I’m reading Wild Ride at the moment; having been loaned it by the gentleman who provides agistment for my horse.

The story revolves around Calumet farm in the USA and it’s rise and fall within the racing world and at one point with regards to the mighty Alydar and a broken leg, an ‘orthopedist’ is sought to see to the famous stallion.

I’ve written posts relating to vetting in general but realise that it’s possible to specialise further down the line.  Orthopedics can be defined as “the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention or correction of injuries or disorders of the skeletal system and associated muscles, joints, and ligaments.”

The saying no foot, no horse is as true as it is that if there is an issue with a horse’s leg or skeletal system resulting in lameness, your horse can be out of action which causes the loss of use of that particular animal.

If you’re someone who wants to see where medicine is headed with regards to horse’s feet, lameness, their legs and the care and rehabilitation of, then perhaps the path of Equine Orthopedics is worth considering.

It seems that veterinary medicine is the door through which to end up in this specialised field but perhaps initial work as a farrier at a younger age would assist in gaining a strong foundation with regards to a horse’s hoof and leg, movement, soundness and lameness.

Some links worth checking out:
http://web.mac.com/mjmartinelli/Site/Home.html – California Equine Orthopedic Center.
http://www.equineortho.colostate.edu/faq.htm – Topics from the Equine Orthopedic Research Center.
http://www.ecampus.com/bk_detail14.asp?isbn=9780813821375 – Book on Equine Orthopedics and Rheumatology.

“Each leg in it’s gallop seems to stream with a rush of speed as though from a bucket of water poured o’er the field.” – Arabian Poet

Tags: equine orthopedics, equine career, horse job, horse vet, farrier

I was out walking and chatting with a mate today who’s undertaking a Diploma of Performance Horse Management and it seems they had a most interesting guest speaking to them yesterday.

Dr. Judith L. Mulholland, or the ‘farriervet‘ was out to speak to the TAFE students with regards to horse and hoof care.

I’ve just been accepted into the Bachelor of Equine Science and although I love study, couldn’t see myself dedicating the time it’d take to become a Vet, nor the body power and study it’d take to become a capable farrier.

It seems this wonderwoman has done both and now travels to teach others the things she’s put years into discovering.

So maybe you’re not interested in farriery or vet work but you do have a couple of interests with regards to horses and skills or the horse course qualification to match; consider thinking outside the square to see if you can combine the skills to create your own niche market.

After all, if your horse appears to be lame or unsound, who better to see to it’s diagnosis and treatment than a qualified farriervet?

“When in doubt, ask a horse.”

Tags: equine niche, equine career, horse job, horse vet, farrier

As a student I didn’t realise the work that went into organising a class to make it interesting and informative for students.  Now having been in charge of a class and looking to teach again next term, I’m more aware of teachers I’ve had that have taught ‘at’ me, and others that have actually helped to educate me and make me think.

My boss while teaching seems to always be striving to find videos/dvds/books that are up to date, interesting and interactive for her horse students and it has made me aware of the market out there for educational items.

There have been some interesting videos made up by some obviously talented multimedia people that know their horses.

One that has recently caught my eye although I haven’t seen the CDs as yet is found through the Glass Horse – http://www.3dglasshorse.com/.  Shown on the site are some example pictures from two CDs relating to Equine Colic and Elements of the Equine Distal Limb.

Both look to be with great information and images to help others learn about the inner workings of the horse.

Perhaps your interest is in educating others with regards to a particular area of horses but your passion isn’t to teach a class, perhaps it’s in the design of a CD or DVD that can be sold and viewed by many around the world.

If your skill lies in this area, check out what is on offer through other companies, what topics are covered and see if your topic/s of interest are yet to be covered or covered in more detail, you never know, you may just find a niche.

“Life is short! Hug your horse!”

Tags: equine novel, equine CD, horse DVD, equine media, horse education