Here at Equine Analysis Systems, we have had a bit of down time to collect data and work on some of the company's other research goals. However, today starts an uphill climb into a very busy week, as we prepare for the Fasig-Tipton Keeneland Select Yearling Sale, as well as trips overseas for our veterinarians. In this unique sector of veterinary medicine, our veterinarians get the opportunity to not only work with elite horses, they also get the opportunity to travel the world in search of these elite horses for our clients. The yearling sale is an event in which consignors and breeders bring out their yearling crop that they wish to sell. Now, this does not mean that these are the inferior horses. Many operations breed with full intention to sell every young horse, while others may keep some and sell others based on bloodlines, build, etc. Often, elite horses are sent to the sales as yearlings because the owners know the horse will bring a high price now, and the new owner will take the chance of seeing how well the horse will perform. That new owner takes a big risk, but with big risk can come big reward, so the system works. Our role at this sale will be to look at horses for clients, take photos for analysis, and scan hearts for measurements. We then will produce a report that will help our client decide whether the horse in question is likely to fit the role they are selecting it for, be it a sprinter, turf runner, broodmare, or Kentucky Derby hopeful. While our hours at Equine Analysis are typically 9-5, sales are the time of year when we work like "real" equine vets and log long, busy hours. Cheers to late nights and early mornings!
But before all of that starts up, I'd like to share my "holiday" at Rood and Riddle this past Friday. The office was closed to observe the 4th of July, so I tagged along with Sarah Morelli and Dr. Friend at Rood and Riddle. We started the morning palpating and flushing mares, and ended it with a neurological case, a colic, a lameness at the Kentucky Horse Park, and a hoof wall injury. Somewhere between all of that, we stopped for lunch well before some people even have breakfast, laughed a lot, and learned a lot. Oh yeah, and I got peed on by a mare while I was flushing her uterus post-foaling. (Read: my arm entire arm was in her vagina while she urinated.) Needless to say, I was tired and smelly by the time I made it home. It was a great day though and a much needed break from my research computer. It is amazing the variety of careers a veterinary degree can lead to!
Until next time,
Nicole
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