Outlook Preceptor Profile: - Western University of Health Sciences

Rare Arabian Herd Rescued, Rehabilitated,Ready to Work as Equine TherapistsWESTERN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES DVM students beginclinical skills training in the first year of their program, practicingphysical exams and wellness care in the College’s two wellnessclinics. Second-year students gain more experience in theVeterinary Ambulatory Community Service vehicle, a clinic-onwheelsthatprovidesfree/low-costservices topeople whocan’t affordveterinarycare. Largeanimalclinicalexperience takes place at California State Polytechnic University,Pomona, at community preceptor practice sites, and during themany occasions when students volunteer with CVM faculty tohelp nonprofit organizations like The Pegasus Rising Project(www.pegasusrising.org) and its rescued herd of at-risk Arabianhorses.In January, eleven CVM students (some from the Student Chapterof the American Association for Equine Practitioners), and facultyvolunteers Dr. Paul Gordon-Ross and Dr. Elizabeth Schilling,joined volunteer equine veterinarians Dr. Steven Colburn andDr. Jeffrey Moss of Creekside Veterinary Service(www.creeksidevets.net) in Escondido, CA to help with physicalexams, surgical castrations, and hoof trimmings for a rescuedArabian herd of nine stallions,17 mares and three foals.For Tiffany Stillian, DVM ’11,the experience was nothingless than amazing. “For thefirst horse, Drs. Colburn andMoss demonstrated a fullequine castration, fromanesthesia induction, to theactual castration, to recovery.After this demonstration, wedivided into groups, where weeach got a chance atadministering injectable sedation and anesthesia, injectableantibiotics, preparing the surgical site, and actually performing halfor full castrations under doctor supervision and direction.”The family of horses rescued by Pegasus Rising is no ordinaryherd. The two original horses were brought from Poland with thehelp of Ronald Reagan during his Presidency. The first of thesetwo stallions—champion racer Gedymin—won races in Polandequivalent to the U.S.Triple Crown,while Dalimin was a descendentof the great stallion Lotnik,imported by World War IIGeneral George S. Patton.The 29 offspring of thesetwo rare, historicallysignificant Arabianchampions had developedand lived together over 30years on a ranch thatdegenerated as the ownersaged. They weremalnourished, teeming withparasites, up to their ankles inmud and their own waste.“This is about rescuing a very significantgroup of horses that are innately different than a lot of horses weencounter.They’re extremely docile and loving toward humans,”explained Cynthia Royal, founder of the Pegasus Rising Project.Julie Huber, DVM ’12, hasn’t decided if she will pursue equinemedicine, but she does plan to own a horse, and welcomed theopportunity to gain hands-on experience. “My favorite part of theday was taking part in an exam on a horse that had a history ofchronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” she said. “Dr. Colburnwalked us through the signs that the horse was displaying, allowedus to auscult the thoracic cavity, and educated us on the adverseeffects of performing anesthesia on a patient in this condition.”Dr. Elizabeth Schilling noted,“The students got to see some of thecommon complications associated with these ‘routine’ procedures,such as colic, had an opportunity to discuss the complications, andthink about strategies to prevent them rather than deal withthem.”When they regain their health, these gentle horses will have a newmission: to teach people with trust issues, past abuse or any typeof emotional trauma how to safely relate and connect withanother living creature again. The “Healing with Horses Therapyand Enrichment Programs” will provide equine-assistedpsychotherapy to further the emotional healing of veterans withpost-traumatic stress disorder, abused children, autistic children,and survivors of domestic violence.“The goal is to raise human healing, potential and consciousness toa new level through the way of the horse,” explains Cynthia Royal.“The Pegasus Rising Project will offer opportunities for all torealize a clearer understanding of the role that horses and humansplay in healing each other, the community and the planet.”4