be an Equitarian member in 2011, working on dentistry with such an excellent team, and here I am again in 2012! Equitarian is unique project and an unforgettable experience! See you all soon in Mexico!
Heather Ross:
I'm a solo equine practitioner in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada and graduated from Guelph in 1986. So I have about 25yrs of experience in mostly "backyard" equine practice, (lots of dentistry) and a fair bit of repro. My husband and I have 3 Shire draft horses to play with in our spare time. I also sing in a local choir, canoe, hike, and of course ski. I have never been to Mexico and have bought "Spanish for Dummies".
Chuck Shanlever:
As a 25 year veteran of the film and video production business I have produced, directed and shot everything from films to music videos to television programs, commercials, marketing promos and just about everything else in between. I love working on projects that can help make a difference in the lives of people right where they are. I believe the power of the media is best harnessed to tell stories of hope and promise. To be able to raise awareness and bring more visibility to the Equine Initiative is a blessing and an honor. When contacted by Rob Hendrickson about the possibility of making a documentary / video about this trip, I jumped at the chance. As an independent photographer & documentarian I am excited about the opportunity to tell this important story.
Hal Schott:
I am a 1984 graduate of The Ohio State University and started my career with three years of private equine practice with Dick Mansmann in Southern California. After that I headed to Washington State University where I completed a residency in equine internal medicine and a PhD in equine exercise physiology. Since 1995, I have been an equine medicine clinician at Michigan State University with clinical interests in urinary tract disorders and endocrine disorders. I also continue to pursue a research interest of fluid and electrolyte balance in clinical disease as well as endurance horses but more recently my research has also focused on endocrine disorders. As an academic clinician and researcher, I have been fortunate to travel the world and have seen equids in need on several continents. I support the Cart Horse Protection Program in Capetown, South Africa and more locally have assisted the Michigan Equine Foundation with free health clinics in Michigan. It is our goal at MSU to develop an equitarian clerkship for fourth year students to improve the welfare of equids both locally and in the third world and, hopefully, to pass the welfare torch along to the next generation of equine veterinarians.
Elizabeth (Liz) Shiland:
Originally an 'East-Coaster' from Maine, I graduated in 2008 from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island. I never expected to stay in Canada, but followed my love of harness racing to work at Mohawk Raceways in Ontario. Not far from Toronto, I've been in private practice focusing mainly on Standardbreds for 3 years. Feeling the need for a change of pace (no pun intended!), I switched over to the other side of performance horses, currently doing mostly hunter, jumper, dressage for the last year with still a few of my beloved racehorses. I couldn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, and consequently studied environmental law and Latin American studies before finishing with veterinary. I spent a few months in the city of Merida in the Yucatan Peninsula and absolutely loved it. My Spanish is basic at best, but I learned quickly that communication is more than words and language. I was very interested in history, anthropology and culture of the Yucatan. There was an eco-tourism movement in Mexico at the time in response to Cancun "la ciudad de plastico," trying to protect natural resources and keep youth employed at home in rural villages. I am sincerely looking forward to meeting you all and participating in this equitarian trip. As much as I love my job, I know in my heart there's more then 'the daily grind' and quite honestly I can't think of a better way to spend my continuing education time for 2012. See you in Mexico, looking forward to learning, listening, and doing the best I can.
Freya Stein:
I'm a 2008 graduate of the University of Minnesota, and completed an internship at Bend Equine Medical Center in Oregon the following year. Since then, I've been in private equine practice in California and have recently returned to my home state of Minnesota. I have a strong interest in internal medicine and ophthalmology and am hoping to pursue a large animal medicine residency in the future. I am very excited and grateful to be a part of this Equitarian trip, as I've been waiting quite some time for the perfect alignment of timing and opportunity to participate more effectively in equine welfare efforts. My other passions are entertaining my two dogs (a border collie/blue heeler mix and a husky mix), hiking, cycling, baking, and of course riding horses. I look forward to getting to know and learn from my fellow veterinarians on this trip!
Ashley Troncatty:
I was born and raised with a deep love for horses in California. I am a 2011 graduate from the Atlantic Veterinary College, PEI, Canada. I returned to California to complete a one year internship at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos, California. Within the past few years, I have had the privilege of traveling to Haiti on two occasions. The focus for our team in Haiti was to provide veterinary preventative medicine and education to promote animal health and husbandry in ways that can be sustainable for future generations. They were extremely humbling, challenging and rewarding experiences. I now know that prior to my first mission to Haiti I did not have a true understanding of what a working equid is. Since gaining that understanding, I have a new appreciation, love and respect for working equids and their owners. I also discovered during that trip what an honor it is to be able to share my veterinary knowledge alongside my veterinary colleagues with the intent of helping working equids and their owners in any way that we are able. My areas of veterinary interest include, but are not limited to: dentistry, surgery, anesthesia and veterinary foreign aid. When I heard of the Equitarian Initiative I was eager to be part of such a wonderful organization. I am truly looking forward to my week working with Equitarian Initiative! We are going to have life-changing experiences while working together to help raise the level of excellence in animal health and well-being! I unfortunately speak very little Spanish. My goal is to one day be fluent so please help me learn more of the language while I am there.
Tracy Turner:
This will be my second Workshop as the instructor for the lameness station. My Equitarian experience grew during the 5 day trip to Honduras earlier this year working with the cart horses of San Pedro Sula and the great team from World Horse Welfare. I have worked as a surgeon with interests in sports medicine, lameness and podiatry for most of my career at several universities and in private practice. I have been with Anoka Equine Veterinary Services since 2004. I am working on unwanted horse issues through the Minnesota Horse Council and the Minnesota Association of Equine Practitioners. I like teaching and have been part of the AAEP’s veterinary student farrier program since its inception. My wife, Julie Wilson, counterbalances my typical surgeon tendencies. In addition to my love for horses, I like riding, hiking, football, movies and military history. My dog is a goofy Irish Red and White Setter.
Tarren Turner:
Hola! I am coming to the Workshop to be part of the farrier station where I hope to learn a lot about the feet of working animals and how to handle donkeys. I was able to come to the first Equitarian workshop while on leave from deployment in Iraq with the U.S. Army. Since then I have been through the Minnesota School of Farriery, work as an apprentice to an excellent journeyman farrier, and am slowly building my farrier business. I am still involved with the Army in the Active Reserves. I like to ride, play video games, watch movies, run, camp and play with our family dogs.
David Turoff:
I'm a 1983 UCD graduate, and have been in all-ambulatory practice in the Sierra foothills of Northern California ever since. For the last ten years, I've also been involved with the RAVS-HSVMA international equine program, making 3 or 4 trips per year to various countries in Latin America, to the point that international Equitarian work is now the major component of my professional life. I have a strong interest in dentistry, with a focus on portability and versatility of instrumentation, and the unique needs of third-world equids (as contrasted with first-world performance horses). I was at the last two Workshops, and had a great time connecting with so many like-minded veterinarians (and students), and I look forward with great pleasure to this year's meeting.
Susan L. White (Suzi):
I graduated from UCD in 1973. After a year in general practice, I did an internship at Kansas State followed by a residency in LA internal medicine and graduate degree in pathology at the University of Georgia. I remained at UGA for the remainder of my career as a faculty member in the Dept of Large Animal Medicine. Over the years I have been best known as a teacher. Perhaps the most visible contribution to medicine I have made was my participation in the work on exercise intensity, fluid, electrolyte and heat loss in horses exercising in hot environments. Currently I speak and write on equine dermatology. I have been very fortunate to have met and worked with many excellent clinicians, both academic and private practice, during my tenure at UGA. . I am now retired and look forward to participating in equitarian initiatives. Currently my husband and I are establishing a farm in the SC mountains. I have ridden most of my life and have 2 horses. In addition to riding I enjoy bird watching, hiking, fishing, gardening and reading.
Julie Wilson:
This will be my 3rd Equitarian Workshop as an instructor. I am greatly looking forward to continuing to learn from all of you as well as our Mexican hosts. Empowered by this Equitarian training, I led a pilot Equitarian project in Honduras earlier this year and helped Dr. Adrienne Otto on the 2nd Equitarian trip to Costa Rica. Right before this Workshop, I will be part of the Equitarian team working in Guatemala in conjunction with World Horse Welfare. I was given the gifts of Spanish, love of animals, and lots of international travel as a child, all of which have shaped my life. A 6 year stint on the Board of Directors of Heifer International taught me the importance of sustainable assistance and education for those that rely on animals for their survival while supporting environmental health. With Jay Merriam, I co-founded the Equitarian Initiative and currently serve as its treasurer, a Director, and Workshop registrar. I work as a large animal internal medicine consultant in Minnesota, seasonal racing regulatory veterinarian, and volunteer with a number of local Equitarian efforts. I am married to Tracy Turner who supports and shares my passion for horses and this kind of work. We have 2 grown (?) soldier sons. Other joys include riding, gardening, hiking, classical music, reading, birds, dogs and cats.
Laura Wolfe:
I was a Civil Engineer for five years before deciding to go to veterinary school. After graduating from the University of Florida CVM in 2000, I worked for a year as an associate in a Thoroughbred practice in Ocala, Florida. In 2001, I started my own equine practice and a family. When I’m not working I spend my time going to soccer practices and matches, riding, reading and landscaping. I’ve been in practice for 12 years now. Practice has become routine and much about paying bills and accounts receivables. I’ve been looking for ways to broaden my horizons both personally and professionally. I see the “Equitarian Initiative” as an opportunity to use my particular interests and skills to make a measurable difference in peoples’ and animals’ lives. I also want to learn Spanish! As a solo practitioner, I always look forward to the opportunity to collaborate on cases and learn from colleagues.