Continuing Education

I have been blessed to learn from so many great educators. This weekend it was with Lorre Mueller of Trinity Equine Services. This was my 3rd whole horse dissection, 1st with the horse laying on its side. Lorre is an amazing instructor and generous with her time and knowledge. This weekend helped solidify concepts, refresh others and my brain was able to take concepts in that I previously didn’t have the foundation to grasp.

I am at a point in my career where I feel to continue helping the outside of a horse, I need to have a much better understanding of how the inside works. I am at a point in my career where I need to learn from people who understand the function of the inside of the horse.

We can only learn concepts if we have a mature enough knowledge base for the education we are receiving. This is why we can hear concepts years apart and take away completely different understanding. Our education and understanding matures with time, experience and knowledge.

Concepts that were reinforced this weekend:

Age is irrelevant to treatment of pain, joint degeneration, physical issues.

By the time horses show pain, they have some serious issues. We need to be better about prevention and supporting joint health.

EVERYTHING is connected. We have to look at the horse as a unit not individual sections

If the tongue is restricted then the hand limbs of the horse are impaired.

The body is amazing at compensating. Just because it can, doesn’t mean it should.

Sharon Mae Davis has great papers on joint issues in ridden and driven horses. Every dissection reinforces those joint changes absolutely exist and we must do better supporting the horses.

Colic is an emergency.

Movement is key to life and healthy function.

Things my brain connected:

Breathing influences blood flow. Breathing influences blood flow to the feet. If they are restricted in their breathing, nothing is functioning correctly.

Lesion in an elbow joint of a 9yr old horse that hasn’t been in consistent work for years.