Injecting Perspective

"From the moment a horse is born, I'm convinced they spend the rest of their lives walking around, looking for a good place to lay down and die."

Thus began the equine section pathology lectures given by Dr. Joe Newton, who had seen all manner of creative ways for horses to hurt themselves in his career of examining dead animals. If there were accolades for accidents, horses would be considered savants.

Good horsemen are great listeners. Not necessarily of people, but of horses, who are constantly telling us how they feel and what they are thinking, if we just take a moment to pay attention. Good veterinarians are also great listeners, not just of horses, but of their owners, trainers, grooms, riders and farriers as well.

"The more people mess with their horses, the more they need their vet."

This observation was made by a friend and colleague who practices in Minnesota, and he noticed that the number of calls he gets in a day is directly related to the weather. When it's cold out, people just throw hay at their horses and run inside, not noticing the big laceration inside the hind leg. Then, when the weather warms up for a few days, folks want to start riding a bit, and then they notice that laceration all of a sudden, or how their horse feels lame.

To change behavior, you need to change the incentives that lead to the behavior.

There’s been a lot of stir caused by a recent New York Times article that was strategically published the week before the Kentucky Derby. 

The Times suggests that the increased number of breakdowns this winter at Aqueduct (N.Y.) were due to two factors: