The Gift Horse Equine Dentistry

The Gift Horse Equine Dentistry Horsemanship based equine dentistry. No power tools, no sedation for most horses. Certified graduate of the Tucker Technique of equine dentistry.

To some this barn may look ordinary. To me this barn saved my life. Not exactly the building but the people and horses t...
03/09/2026

To some this barn may look ordinary. To me this barn saved my life. Not exactly the building but the people and horses that occupy it. This was the barn where my life changed in an instant. It was at this barn, October 25 2023 that my aorta ruptured. I wasn’t planning to be there that day. I had intentions of being home. Relaxing, with Cylas 3 and Ronan nearly 2. Had I not changed my plans to include going there that day I honestly don’t believe I’d be here to make this post. Or to do anything that I’ve done since. I was fortunate to have people who were able to get me the vital emergency care that saved my life that day. Heading there this morning I was filled with anxiety. I was nervous and literally shaking. Today I was reminded of how important it can be to set down our burdens, to “leave it at the door” sometimes this applies to barn time and sometimes this applies to family time. I am not saying no not be authentic in yourself but letting go of energy that does not suit you in the moment can be tremendously helpful. Today I pulled up and sat for a moment. I took a couple of deep breaths and grounded myself. I left all my insecurities in the van. I went in and was welcomed to a barn that had missed me, they had missed my presence and my skills and most of all my heart. It was beyond a gift to reconnect with the horses and the people here. It was again something I had little hope of being able to do for some time. I was grateful to be able to leave on my own this time, and for the entire experience.

Today was a remarkable day. Perfect to happen in the year of the horse, and made even more exceptional by the company of...
03/03/2026

Today was a remarkable day. Perfect to happen in the year of the horse, and made even more exceptional by the company of a valued colleague and friend. Witnessing extraordinary events that some might deem once-in-a-lifetime occurrences made it even better. Including the privilege of seeing a spotted deer in the wild first hand. We were unable to take our own photos due to it grazing along the highway, with no place for us to turn around, however I found a photo that resembles the deer we saw. I was also surprised to see a shooting star on the ride home. In addition to accomplishing something I had deemed unattainable for over two years, an objective I had begun to doubt I could achieve again. I successfully floated five horses within a reasonable timeframe, without any notable physical discomfort. This experience rekindled my passion for equine dentistry and reminded me of the joys of traveling, exploring new food and locations, meeting new individuals and animals. The gratitude I feel for the skills I've acquired, the support of my friends and family, as well as the opportunities I have gained are immense.

02/23/2026

“If you want to do vet things, go to vet school.”

I’ve seen this comment more than once. On the surface, it sounds simple. Logical, even.

But here’s the reality: If “just go to vet school” were the solution to the declining equine veterinary population… we wouldn’t have a declining equine veterinary population.

Veterinary schools already exist. Seats are filled. Tuition is high. Graduates are produced every year. Yet large-animal and equine practice continues to shrink.

So maybe the issue isn’t that people don’t know vet school exists. Maybe the issue is that the single-license model isn’t solving access problems fast enough.

Human healthcare figured this out decades ago. When demand outpaced supply, medicine didn’t respond by telling everyone to become a physician. It diversified:
- Physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Dental hygienists
- Anesthetists
- Surgical techs
- Physical therapists

Shorter, focused programs were created to handle DEFINED scopes of care safely and effectively. Not because physicians weren’t valuable. But because one pathway couldn’t meet all needs.

Shorter programs are not inherently inferior. They are narrower by design. The programs dedicated entirely to equine dentistry produces deeper dental repetition than a broad veterinary curriculum that must cover surgery, reproduction, pathology, internal medicine, pharmacology, herd health, and more. Adding an element of sedation to the already-existing equine dental programs only makes sense. The system is already in place and ready to be expanded.

That isn’t an insult. It’s math.

Diversifying animal healthcare licensing doesn’t weaken veterinary medicine. It strengthens the system by:
- Increasing access
- Reducing bottlenecks
- Allowing veterinarians to focus on advanced and complex cases
- Creating structured, regulated lanes instead of gray areas

The goal isn’t to replace veterinarians.
It’s to build a system that reflects reality. Right now, we expect one professional license to cover an entire species’ healthcare needs in an era of growing horse populations and shrinking large-animal participation. That model is under strain. When systems are under strain, smart industries evolve. Refusal to embrace evolution leads to extinction.

“Go to vet school” is not a strategy.
It’s a slogan.

The real question is this: Are we willing to design a diversified, structured, accountable animal healthcare model…
or are we going to pretend that ONE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY can solve a workforce problem it hasn’t been able to solve so far?

The future of equine care will depend on how honestly we answer that.
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If this content makes sense, please share it to your own pages. This conversation truly needs to involve the ENTIRE equine industry.

Address

Bainbridge, NY
13733

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

(607) 343-1774

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