Calling all horse lovers! We have a wonderful opportunity coming up to meet and learn from two equine professionals, Dr. Anna Pesta Dunaway, a Nutritionist on the Equine Technical Solutions Team at Purina Animal Nutrition, and Dr. Kristen Clapp, owner and veterinarian of Upper Valley Equine Services, now specializing in Equine Dentistry.
What: Two educational presentations with Q&A, plus light hors d’oeuvres & refreshments.
- Feed Room Myths and Misconceptions with Dr. Anna Pesta Dunaway
- Equine Veterinary Dentistry, More than a Float with Dr. Kristen Clapp
For Who: Horse lovers of all ages!
When: Wednesday, March 29, 5:30-7pm
Where: Chester Town Hall, 2nd Floor
Can’t make it in person? Join via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 961 1089 7785, Passcode: 5rDVK560
How Much? This event is free! All we ask is you kindly RSVP by March 26. Stop in the store, call 802-875-2333, or text 802-558-0064 with your name and group size.
For every registered participant, Erskine’s Grain & Garden, in partnership with Purina Animal Nutrition, will donate a bag of feed to our local equine rescues, Gerda’s Equine Rescue in Townshend, VT, or The Dorset Equine Rescue in Dorset, VT, up to 1 ton of feed!
Topics
Feed Room Myths and Misconceptions with Dr. Anna Pesta Dunaway
Do you have questions about your horse’s diet? Or looking to learn more about the latest nutritional guidelines and best practices?
When it comes to feeding horses, there is no shortage of myths and old wives’ tales circulating through feed rooms. Many of these feeding myths stem from traditions passed down through generations of horse owners. While some of these traditions are still useful, many are outdated or can even be detrimental to the overall health of the horse. Most myths that are still around today are the result of a lack of understanding of general equine nutrition and the specific anatomy of a horse’s digestive tract.
The old saying “it’s always been done that way” can make change difficult, but we now have scientific evidence that disproves some of the most common traditions surrounding feeding our horses. We will walk through common myths such as “too much protein makes my horse hot”, beet pulp must be soaked before feeding, and bran mashes are beneficial for horses.
Dr. Pesta is a Nutritionist on the Equine Technical Solutions Team at Purina Animal Nutrition. She is responsible for helping to bring innovative solutions from the research team out to the field. She spends most of her time providing technical consultations and support to the sales team on the East Coast, as well as speaking on equine nutrition at horse owner meetings and professional conferences. Pesta earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Kansas State University. She received both her master’s degree and Ph.D. in animal nutrition from the University of Nebraska. Her graduate research focused on the use of high fat diets and manipulating the microbial community in the gut. Anna resides in Aiken, SC and is a lifelong equestrian, actively competing her off the track Thoroughbred in three-day eventing. She is also raising her next event horse and has a special interest in the nutrition and development of the future sport horse.
Equine Veterinary Dentistry, More than a Float with Dr. Kristen Clapp
Equine dentistry has advanced immensely over the last few decades. Knowledge and the ability to do right by our horses increases every day. A very big thing to become aware of is that dentistry is more than floating sharp points and tall teeth. Proper dentistry in horses is more about the examination. Taking the time to really look inside gives us the ability to identify where the real problems are. The more we look, the more we find, allowing us to do more for your horse. When we address these issues we provide comfort for the horse, improved health overall, including better nutritional intake, topline, and the ability to better their performance. This lecture will walk you through the dental examination with visuals of how many things we can find in there and what we can do about it. Overall, we will address how you can help your horse to become more comfortable giving them the opportunity to give of themselves what you are asking of them, increasing their ability to perform at their best.
Dr. Clapp is the sole owner and veterinarian of Upper Valley Equine Services, LLC based out of Chester, VT. Dr. Kristen developed her passion for horses, competing within the Hunter/Jumper division while growing up on Long Island, NY. Her undergraduate studies at UNH brought her to New England. She obtained her veterinary degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI in 2011. After which she completed a year-long internship at Vermont Large Animal Clinic-Equine Hospital in Northern Vermont. Her and her husband, being avid skiers found their way to Southern Vermont where she has been practicing ever since. Dr. Clapp established UVES in 2015 as a general practice and has recently restructured the practice to a dentistry only practice serving VT, NH, and MA. In the Fall of 2022, she was accepted to and began her Equine Dentistry residency with the American Veterinary Dental College under her close friend and mentor, a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist, who Dr. Clapp has worked closely with since 2010. With a focus on advanced training she intends to bring access to high quality, advanced dentistry to the area both on the road and at her clinic. While working along side her colleagues within her region she intends to provide consultation, support, and services that are outside the realm of general practice. Along for the ride is her husband, son and daughter, who she enjoys as much of her time possible with them and their two dogs and horses.