Among the few institutions nationwide that are starting to include equine podiatry-specific programs within their veterinary curriculums, Colorado State University is taking the lead. Charging forward onto this new, uncharted path provides students with opportunities unavailable elsewhere but also comes with its own unique challenges.
“There’s no blueprint yet,” said Dr. Jaret Pullen, a CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital equine podiatry instructor.
Veterinary medicine students have the option to participate in a four-year elective program concentrated in equine podiatry, which is the study of equine foot care based on a horse’s overall anatomy. Veterinary medicine students learn from a variety of lectures, labs and clinical experiences specific to equine podiatry.
“(There is an) emphasis on as much hands-on experience as possible,” said Ashley Echevarria, a Veterinary Teaching Hospital administrative assistant.
“It’s been amazing to be able to listen to farriers that are leading in their field of work. Developing an appreciation and respect for the art of shoeing a horse is something I think is lost in the general public and a majority of veterinary professionals.” -Anna Merritt, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences student
One of the major components of the program is the opportunity students receive to work with farriers — the professionals who specialize in hoof care.
“One of the standout skills I gained from this class was working with a farrier to take farrier radiographs,” veterinary student Jasmine Blattner said. “Having the opportunity to collaborate directly with a farrier in a hands-on setting gave me a deeper understanding of how radiographic imaging can be used to assess hoof balance and inform corrective shoeing decisions. This is a skill that will be incredibly valuable in my veterinary career, and I likely wouldn’t have had the chance to develop it without this program.”
In addition to the hands-on medical skills obtained, students also spend time learning about the horse’s footwear, which is the foundation of a horse’s overall foot health and often overlooked.
“It’s been amazing to be able to listen to farriers that are leading in their field of work,” veterinary student Anna Merritt said. “Developing an appreciation and respect for the art of shoeing a horse is something I think is lost in the general public and a majority of veterinary professionals.”
Students experience a mix of lectures and labs, with roughly four to five labs per course and casework, Echevarria said. Assistance with clinicals allows students to work with many kinds of horses and professionals, and they are then exposed to the multitude of podiatry issues that can manifest. One student, Meagan Rockow, shared their perspective on the coursework.
“The first parts of the curriculum featured didactic lectures from various farriers, veterinarians and veterinary farriers to help give us a strong foundation and understanding of the equine foot and its mechanics,” Rockow said. “The last two years have consisted of symposium-like orchestrations where Dr. Luke Bass has coordinated meetings of professionals both locally and nationally, flying in the leaders in equine podiatry from across the country.”
In clinicals, specialists like Pullen spend a lot of time looking at a horse’s lower front feet, a hot spot for injuries and other issues.
“The majority of equine limpness occurs in the front feet,” Pullen said. “They do not have muscles in this area of their foot.”
Horses do have tendons that attach to the bones and muscles higher up the leg, he said, but with the lower foot bearing more weight, many issues can arise, leading to injury and inflammation.
In fact, it is not uncommon for horses to come in for orthopedic care or be sent to another specialist, only to later be seen by Pullen because of a podiatry-related cause.
Although the program is catered toward graduate students, Echevarria said there are also opportunities for undergraduate students. Assistance with clinicals is welcome, and this allows students to get some very early career experience.
Pullen emphasized the opportunity this program offers students, one he noted he did not have early in his academic career.
With the educational and clinical parts of the program now developed, the third pillar in development will be research. For now, though, the program has given students valuable skills, experience and the ability to network with those specializing in equine podiatry, contributing to a pool of more well-rounded veterinary professionals overall.
Reach Catherine Schadegg at science@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
