Posted December 17, 2013

Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is bringing equine sports medicine and lameness experts, state-of-the-art research facilities, and an extensive catalog of research to a new partnership designed to benefit eventing. The equestrian sport is comprised of three disciplines: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.

In the new partnership, MSU joins the United States Eventing Association (USEA), Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology, and Capitol Productions TV in order to bring the latest research and knowledge to the world of eventing. The collaborators will deliver the latest information to the eventing community through feature articles and multimedia presentations by leading medical experts.

“Eventers are renowned for their dedication to the health and welfare of their equine partners,” said USEA chief executive officer Jo Whitehouse. “This new partnership will provide an innovative new delivery method of cutting-edge medical information to the world of eventing.”

Eventing is a growing sport that offers competitive and recreational opportunities for participants from a wide range of ages and backgrounds. There have been an increasing number of college eventers and eventing teams, which are now developing a national organization.

“Three-day event horses have the same physiology of all equine athletes, but they are unique in what they are asked to do,” says Duncan Peters, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVSMR, associate professor in the MSU Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, and director of the MSU CVM Equine Sports Medicine Program. “They require special attention when it comes to training, nutrition, and their overall care. This new partnership will allow experts to communicate directly to eventers. The CVM brings a strong team of clinicians and researchers to benefit the event horses and their owners.”

The expertise of collaborating partners will be shared with eventers through the USEA website, social media channels, and award-winning magazine, Eventing USA.

Read more in the USEA press release.

December 17, 2013