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Equine Dentistry Without Drama™ Since 1983 - When Horsemanship Counts And Results Matter™ - Geoff Tucker, DVM Soon to become a membership site.

Equine Dentistry Without Drama™ Since 1983 - We are the best dentistry solution removing all sources of oral pain in your horses and rarely using drugs to do it. "The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship" - a book telling you the secret of connecting to any horse within 30 seconds. The Horse's Advocate™ - tips and tricks of basic horsemanship. BarnPics™ - pictures of farms and things along the road to them. Licensed in FL, GA, SC, TN, VA, AL, NY, LA & WA

07/01/2025

Who do you believe? Is it the person with credentials or the person with experience? Maybe neither, because whenever anyone says something, there is an agenda. The need to talk is to communicate with someone to gain a response. Here are examples:

- "What is your name?" is a question wanting an answer.
- "The sunset is beautiful!" encourages others to look up and share what I see.
- "Feed your horse with my grains and supplements, and they will win the championship." solves the desire of sport horse owners.

Attending meetings is a grand example of communication on several levels. The presenting organization uses its associates to orchestrate an assembly of speakers and audience. The goal for most is to make money, primarily if sponsors are used to finance everything.

Last week, I attended six lectures presented by an animal feed ingredient maker and sponsored by several horse feed manufacturers. I report on my experience, which was mostly a waste of my time. Luckily, it was free and online. However, it is essential to report on this because I need to know how they manipulate horse owners. Bamboozling, deceiving, and misleading are all words I would use to describe what marketing does, and unfortunately, our horses suffer.

Not all marketing bamboozles. All businesses need to make money to remain in existence. However, integrity must be addressed when a need to return a profit at the expense of those supporting a business is compromised. Most lectures should have addressed the overarching problem in equine nutrition; what they say about feeding horses is not helping them.

The same was true at the AAEP meeting in Orlando this year. Again, medicine wants to explore ways to fix things rather than prevent them. Several of the presenters of scientific papers said from the stage that their studies were underpowered or didn't last long enough to show causation. In other words, what we say here may or may not help horses, but we won't study anything that will prevent illness and lameness. How can veterinarians offer help when preventive strategies are never mentioned? Just take a look at the sponsors down on the trade show floor. After all, they are the driving force behind what is said from the podium.

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Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 144: "Should We Listen To Horse Education?" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on December 11, 2024Who do you bel...

26/12/2024

The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 143: "The Science Behind The Connection With Horses. An Interview With Dr. Maria Katsamanis" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on December 4, 2024

Dr. Maria Katsamanis (Dr. Maria) joins me on this podcast to discuss how science can help us create better connections with our horses. I do these things every day, but I need the science or research behind why I do what I do. She delivers on this and more! Dr. Maria will be delighted if you learn something from listening that helps you connect better on a molecular level. Her life's work is to scientifically understand and improve on why we would rather be in a barn asking horses to help us face the world and heal our minds.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 143: "The Science Behind The Connection With Horses. An Interview With Dr. Maria Katsamanis" By Geoff Tucker,...

21/12/2024

Three articles from the AVMA arrived in my inbox this week:
- Gap shrinks between new graduate, overall veterinary salaries
- Midlevel practitioner proposal secures enough votes in Colorado
- Federal appeals court reverses Texas VCPR ruling

These articles drove me to make this podcast, the third in a series, about horse veterinary care. It emphasizes the need to prevent illness and injuries.

In summary, new vet graduates' mean starting salary (adjusted for inflation) has steadily risen since 2000, while the income of established veterinarians (adjusted for inflation) has not. The educational debt to become a veterinarian has also risen, but the ratio between debt and income on average has fallen due to increasing salaries. However, after removing the 17% with no debt, the debt-to-income ratio is higher and less sustainable.

All veterinarians are young, with 8% older than 65. Thus, the pool of experienced veterinarians to mentor graduates is shrinking.

Colorado approved the development of a midlevel practitioner to "fill the gap" between technician and veterinarian. Almost all veterinary organizations opposed this; however, the voters accepted this idea. Is this different from non-veterinarians already diagnosing and prescribing (dentists, farriers, bodyworkers)? Will this become available in other states? How will this affect the safety and cost of care for our horses?

Texas accused a retired veterinarian of offering advice to a patient via email without first establishing a VCPR (veterinary-client-patient relationship) in person. The federal court overturned the lower court's guilty decision, saying that offering advice by email without a VCPR is a right under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. How will veterinarians and state boards use this decision?

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 141: "The Crisis In Veterinary Medicine Worsens" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 13, 2024Three art...

19/12/2024

Forgive me as I rant about veterinary care. This week, I experienced or heard of four events between veterinarians and their owners that have me asking: Are the schools teaching integrity along with veterinary medicine?

There are 13 new vet schools in America, spawning 55,000 more veterinarians in the next decade. Most will go into small animal practice. Driving this growth is a demand for pet owners to access care everywhere and corporate strategies to use more veterinarians at higher salaries to remain competitive. In essence, the forecast is for ample demand for services and a need for more veterinarians to meet this need.

Stepping away from this "supply and demand" model, I now see evidence that integrity is being replaced with a "fix-it" mentality. New veterinary graduates are well-trained in the science of "fixing" an animal's problem; however, are they also advocating for the animal and, importantly, the owner?

Regrettably, the era of the "country vet," who took the time to educate, advise, and console the owner, seems to be fading. The high cost of training and the standardization of care have led to a "cookie-cutter" approach to animal care. This approach, while efficient, may seem superficial to older vets who, though impressed with the knowledge young vets bring to the practice, miss the days of explaining how to prevent problems and advocating for the animal above all else.

https://youtu.be/CU5CmEj4tKg

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 140: "Integrity In Veterinary Medicine" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 6, 2024Forgive me as I ran...

15/12/2024

Over the next ten years, thirteen new vet schools will be built and accredited by the AVMA to teach and add 55,000 more veterinarians to the existing veterinary colleges and new veterinary graduates.

The expansion of the profession is driven by the growth of corporate-owned veterinary clinics and the aspirations of new veterinary graduates to enhance their quality of life. However, this trend may lead to a twofold outcome: increased cost and decreased quality of veterinary care. The impact is particularly felt by owners of animals other than dogs and cats, who may face more significant challenges in accessing quality care.

80% of new graduates are predicted to enter small animal practice, leaving only 20% for all other animals. Cattle, small ruminants, swine, aquatic animals, zoos, research, government roles, and our horses are left with too few new graduates to replace the steady loss of veterinarians leaving equine practices. However, the ratio of new veterinarians per horse practice diminishes this number, as practices need to employ more veterinarians to meet young professionals' social and financial needs.

For example, to cover a large geographic area with 24-hour care, two to four veterinarians need to be available to allow time off when, in the past, one or two covered it. Additionally, non-veterinary owned (corporate) small animal veterinary clinics offer high salaries that horse practices need to match to retain young employees with high student loans.

The mission of The Horse's Advocate is to help horse owners prevent unnecessary veterinary visits by improving farm and barn safety, improving nutrition, and teaching horsemanship skills. The goal is not to replace veterinarians but to enhance their efficiency so they can attend to horses needing urgent attention.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 139: "More New Vets But Less Horse Vets" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 31, 2024Over the next ten ...

11/12/2024

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 138: "Horses And Perception Management" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 9, 2024

Perception management is a real industry that affects everyone in every aspect of our lives and our horses. In a spy thriller I'm reading, one man hires a perception management team to turn the world against Russia, causing everyone to purchase more weapons from his arms company while almost ending the world. It's scary stuff but relatable in the news today.

Can someone manipulate our perceptions of horse care for their advantage? Absolutely. The critical question to ask is, "How effective are your current horse care practices?" If the answer is a disappointing "They're not," it's crucial to reconsider your approach and critically evaluate who truly benefits from your methods. This process of critical evaluation is not just necessary, but it's empowering. It will engage you in thoughtful consideration of your horse care practices and a purpose and willingness to change them. However, effort is needed to distinguish good information from bad.

This podcast provides two relatable examples of perception management in horse care: Is 24-hour access to hay good, and should you feed processed foods? By listening to this, you can empower yourself to ask questions and build new strategies to improve your horse care practices. The knowledge you gain from doing so will give you a sense of control over your horse's well-being. I also provide a simple image to illustrate how life is fueled, with advice on managing food intake with energy output. This image of energy flow will help you focus on where change is needed: diet, exercise, or both.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 138: "Horses And Perception Management" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 9, 2024Perception managemen...

30/11/2024

The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 142: "Dr Belden Returns For Our Annual Thanksgiving Interview" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 21, 2024

This podcast is a special Rounds With Doc T with my friend and colleague, Dr James Belden. Usually, Rounds are for members of The Horse's Advocate, but as an annual Thanksgiving treat, it is available for everyone to watch or listen to.

Dr Belden graduated from Cornell's veterinary school in 1964. He has worked on horses in 30 countries, many Triple Crown winners in the Thoroughbred racing world, and many elite show horses in Wellington, FL. He has also competed with his reining horses. His knowledge comes from working on hundreds of thousands of horses in all sports categories.

Dr Belden tells stories of his work with horses, blending his experience into impactful ideas for all to use with their horses today. Practical advice sparkles throughout as he also answers questions from the audience. I hope you enjoy and learn from this veterinary treasure.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 142: "Dr Belden Returns For Our Annual Thanksgiving Interview" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 21,...

20/10/2024

Stephanie Brown-Beamer is a horse trainer on Long Island, NY, who discovered firsthand ten years ago that a properly fitted bit could resolve horse training problems. This experience motivated her to become trained in fitting a bit to the horse. No, it's not all about math and physics; it's about finding what bit suits the individual horse.

This podcast delves into how Stephanie assesses the horse under saddle, determines the rider's purpose and skill, and then uses her extensive knowledge of science and experience to match that horse to a perfect bit style, shape, and material so that the horse becomes comfortable with it. She also uses science to counter claims that all bits should be avoided; instead, she discusses how a bit can help frame horses to improve their performance while removing pain from improper bits.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 135: "Bit Fitting With Stephanie Brown-Beamer" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 11, 2024Stephanie ...

03/10/2024

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 132: "An Interview With Leadership Coach, Kerry Hayes" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 22, 2024

Kerry Hayes, a life and business leadership coach, is here with us today. She harnesses the unique power of horses to catalyze personal growth and confidence. Even those with no prior knowledge of horses can embark on a transformative journey with Kerry. The results are not just magical, but also deeply revealing and life-changing.

Kerry generously shares a wealth of insights to help anyone working with horses foster stronger connections with their equine companions and those in their lives. This podcast is a valuable resource for anyone who feels stuck or out of sync with their horse, business, or life. And if you're ready to take the next step, you can go to Kerry's farm, where she can guide you through a session.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 132: "An Interview With Leadership Coach, Kerry Hayes" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 22, 2024Kerry...

24/09/2024

On this podcast, Linda and I discussed the basis of all dealings between horses and humans, emphasizing connection at the core, followed by communication and leadership. She also described the other seven parts of her curriculum, which she calls "The World's Best Horse Training Program for You and Your Horse!"

From the website's about page - Happy Horse, Happy Life:
"Linda Parelli is co-founder of Happy Horse Happy Life, Parelli Natural Horsemanship and Pegasus Personal Growth, a dynamic public speaker, and the author of numerous articles, books, courses, DVDs, self-development and equestrian programs including her new Happy Horse training program, How to Talk Horse."

"She is considered the leading female expert on horse psychology based training and mindful riding, empowering her students to be better leaders, riders and communicators with her unique approach to teaching."

When you spend decades working on tens of thousands of different horses, you will eventually learn to connect almost immediately. However, because Linda is a teacher, the path to creating a willing partnership with horses can be shortened through her teachings. As soon as you finish this podcast and get back to your horses, you can use several of the points made in our conversation. So, take some notes as a pro opens up about her life teaching horse owners to find the true meaning of horsemanship.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 130: "An Interview With Linda Parelli Of Happy Horse, Happy Life" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on July 31, ...

23/09/2024

Geoff Teall, a seasoned horse trainer with an impressive 60 years of experience, has been a client of mine for over half of that time. His expertise is widely recognized in the show jumping community, and if you're not familiar with him, you should be. This discussion is not about the sport of jumping horses but about horsemanship, training, philosophy, and the crucial aspect of feeding horses (hint - he soaks the pony hay for 12 hours).

One thing I know about Geoff is that he genuinely advocates for the horse above all else.

There are several reasons why Geoff joined me for a discussion on horses. In no particular order:
- Placing the horse's health is a primary focus of owning and training horses.
- Competing with horses should be fun, not an obsession with winning.
- Hard work and discipline are the only ways to succeed.
- Mastering the fundamentals is required before advancing.
- Become confident through mastering the basic skills.
- Sugar creates problems in horses, especially ponies.
- Keep things simple in training and caring for horses.

The following are his credentials:
- United States Huter Jumper Association (USHJA) Board of Directors
- USHJA Judges Committee Chairman
- USHJA Officials Education Committee Chairman
- USHJA Trainer's Committee Co-Chairman
- USHJA Trainer's Certification Committee Member
- American Hunter Jumper Foundation President and C0-Founder

He is an R-rated judge for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), judging for prestigious events, including the Pony Finals, the Pony Medal Finals, the National Horse Show (N.J.), and the Washington International Horse Show (D.C.).

The horses Geoff has trained have achieved remarkable success, winning championships at all the major horse shows. He has shared his knowledge through clinics and judged horse shows both domestically and internationally. Despite his achievements, he remains humble, a quality that is truly admirable.

Geoff is also the author of "Geoff Teall On Riding Hunters, Jumpers And Equitation: Develop A Winning Style."

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 129: "An Interview With Horse Trainer Geoff Teall," By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on June 12, 2024Geoff Teal...

20/09/2024

This podcast discusses two significant thoughts about equine veterinary medicine. The first is the breadth and scope of veterinary medicine, which is so much more than just horses. This is evidenced by my discussion of all the articles presented in this month's Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). The second is that most new veterinary graduates are being trained for and applying to small animal medical practices.

Horse owners have two responsibilities: first, to prevent disease and lameness in their horses, and second, to nurture their relationship with their veterinarian.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast episode 121: "The Two Responsibilities Of Horse Owners" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on April 3, 2024This podcast d...

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