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Wednesday, May 09 2018 / Published in General

Vet Talk with Dr. Richard Wheeler

Richard Wheeler, DVM, was born in the U.K. and graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 2002. Dr. Wheeler then completed a two-year internship at Greenwood, Ellis and Partners (now Newmarket Equine Hospital) in Newmarket. In 2005, he moved to Wellington, Florida, to join Palm Beach Equine Clinic and he became a partner in 2009. Dr. Wheeler’s primary concentration is equine sports medicine. He is an FEI Veterinary Delegate for show jumping and dressage and has authored several published articles on the topic of equine sports medicine. Dr. Wheeler has served on the board of the USHJA Horse and Rider Advocates Committee. In 2016, Dr. Wheeler became a founding director of the Sport Horse Research Foundation. Dr. Wheeler and his wife, Jessica, have two children. Do you have a question you want Dr. Wheeler to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.

My 9-year-old warmblood showjumper feels weak; I’m finding it hard to maintain muscle and I don’t feel enough push over fences. He isn’t lame, but I feel like there is something wrong. Do you have any ideas?

This isn’t an uncommon complaint. There are a several possible medical and training issues that can be investigated. When presented with such a case, I would start with a full performance evaluation where we would look for subtle lameness issues as well as evaluating the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurologic and respiratory systems.

We would discuss the performance issue with rider, trainer and groom to ascertain if the issue is consistent or periodic. We would then ask questions to determine if the horse feels the same all the time or if he deteriorates during the course; if he’s different depending on environmental conditions; and if there have been other clinical signs such as coughing, shifting in one direction or reluctance to eat.

While evaluating the horse on a leadline, flexion tests and observing the horse under saddle, we look for subtle lameness and/or positive flexion test results that may indicate underlying pain that may only manifest when under stress such as performing in the ring.

Simple blood and fecal tests can be used to look for muscle and gastrointestinal issues, and, if indicated, further tests such as gastroscopy, muscle biopsy and endoscopy of the airways can be used to further investigate the problem.

Recently, together with Dr. Heidman, our internal medicine specialist, we’ve been able to identify subtle problems in horses performing well but not to their full potential. In some cases, samples taken from the lungs have identified lower airway inflammation that was easily helped with medication and allowed the horse to perform successfully at the highest level. In other cases, a muscle biopsy was performed and identified underlying muscle disease and/or problems with trace minerals, which was easily helped with dietary changes and oral supplements.

While the issue you are experiencing may not be severe, these tests are minimally invasive, the treatments are often simple and investigating may be valuable in optimizing the performance of your horse.

I saw an article noting that a British survey discovered that many horse owners try therapies for musculoskeletal injuries without talking to their veterinarians first. What are some of the dangers to such therapies?

This is an issue that’s been present throughout my career, both as a veterinarian and as a horseman. Since I was young, there have always been therapies touted as the next best thing for optimizing equine performance and helping the equine athlete heal. Some therapies have stood the test of time, while many have fallen out of favor.

As veterinarians, we try to practice evidence-based medicine, relying on scientific research to guide our clients with regard to the best diagnostic treatment and therapy options for their equine athletes. This limits our confidence to therapies that have been well-researched and proven to be both safe and useful. Given the constraints of time and finances, it’s difficult for new and novel therapies to achieve this level of scrutiny. However, without such investigation, we’re guessing as to whether such techniques are really achieving what we expect. In many cases, products are brought to the market before we have genuine evidence that they’re valuable. I’ve seen many instances where a client has spent a lot of time and money on therapies without an accurate diagnosis only to find, once the real problem was identified, that such techniques were a waste.

I’m privileged in my current role, given the fact that I’m in close contact with my clients, generally on a daily or weekly basis, and I have a close working relationship with other professionals providing farriery and alternative therapies. I’m often asked what I think about new therapies and whether or not they are worth trying. My primary concern is to establish an accurate diagnosis of the problem at hand. Once this has been determined, then it’s time to discuss treatment options.

While I’m generally not an advocate for unproven and under-investigated therapies, there are occasions where clients want to try something new and potentially useful. The discussion then comes down to potential harm: There are many therapy options that, while unproven, have been shown to be safe, and in that case the only risk is a financial one.

I hope that horse owners will begin to see the value of unbiased scientific research both for the health and well-being of their horses. With more clients asking for good research behind the products offered to them, companies will be incentivized to investigate their products prior to market, which is something I believe we’ll all benefit from.

What was the most easily preventable injury you saw recently? What could have been done differently? 

As with any sport, injuries are inevitable. I’m happy to say that in the sports I’m directly connected with, severe injuries are rare. I believe the majority of horses are exceptionally well cared for and injury prevention is at the front of everyone’s mind. However, any injury — even that considered mild — is devastating to the owners and trainers of our equine athletes. Following a diagnosis, we all look to see what could have been done differently.

I can’t say that this season I’ve seen an injury that could have been easily prevented. For me, the factors are adequate fitness and training, good farriery and regular examinations for performance (to identify mild problems before they become significant). This is a team sport and it requires a team approach. The best riders, trainers, grooms, farriers and veterinarians work together and share information on a regular basis to identify problems before they become a big problem. I would say that I’ve seen several instances recently where a sharp-eyed groom noticed some minor swelling and a sensible trainer had us check the horse immediately, preventing an injury from worsening and becoming more significant.

The best horsemen I’ve worked with share a particular trait: attention to detail. I’m always impressed with the groom who calls or finds me first thing in the morning concerned about subtle changes in a horse’s routine or leg palpation. I’ve learned never to ignore these insights because they know the horses better than anyone, and often their concerns are well founded.

Going to another level, I have some clients who will perform routine, periodic advanced imaging on their top horses. Nuclear scintigraphy, or bone scans, would be the most logical and frequently used modality. I’ve found, during the competition seasons, that it’s helpful to refer back to such exams, both to guide therapy programs and also to know when we need to back off and give the horse time to rest.

 

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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