OUR MISSION
To sustainably improve the health and welfare of working horses, donkeys, mules, and their families around the world.
What We Do
WHO WE ARE
Equitarian Initiative is a non-profit corporation established by equine veterinarians to sustainably improve working equid health by harnessing the passion and expertise of volunteer veterinarians. We work synergistically with other international non-profit organizations and veterinary colleges to enhance both learning opportunities and availability of basic health care in areas of need in the United States and internationally.
Our Vision: A world where every working horse, donkey and mule receives basic health care.
TRIAGE
Equitarian Initiative supports local communities and animal caregivers to deliver basic and advanced veterinary care to working horses, mules, and donkeys of the developing world. Our global programs incorporate evaluating and treating a wide variety of ailments.
Stations are set up for:
- Surgery
- Internal Medicine
- Farrier Services
- Dentistry
The Equitarian Initiative international team consists of volunteer veterinarians, surgeons, vet techs, animal scientists, farriers and students.
Types of Triage
Farriery
As perhaps the hardest working position in our programs, our farriers are in high demand! Most working animals lack proper hoof care in maintenance which causes major issues in podiatry and overall functionality.
Tack & Saddle fitting
Improperly fitted tack is a major cause of chronic sores and wounds. Much of the tack we see is homemade and in many cases, these sores become so severe that they require surgical intervention. Working animals do not receive the luxury of being regularly rested so tack is a major factor in overall comfort and health.
Dentistry
In terms of preventable healthcare, dentistry is a top priority for the Equitarian team. Inadequate dentistry contributes to periodontal disease and is also a major cause of malnutrition.
Internal Medicine
During our programs we provide advanced methods in diagnosis and treatment in a variety of preventable health and welfare issues such as malnutrition, exhaustion, dehydration, eye and respiratory infections, skin and dental disease, parasites, back pain, lameness, fractures and wounds. Each animal cared for by our team is scored for their body condition which we record to measure progress from year to year.
Surgery
The Equitarian team is equipped to perform surgeries using the best practices available. The most common cases include castrations and severe saddle sores but there is really no telling what we may see! Our surgeons are board certified and provide the level of care and consideration that horses in the developed world would receive.
TRAINING
Traveling to remote areas of the world, our team provides extensive educational training to local animal caregivers on a wide variety of best practices in equine medicine.
Communities, including local children, are active participants in medical treatment and work collaboratively with our teams to ensure long-term solutions to chronic challenges. This cooperative approach fosters a two-way educational and cultural exchange of information. Children are often tasked as animal caregivers, so we have developed resources and materials such as our children’s coloring book to teach basic concepts in animal treatment and husbandry. Working with the local children allows us to make a lasting impact on sustained animal welfare practices all over the world.
The Equitarian Initiative also delivers continuing education, hands-on field training, and multi-lingual experiences for the students and professionals who attend our international programs.
*Contact us to learn more about our student scholarship fund and earning RACE credits through our annual workshop.
GLOBAL IMPACT
