Popularity of Annual Equine Wellness Forum Continues as Event Returns to In-person Format

Friday, February 24, 2023

Attendees watch an equine treadmill demonstration with Laila the horse — Dr. Laurent Couëtil (left), professor of large animal internal medicine and director of the Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center, conducts a demonstration of the high-speed equine treadmill for Equine Wellness Forum attendees.

After relying on virtual programming necessitated by the pandemic for the last two years, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine brought back in-person continuing education this year for equine enthusiasts who attended the 2023 Equine Wellness Forum at Lynn Hall. The all-day program Saturday, February 11, attracted 125 attendees from across Indiana as well as Kentucky and Illinois.

Held at Lynn Hall, the forum is designed to inform horse owners and equine industry professionals about horse health issues ranging from basic preventative healthcare to the latest medical advancements. In addition to talks on a variety of topics, the program also featured live demonstrations of the high speed equine treadmill and equine bandaging. The bandaging demonstration covered bandage materials and benefits as well as tips, tricks, and modifications for different situations, and a discussion of splint types and demonstration of splint application.

Equine Wellness Forum speakers included several specialists on the college’s faculty. The forum began with a welcome and introductory remarks by the head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Dr. Catharine Scott-Moncrieff. Other speakers and topics included:

Attendees watch as Dr. Lescun demonstrates proper bandaging — Dr. Timothy Lescun, professor of large animal surgery, explains proper equine bandaging during a demonstration at the Equine Wellness Forum.

Dr. Justin Hayna, clinical assistant professor of equine theriogenology, who spoke on mare reproductive physiology, embryo transfer and egg harvesting, as well as predicting birth in horses and what owners can do at home;
Dr. Janice Kritchevsky, professor of large animal internal medicine, who gave a presentation on the topic, “Recognizing Cruelty and Neglect in Horses;”
Dr. Wendy Townsend, professor of ophthalmology, whose talk, entitled “When Your Horse is a Fool: Vision or Behavior,” explained how horses see the world and how several different eye problems can cause poor or uncharacteristic behavior; and
Dr. Michelle Tucker, assistant professor of large animal surgery, who addressed the topic, “Septic Arthritis and Joint Infections.”

Forum attendees also learned about equine nutrition from Dr. Erin Wilson (PU DVM 2008), a Purdue Veterinary Medicine graduate who is a nutrition consultant for Cargill Animal Nutrition. Her presentation was entitled, “Dietary Management of Equine Nutritionally Related Disorders.” The program offered up to four continuing education (CE) credits. At the conclusion of the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to tour the new David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital. The forum attracted horse enthusiasts with a variety of interests, including racing, jumping, showmanship, dressage, Western, English, and trail riding.