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Exploring Equine Dentistry

Grace, a second-year veterinary student, has found a passion for equine dentistry through her involvement with the Equine Practitioner club.

During an immersive three-day workshop, Grace learned about the tools and technique needed to float horses’ teeth. Horses can’t naturally file down their teeth, so floating, a specialized dental procedure, helps smooth down sharp and uneven edges.

“This training didn’t just fill my mind with information; it ignited a passion for helping horses in my community,” Grace said.

Following the training, Grace has partnered with a local stable to help float horses’ teeth and put these skills into action during an externship!

Grace holds a dental drill inside an equine barn

Gaining Equine Experience

Allie, a first-year veterinary student, supported her peers by volunteering at the Student Chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners Equine Wet Lab.

Allie worked in the Emergency and Critical Care area, where she was able to learn about life-saving procedures in critical situations. She also attended a job fair that featured more than 50 equine practices from across the country.

Allie stands next to tall promotional banner inside a barn
Allie stands with Dr. Dustin Major and two other peers in the Emergency and Critical Care area at the Equine Wet Lab
Allie stands with two veterinary students at the Equine Practice Career Fair

Halfway There

I’m almost halfway done with my second year of veterinary school and it’s still absolutely flying by!

This semester, we officially started learning about one of horse-lovers’ favorite (and most frustrating) examination to perform—that for equine lameness.

We had dabbled in lameness exams last semester as an introduction, but when I saw all of the equine lameness exam lectures and labs on the course syllabus and realized that we’d be getting into the details and the how-tos of the exam this semester, I was ecstatic, even though I know they can get tricky and take a long time to truly master.

Equine lameness exams are almost like an art form. As a (hopeful) future equine veterinarian, this is a skill I know I will need to be great at. So, every week that there’s a lameness lecture or lab is my new favorite week, as they become more and more advanced.

With some of our previous lecture subjects, there have been some about which I remember thinking, “oh boy, not this again;” however, my continued excitement for lameness exams confirms that I’m on the correct career path, since I’ve always wanted a job that I would be excited to go to everyday.

Even though at the beginning of the semester some of the practice cases shown in class were frustrating to get, seeing my skill, and my confidence, in these exams growing has been so rewarding.

And the best part? I get to take a whole class next semester over equine lameness and rehabilitation.

I truly can’t wait.