Equine Welfare in Practice: A Collaborative Outreach and Education Program with Michigan State University, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and Universidad Veracruzana.
Authors: Schott Harold C, Estrada-Coates Alejandro, Alva-Trujillo Miriam, Petersen Annette D, Kinsley Marc A, Esser Melissa M, Casillas Jose, Garcia-Seco Elena, Madariaga-Najera Mauro, Fernando Martínez José Antonio, Herrera-León Arturo, Hernández-Gil Mariano
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Between 2017 and 2019, Michigan State University partnered with two Mexican universities to establish an intensive two-week annual outreach programme delivering veterinary care to working equids in rural Mexican communities, simultaneously providing clinical experience for US and Mexican veterinary students. Over three years, 49 veterinary students, interns and residents examined and treated over 2,200 horses, performing substantial caseloads including 80 castrations, 100 pregnancy diagnoses via rectal palpation, 220 dental procedures and 320 hoof trims, alongside management of wounds, sarcoids, vampire bat bites, tick infestations and several unusual conditions including tetanus, cervical vertebral malformations and suspected vesicular stomatitis. The collaborative model required significant institutional commitment alongside creative fundraising and pharmaceutical partnerships, addressing a genuine gap in veterinary care for working equids whilst providing students with exposure to primary care across varied clinical presentations and resource-limited settings. For equine professionals, this programme demonstrates how structured knowledge exchange and practical skill-sharing across international borders can elevate welfare standards in underserved populations; the model suggests opportunities for similar initiatives elsewhere that could standardise care practices and identify regional health priorities in working horse populations. The programme's success highlights the mutual benefits of positioning student education around genuine clinical need, rather than regarding outreach and training as separate objectives.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •International collaborative veterinary programs can provide essential preventive care and primary treatment to working equids in resource-limited areas while training veterinary students
- •Rural equid populations benefit significantly from organized outreach providing routine procedures (dental care, hoof care, castration, pregnancy diagnosis) that may be unavailable locally
- •Private donations and pharmaceutical partnerships can sustain large-scale animal welfare programs, making such initiatives feasible for veterinary schools worldwide
Key Findings
- •Over 2,200 equids were examined and treated by 24 US and 25 Mexican veterinary students across three institutions from 2017-2019
- •Procedures performed included 80+ castrations, 100+ pregnancy diagnoses via rectal palpation, 220 dental floats, and 320 hoof trims
- •A collaborative international outreach model successfully combined veterinary education with equine welfare provision in underserved rural communities
- •The program identified diverse clinical conditions in working equids including emergency cases (tetanus, vesicular stomatitis) and orthopedic issues (cervical vertebral malformation)