The 2025 Equine Wellness Forum attracted an enthusiastic audience that included additional attendees who participated virtually. The day-long continuing education event hosted by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine on Saturday, February 8, highlighted the value of the equine health education provided by the college to equine enthusiasts.
With more than 170 participants from across Indiana and 17 other states, the event’s strong turnout of horse owners and industry professionals reflected the desire of equine enthusiasts to expand their understanding of equine wellness. The forum offered both in-person and virtual options, enabling a wide range of participants to benefit from the programming.
The 2025 Equine Wellness Forum included a combination of talks and demonstrations. Topics ranged from essential preventative care to trailer safety. The program included presentations by Purdue Veterinary Medicine specialists and live demonstrations that provided a first-hand look at techniques for responding to emergencies and proper trailer safety protocols, as well as an up close view of a galloping horse as it ran on the high speed equine treadmill in the Donald J. McCroskey Equine Sports Medicine Center.
The distinguished lineup of speakers at the forum included several Purdue faculty members. Dr. Tim Lescun, interim head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and professor of large animal surgery, opened the forum with a welcome and introductory remarks.
Other presenters included:
- Dr. Francois-Renè Bertin, associate professor of large animal internal medicine, who spoke about “Endocrine Diseases and Older Horses”
- Dr. Seiji Yoshimura, clinical assistant professor of large animal surgery, who shared insights into “Common Problems in the Foot”
- Dr. Erin Wilson, Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumna and nutrition consultant for Cargill Animal Nutrition, who gave a talk entitled, “Equine Nutrition: New Innovations in Support of Digestive Health”
- Dr. Jurica Tršan, visiting assistant professor of large animal medicine and emergency and critical care (ECC), who entitled his presentation, “How to Have the Best Emergency Ever”
- Kyle Clever, RVT, CVT, veterinary technician for the Veterinary Hospital’s Equine Field Service, who shared expertise on “Maximizing Winter Hoof Care” with his session entitled “No Hoof, No Horse”
A special thank you is in order for seven Purdue veterinary students in the Equine Club, who assisted with demonstrations and led tours of the David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital at the conclusion of the event.
With a diverse audience of horse owners, veterinary technicians, students, government workers, clinical staff, and farm workers, the Equine Wellness Forum served as a valuable resource for equine health professionals and enthusiasts – a key event in the equine industry calendar. The date already is set for next year’s Equine Wellness Forum, which will be held again at Lynn Hall on February 7, 2026.
