F9 Equine Clinic

08/05/2025

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Did you know that F9 Equine Clinic now has its own recipient mare herd? In addition to on-site embryo flushing and transfer services, we are also accepting fresh or frozen shipped embryos, including ICSI embryos. And yes, for those of you getting in last minute, WE STILL HAVE MARES AVAILABLE FOR 2025! Call our office today to reserve your recip mare and get the details! (979) 732-4321

26/04/2025

Happy World Veterinary Day! Here’s our boss man Dr. Brian Fitzgerald who leads our team and makes sure our patients receive the best of care. He’s always happy to crack a joke, loves a good In-N-Out burger, and never hesitates to throw together an artful illustration to help explain a medical condition in an easy manner. Thank you and hats off to Dr. F!

21/04/2025

Happy Easter! The only eggs we saw were on our mare ultrasound exams, and our team was hopping busy all weekend long when the Easter Bunny delivered lots of breeding shipments 🐣

07/04/2025

Our technician Desiree always brings her smile to work!

25/03/2025

Foal season is in full swing! We’re loving getting to meet this year’s babies while we work hard on the next foal crop. Give us a call if you’re interested in breeding your mares this season!

26/02/2025

Have you checked your horse from the inside out? With our two endoscopes Dr. Fitzgerald can visualize the upper airway, esophagus, and entire stomach to help identify problems such as parasite infestation, gastric ulcers, strangles infection, and paralyzed breathing structures so he can make a targeted treatment plan. Best of all, the findings are right here on the screen for all of us to explore together. These are definitely a favorite procedure!

22/02/2025

Health certificates are hot off the press! (Actually they’re digital, for quick and easy retrieval)

Our team has been busy these last few days helping get you on your way to the San Antonio rodeo circuit, HLSR trail rides and therapeutic riding show, dressage, jumping, and reining competitions, and polo interstate travel. Best of luck and happy trails to everyone hitting the road this week!

21/01/2025

Happy snow day from our herd to yours! What do your horses think of this wintry surprise?

14/01/2025

Some frosty facts as we all prepare for next week’s wintry weather

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

18/10/2024

Happy Vet Tech Appreciation Week! Help us celebrate our two awesome technicians:

Desiree and Brandon have been an amazing part of our team. They work tirelessly in all weathers, and keep a smile on their faces. They both love a good Dr Pepper break on long days.

Desiree is our official donkey tamer, keeps all of our appointment details organized, does fabulous work with the pressure washer, and always has a funny story to help keep us smiling even on the longest days. She does trail rides and parades on her horses, and also enjoys camping, dancing, and being a great mama.

Brandon is a great help both on farm calls and here at the clinic, keeping everything in tip-top shape and making friends with all equines both large and small. He has a bag of treats handy for even the toughest patients and is always eager to start each morning. Brandon rides in both English and Western disciplines, and has a varied collection of horses at his home. He also is an avid hunter and spends time with his family.

06/09/2024

Freeze-branding Friday! This is a good option for permanently identifying your horse, and can be done in a matter of minutes.
This technique is preferred over fire-branding for horse skin, as it is less painful and more easily visible. It can be done on light or dark colored coats and even shows through heavy winter hair.

03/05/2024

Here’s a handy how-to video for Dr. Fitzgerald’s famous hoof bandages.