The Horse's Advocate Podcast

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. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/) Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Horse owners are being told to purchase feed and supplements with the promise of improving everything with their horses. They do this by confusing you, forcing unproven marketing on you, wasting money, and harming horses. This course will empower you to understand more fully what goes on inside the horse, helping you make informed decisions for their care. I launch the Advanced Equine Nutrition course this month and wanted to give everyone a preview of its content. Chapter 1 - Energy Balance Chapter 2 - DNA and Protein Synthesis Chapter 3 - Determine How Much To Feed Horses Chapter 4 - Proteins As An Essential Nutrient Chapter 5 - Fats and Carbohydrates As Non-Essential Nutrients Chapter 6 - Cell Metabolism Of Glucose And Fatty Acids Chapter 7 - Lactate As The Universal Fuel Chapter 8 - Fructose and Its Master Effect On Survival Chapter 9 - The Addiction Of Sugar Chapter 10 - Unraveling The Complexities of Stress and Its Impact On Horses ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Understanding glucose and fructose metabolism within the cell and the effect each substrate has on ATP, the energy currency, is not just for advanced horse owners. This knowledge is crucial to anyone caring for horses as it explains why Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin resistance or dysregulation, misbehaving issues, and a generalized unwillingness are prevalent in every aspect of the horse industry. Fructose is not just a dietary component but also produced in mammals through the Polyol Pathway. Its purpose is to prepare the horse for challenging times like winter. However, when produced throughout the year, fructose metabolism leads to depleted energy within the cell, increased cellular and body inflammation, body fat production, and heightened hunger and aggressive behavior. These are serious issues that every horse owner should be aware of and motivated to address. Exercise is a key player in reducing the effects of fructose metabolism, but it's not always feasible for many horses. However, controlling fructose intake and the triggers that convert glucose into fructose are practical, effective solutions that every horse owner can and should implement, empowering them to take control of their horse's health. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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. From her website: "I strive to always share my in-depth knowledge of bits, bridles and the latest research with each rider with whom I connect, for the betterment of the horse. This is what you can always count on from me." Stephanie’s website: horsebyhorse.com ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

During my insightful conversation with Merja Sumiloff, we delved into the common thread of emotional blocks from our past that hinder our ability to form meaningful connections with ourselves and our horses. While our experiences may differ, the impact of trauma is a shared human experience. Whether it's a challenging childhood or a difficult relationship, these traumas can create emotional barriers that impede our potential for personal growth and healing. For instance, my academic journey could have been smoother—I was a mediocre student in high school and a three-time college dropout. However, my experience as a member of our high school football team, which never lost a game, may have instilled in me a determination to succeed. Could these seemingly unrelated events have influenced my eventual graduation from Cornell's vet school? Merja, with her diverse background, embodies the spirit of self-discovery. Born in Finland, she honed her skills with horses in Ireland and now resides in Australia. She conducts clinics in Finnish and English in person and online, guiding individuals to unearth their horses' hidden strengths and transcend the fear and doubt that often plague horse owners. The Sumiloff Academy: https://sumiloff.com/ Coaching and mentoring: https://www.merjasumiloff.com/ Her book called “Safe Spaces:” https://www.merjasumiloff.com/safespacesbook ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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. Kerry's website is: www.experiencingequine.com The article she mentions about heart rate variability (HRV) is: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/paij/vol1/iss1/5/ She also recommends this article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaheenajanjuhajivrajeurope/2024/03/29/unleashing-the-power-of-horses-for-leadership/ ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

I take a quick break from discussing fructose to return to the metabolism of glucose. There is a concept of flow (or flux) that, when understood, helps us feed our horses better. When energy flows in and out of a cell, everything works well. But when flow becomes restricted or stops, horses become unhealthy. Using a product of glucose metabolism called lactate, I show how this movement moves throughout the horse with few borders to stop it. The muscles, brain, liver, and all organs love lactate, and as long as it is kept moving, the horse thrives. However, with decreased exercise and continuous eating of sugar beyond daily needs, the flow of this substrate slows and even stops. The horse suffers at the cell level and becomes unhealthy. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Welcome to this crucial podcast, where I introduce a concept that is not just limited to humans but also affects animals: the ability to convert glucose into fructose within the body. This process is significant as it can have detrimental effects on cells, leading to a range of health and behavioral issues in animals, including horses.  While the chronic metabolic effects of fructose may seem negative (obesity, cognitive decline, inflammation, decreased cell metabolism, and cell death), they serve a survival purpose for animals during times of food scarcity, such as winter. However, in today's world, where sweet-tasting foods rich in fructose are readily available to horses year-round, these effects can lead to serious health issues, including obesity, behavioral problems, illness, and lameness. The goal of upcoming podcasts is to break up the information on fructose production and metabolism into small, digestible chunks so that all of you listening will quickly understand why fructose, fed or made year-round, causes many problems in our horses. Part 1 introduces the novel thought that horses can make fructose. In the upcoming episodes, I will delve deeper into how glucose becomes fructose, the triggers causing it, and how fructose metabolism lowers energy and drives the degradation of the body. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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." ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

I start this podcast by describing Memorial Day in America, then tie this idea into what is happening in the equine veterinary profession. I only dwell on this briefly because there are more upbeat things to discuss, such as the Klotho protein. The Klotho protein was discovered from an experimental failure and found in all animals. This protein, made up of one thousand amino acids, is primarily produced by the kidneys. A portion of it is then released from the cell, acting as a hormone that can influence cells in distant locations, including the brain. Klotho affects platelets, causing them to release PF4, one of many platelet factors. PF4 stimulates the brain's synapses in 4 hours, causing a profound increase in cognitive functions lasting for 19 days or more after administering it to mice and primates. The hope is that giving this protein will reduce or eliminate cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease in humans. An even more exciting result is the reduction of "all-cause mortality" in mice and primates after raising the amounts of Klotho. Could this also be true in horses? The best way to increase Klotho is exercise, which causes a 30% increase. Feeding adequate amounts of high-quality protein may also help increase Klotho. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

  Building muscle in horses is a two-stage process. Many horse owners expect results when applying only one factor. This podcast shows that ignoring one of these factors results in poor muscle formation. In the first stage, the key is to prioritize protein in the horse's diet, particularly the amino acid leucine. Leucine, a branch-chain amino acid, plays a pivotal role as a signaling molecule when it attaches to the mTOR receptor on muscle cells. This crucial process alerts the muscle that the necessary materials for muscle building are available. Understanding this, horse owners can better cater to their horse's nutritional needs, knowing that the right protein, high in leucine, is essential for effective muscle formation. Step two is to add exercise to the horse to build muscle fibers. More importantly, this also consumes the excess glucose in the diet. Exercise decreases the need to convert the free amino acids into glucose, thus preserving the pool of recycled amino acids. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

There is a turf war between veterinarians and non-veterinarians, both wanting to provide horses with preventive dental care. It started in the late 1990s and has gained protection behind laws meant to protect horse owners. But is there proof that any approach to floating is better than another? Or is it just positioning based on territorialism? I used the following script to make this podcast, but I also added to it freely to emphasize several points. This podcast is more formal than usual because I am reading a script I wrote in response to a graduate of my dentistry school challenged by the Veterinary Medical Association of her area. She is a non-veterinarian working in equine dentistry. Most of the United States allows individual states to determine what a profession is, and most states broadly state that veterinarians are the ones to perform medicine, surgery, and dentistry on any animal. This statement includes fish, reptiles, birds, and any other animal other than humans. It is the prerogative of the veterinary board to investigate anyone who does any work on any animal in their state. However, routine care of animals, including preventive medicine, is usually avoided. You can purchase and administer vaccines and dewormers, adjust angles on hooves, apply therapeutic shoes, prepare any mixture of medicinal supplements, breed horses, deliver foals, apply linaments, clip the hair of horses not shedding, splint crooked legs of foals, adjust bones, massage muscles, use red light, PEMF, and a dozen more things to a horse without being a veterinarian. But you cannot remove the unworn parts of the cheek teeth in horses, digging their sharp edges into the tongue and cheeks and causing pain with every movement of their jaw and tongue. I have been training veterinarians and non-veterinarians in the technique of Horsemanship Dentistry. My definition of this form of working on the teeth of horses is as follows: 1) Removing sharp points from horses' cheek teeth by filing them to a smooth edge is commonly called "floating teeth" but is also known as odontoplasty. The root cause of most dental problems is pain in the tongue and cheeks caused by sharp enamel points. Therefore, routine maintenance of the horse's teeth removes pain from these sharp points. Secondary to the removal of sharp points is finding pathology and addressing this. 2) Administering sedatives to horses for routine floating is unnecessary; instead, horsemanship skills are used for 97% of horses (from annual data consistent over the past decade). The remaining 3% are horses that are reactive to pain, fear the process, or have a painful procedure done, such as extracting a fractured cheek tooth. With those, I administer pain and anxiolytic medications. My name is Geoff Tucker, and I am a veterinarian who graduated from The New York State College of Veterinary Medicine (Cornell) in 1984. I have worked professionally with horses since 1973, starting on a Saddlebred farm in Ohio and moving to a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm in New York that same year. I completed my undergraduate degree at Cornell University in 1979 and graduated from veterinary school in 1984. In my autobiography, I tell my story: "Since The Days Of The Romans; My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses." It's available on Amazon, and I have also read it here on "The Horse's Advocate Podcast." While in veterinary school, my mentor told me the importance of maintaining horses' teeth. With him, I floated my first horse in 1983 and made this a part of my practice in 1984. Since then, I have logged the number of horses I have worked on or who I have taught. In February 2024, I recorded my 80,000th horse. But I always continued learning about horses' teeth and oral cavities. I have attended many continuing education courses offered by veterinary professional organizations in person or online.  The New York State Equine Practice Committee invited me to join them in 1996. The reason for this invitation to the board, they told me, was because I performed more dental care on horses in NY than any other vet at that time, and veterinarians were becoming interested in claiming this aspect of horse care for themselves. Non-veterinarians did much more, including all the racehorses at Belmont, Aqueduct, and Saratoga. As one board member stated, this discrepancy between veterinarians and non-veterinarians floating horses was because no good horse vet has time to add floating teeth to their busy schedule. There was one practitioner on the board who, at that time, was stating that only veterinarians should be floating horse teeth. I and the others were somewhere in the middle of these two thoughts. We could not reach a consensus, and we dropped the discussion, knowing it would require much more work than anyone wanted to do for an issue being done well by non-veterinarians.  The interest of the practice committee and the NY veterinary board came from the introduction of sedation and power floating equipment, and veterinarians started claiming their position from the non-veterinarians to broaden their base. There was no discussion that a non-veterinarian was less able to float teeth, nor were non-veterinary dentists cheating owners with poor quality of service. Cases of lapses in integrity came from both sides, mainly because floating horse teeth is hard work and requires horsemanship skills, and visualization of the finished float by the horse owner is within the depths of the mouth. In 1999, I attended the Ocala Equine Conference, where a non-veterinarian spoke about filling cavities in horses' cheek teeth. I was shocked when he stated, without any evidence, that horses would live, on average, five years longer if we all started performing this procedure. This same man was later banned from working on horses in several states, became the president of the IAED (International Association of Equine Dentistry), and became the director of equine dentistry at the University of California - Davis veterinary school. While this non-veterinarian was working at this vet school teaching veterinary students, he caused injury to a client's horse. According to her (she emailed and called me all of this information), the man was sued, and then he and the director of the veterinary hospital who had hired him were fired from the school. On another front, a non-veterinary equine dentist taught non-veterinarians how to float teeth in South Dakota in the late 1980s and 1990s. He was vocal that veterinarians should not be allowed in the horse's mouth because they had no training. His voraciousness upset the veterinary board, forcing him to leave the state and reestablish his school in Idaho.  Throughout the turf battle of who should be allowed to float teeth, I continued to apply and improve my skills throughout New York. In 1984, no textbooks on equine dentistry were available except one written by a non-veterinarian: "Sound Mouth, Sound Horse," by Ed Gager (published in 1983). Toward the end of the century, more veterinarians started to stand for horse owners' protection by demanding that only veterinarians work on horses' teeth. More textbooks by veterinarians came in 1998 through 2011, but few have come since. In the United Kingdom, veterinarians and non-veterinarians made up an exam so that non-veterinarians passing the exam would be listed officially and allowed to float horse teeth.  In 2002, I flew to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the annual BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association) conference, which focused on horse dentistry. I attended because of this subject, but I was one of only two veterinarians interested in equine dentistry traveling from the United States to attend. When the conference coordinator heard about my presence, she arranged for me to have a one-on-one lunch with Professor Paddy Dixon of the Veterinary College at Edinborough, Scotland. He has authored or co-authored more published papers and textbooks on Equine Dentistry and the teeth of horses than anyone. He presented the Frank J Milne State Of The Art lecture to the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners), the highly prestigious, invitation-only lecture, where he discussed the evolution of the horse and equine dentistry. The interest could have been better, as seen by the mostly empty seats in the 1000+ seat lecture hall. The following day, he joined a panel discussing equine dentistry, which maybe had 80 people attending. Only the best get invited to give this talk at the AAEP conference, yet very few attended. This is because (then and now) only a few equine veterinarians are interested in equine dentistry. Let me address this. There is a crisis in equine veterinary medicine, where only 1.4% of all veterinary graduates in the United States (58 out of 4000 in 2023) go into a practice limited to horses. Of these, 50% quit within five years (these statistics are found on the AAEP and the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) websites. The number of new veterinarians entering horse practices is less than those leaving, and the AAEP and the AVMA are moving fast to entice new graduates to join our ranks and, more importantly, stay. They do this by increasing the starting salaries, among other incentives. The cost of employing veterinarians or maintaining the horse practice places more pressure on owners to generate an income. Some look to dentistry to help with their profits, which is a good plan, but there are drawbacks. One of the first hurdles to becoming good at equine dentistry is becoming good at doing this. It is a skill that takes time to improve and becomes more challenging when the patient moves or objects. The solution for many is to sedate the horse automatically, doing nothing for the pain they are experiencing. Is this the best option for the horse? How does any medication affect horses that are healthy or who have underlying conditions, such as metabolic syndrome or gut ulcers? All medi

This podcast is about sugar as a fuel for our horses to use when it's needed to run away from danger. However, I also tell the story of the risks of eating more sugar daily than is required to fuel the body.  The first thing to know is that the body can make all the sugar needed to make it through the day. Adding sugar to food is required for only two things: replenishing stored sugar as glycogen for the next emergency and storing it as body fat for future use. Think of it as cash that you have either quick access to on a bank debit card (glycogen) or cash stored in a long-term asset requiring time to get, such as stocks or property (body fat). Further, think of using fat as fuel steadily released from body fat into the cell, like dividends automatically deposited into your bank. When sugar is released freely into the blood or cells, it sticks to proteins, preventing them from doing their jobs and causing damage. Over time, this damage will cause the demise of the cell and the horse. So why are you still feeding grain and giving hay 24/7? ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast breaks down how to feed horses into five simple rules based on what the food does, good and bad, within the horse. It is a short discussion that avoids a deep dive into science. Instead, it is a to-the-point instruction set for those wondering why their horses are falling apart in front of their eyes and what they can do to help the horse survive. There are no gimmicks or supplements. If your horse is sick or lame, there is a strong chance it has been caused by the food they eat. I tell you in the first part my five rules for feeding horses. After this, if you want to understand why I made these rules, I lightly go into the science. Future podcasts will go deeper into details to strengthen your ability to share what works for your horses with those still feeding the foods that make them unsound, unhealthy, or both. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast provides an alternative perspective to an interview published in an equine veterinary magazine with a board-certified veterinary equine dentist about EOTRH (Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis). I am troubled by what was said. Professionals are skipping to conclusions in a world demanding scientific evidence for decision-making on health issues. Worse, their focus is on treating this disease while saying multiple times that the cause is still unknown. In addition, alternative views are ignored and never mentioned, while there is good anecdotal evidence of many more cases of this disease. I hold nothing back but often become speechless. After 41 years of working on horse teeth, I have some thoughts that need airing, and I do so here. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast discusses the basics of breeding the mare and delivering the newborn foal. The number one rule of getting your mare bred is to develop good daily observational skills and record what you observe. This will show the subtle signs needed to get your mare bred successfully. The next most important thing to do is to create a good working relationship with a veterinarian skilled in reproduction. Delivering mares requires no intervention 90% of the time. However, you should still attend because they will need help for the remaining 10%. Of these problematic births, one will be life-threatening for the mare, foal, or both. I discuss how and when to intervene and when you need to call your veterinarian. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

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. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

This podcast discusses a comment by a listener who likes what I'm saying but doesn't like to feed herself or her horses anything genetically modified or treated with chemicals. All of us will agree with her. But is it possible in today's world? Is avoiding these two criteria (GMOs and chemicals) important relative to other factors, such as chronic protein deficiency? What can we control with the care of horses, and what is beyond our control? Most horse foods are altered and treated worldwide, keeping production costs low, yields high, and making horse food affordable. However, removing processed food with multiple ingredients from your horses' diet decreases exposure to GMOs and chemicals and removes their inflammatory effects. We need to work with what is given to us to make choices about feeding horses. Realize what is in our control and exclude things beyond it. Evolution perfected horses, but not for today's world. If you can find and afford organically grown food or turn them out on chemically free and ancient seeded pasture, then do so. But if you cannot, remove what you can from your horses' diet to reduce inflammation and add high-quality protein. The benefits of feeding to follow their evolution outweigh the effects of feeding imperfect food. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses. HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training. Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/). Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."