Travels With Doc T™ Blogs
An Iconoclast In The Horse World
It is the start of 2021 and the world is in a disruptive way. Our lives are nothing like they were a year ago. So why not join in? I am a self described iconoclast (a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions) in the horse world. I intend to drill a small...
Mineral Deficiency In Horse Hay And Pasture
There is a common thought among horse owners that the mineral content of the soil and hay has been reduced to a point that horses are becoming mineral deficient. I do not see the data to support this nor do I see the horses developing a mineral deficiency. So I asked...
Feeding Salt To Horses
(This blog’s header photo is of a white salt block in a stall.) When we see a salt shaker near our food, many of us grab it and shake it all over our plate. The tiny white crystals scatter off the plate, continue to bounce chaotically across the table and...
Hormesis, Hay And Horses
(This blog’s header photo is of a modern 6 wheel tractor tedding the hay field before baling.) In our Facebook group, “The Horse’s Advocate,” a member had a concern about her horse. The “diet” is feeding only pasture and hay, salt...
Speechless In A Case Of EOTRH In A Horse
(This blog’s header photo is of a horse that is moderately affected with EOTRH) Every once in a while I become lost for words. My mind becomes numb and my jaw freezes. My eyelids slowly sweep moisture across my eyeballs as I try to bring things into focus. My...
I Am Very Grateful
(above photo is the early morning skyline of Manhattan over Newark, NJ airport) It is legal for me to be coming to farms as veterinarians are listed as essential workers. We have been asked to limit our visits to procedures that cannot be postponed without adversely...
Ghost Town
(Above image – the plane showing over half the 1st class seats empty in orange as is the rest of the plane – a ghost town) Here I am again at 41,000 feet in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner going 600 MPH on the second leg of my travel from Seattle, WA to Newark...
The Equine Influenza Event Of 1872 And Today’s Corona Virus
The world is paralyzed by the new Corona virus called COVID-19 that started in China and is now in many countries. But this is the third Corona virus disease in the past 20 years and our horses have also been through similar events. Several influenza viruses have...
Get Your Brain Right, Get Your Horse Right
The Wall Street Journal often has some really good articles. This weekend’s issue (Feb 22, 2020) had an article on bias in the media (“Detecting Fake News Takes Time” by Alison Gopnik). It had a different point of view that I had not thought of. Let me quote: “David...
Food Does Not Equal Love
It was Valentine’s day yesterday and I made a HUGE mistake. I had worked all day in the northern part of Louisiana and my scheduled hotel last night was in Pearl Mississippi. I had 4 plus hours of driving that included 2 stops for charging the Tesla and grabbing...
A Veterinarian’s Christmas Story
I wrote this a long time ago and decided to reprint it here today, December 25, 2019. It really doesn’t have anything to do with Christ so if you are not a Christian it is still OK to read this. What this story is about is faith – on a cold winter’s night....
Cheerleading and Coaching Horses
Here is a simple concept you can use that will immediately change your relationship with your horses. It will also help with your spouse, children or the person behind the counter at the convenient store. It is the recognition between cheerleading and coaching. When I...
Feeding Horses – The Frequently Asked Questions
Contents What Is The Two Week No Grain Challenge? Is it OK to abruptly remove the feed he is used to? What will I feed my horses instead while the other horses in the barn are fed their grain? What is the theory behind the no grain challenge? What is sugar? What is...
The Death Of Horses
The text said, “I need to talk with someone I trust.” Her 7 year old horse had just died from an impaction colic. What words could I say to help her overcome her loss yet allow her to grow from it? Our phone conversation, boiled down to its essence, was about two...
The Trouble With Dentistry As Seen By A Human Doctor
I came across an article on Dr Joseph Mercola’s website. He is a functional medical physician who is prolific in content helping humans understand their health. I discovered him when listening to many podcasts as I search for information that will help our horses...
Cheese Doodles, Chocolate Bars and Candy Won’t Hurt You
Did Doc T just say OK to eating Cheese Doodles, chocolate bars and more tasty things? Yup! But only with a condition. What sparked this idea was a story I heard about a Norwegian explorer who walked to the South Pole and back by himself. Along the way he would bury...
A Better Approach To Parasite Control
From an email to me: Hi Dr. Tucker, Yes, I wonder about your recommendations per worming horses. It is springtime. I would think worming will change the pH of the stomach, so want some input as to how to proceed. Thanks. My response: Life is always a balance between...
Decomplexicating Horsemanship – Eliminate Fear
“This horse is a killer!” I was in the next stall working on the teeth of a big bay Warmblood gelding when I heard these words spill into my quiet concentration. The connection I had made of earned trust and respect with my horse remained even though the hot summer’s...
ECEIM Consensus Statement On Equine Metabolic Syndrome
The European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM) issued a consensus statement on a problem affecting a lot of horses called in general, Equine Metabolic Syndrome or EMS. I want to summarize here some of the key points and then add my 2 cents. Obesity The...
Weed Killer In My Beer And Wine
(above) Doc T gives a presentation on nutrition to horse owners at a “Horse Extravaganza” in Naples FL February 2019. Glyphosate (Roundup®) There are a lot of you out there who drink beer and a lot who drink wine. Some drink both. Today’s newspaper has...
Thank You
This Is Not A Holiday The end of February for most people is a time of the year filled with dark mornings and cold weather. There are no bright and colorful lights in our neighborhoods and the cheer of people is distant. The holiday season in America starts somewhere...
A Question About Soybeans
A simple question came to me recently that needs to be discussed. A horse owner asked, “The above link is an article circulating on FB; I was curious if you’ve read this? Thoughts? Thank you so much!” Here is the link for those interested: ...
Disrupters
Disrupters shake things up and disturb the peace causing the people around them discomfort, annoyance, anger, grief and a lot more negative things – usually. They can also lighten up a party. They usually have a mission of changing things up. They have the...
My Christmas Wish 2018
I was working on a horse with no one around. We were connected and our communication was clear. I gave the horse some moments to check out his smoothed edges and then something happened in the quiet moment. I became clear about something troubling me with horses...
How We Perform Equine Dentistry Matters
5 days in San Fransisco at the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners meeting and I came away with one clear message about equine dentistry. If I want to increase my profits in this specialized sector of veterinary horse care then I need to step up and...
The 2018 AAEP Meeting – A Summary
Above is the Marriott at the San Fransisco 2018 AAEP meeting. I was on the 35th floor overlooking all of downtown. Veterinarians are smart people and well educated scientists. They may love horses and have compassion for their health and care. Unfortunately they have...
A Chilling Walk In San Francisco
Here are some images I captured with my camera one day here in San Fransisco, CA. The tall building is the Marriott where I was placed in a beautiful room on the 35th floor (4th from the top) with a panoramic view of the city below, the tall hills in the distance and...
Feeding Senior Horses
When Is A Horse A Senior? I don’t know when a horse becomes a “senior.” Age is a human concept of marking how many times we circle the sun. If instead we were traveling in a straight line through space, how would we mark the passage of time? The idea of us or our...
Honesty – A True Story
This is a true story and all of my true stories are true but this one will seem a stretch for a moment. You will nod your head (or shake it) as you either agree with it’s honesty or become shocked when the words this man said to me settle into your consciousness. This...
Feeding The Horse As Simple As 1-2-3
(above) A bucket with hay pellets and soy bean meal. This plus grass hay, alfalfa cubes and pasture is all this horse eats. Keep It Simple Doc I hear this all the time from horse owners who feel that in making horse nutrition simple, I have missed the mark. “Just tell...
The Story of David
This incredible story is about the power of giving over receiving. The line goes something like, “It is better to give than to receive.” When both happens in less than 6 hours, it becomes life changing. David might not be this young man’s name because what happened...
Jimi Hendrix
This is a true story. I need to say this because you won’t believe the ending. In 1968 or 9 I bought my first rock and roll album – vinyl 33 ⅓ RPM record at the Carousel Record Store next to the Grand Union supermarket in Chappaqua, NY. Yes, I really remember...
Summary – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 12 of 12
WE ARE DONE!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!Some Basic Rules Will Help You 1) Feed a horse as it has fed itself for a long time before us. Good pasture and water. 2) Where necessary (weather, lack of pasture) supplement with good quality of a variety of hay (grass and legume)....
Lectins – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 11 of 12
This Is Really New Stuff The things I will be writing about here is mind blowing – and very new. I am excited about this information for a lot of reasons but the most important for horse owners is that lectins are, for the most part, not good. For example, about...
Supplements – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 10 of 12
The nitty-gritty of nutrition seems to lie in supplements which include 1) the elements we call minerals, 2) the electrolytes we call salts, 3) the molecules we call vitamins and 4) the herbs. I hear a lot of people proclaim that paying attention to and supplementing...
GMO, Pesticides and Fertilizers – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 9 of 12
GMO Foods and Their Use In Horses Here we are in the proverbial space between a rock and a hard place. Farmers want to be efficient and create the largest yield of production to increase the profits of their business while the consumers of the food want to be fed the...
The Importance of Protein – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 8 of 12
When discussing nutrition, most people know more about sugar as it is in the news every day. Fats are also discussed in terms of good and bad fats. However when it comes to proteins, most people immediately recite the % protein content of the feed they are giving to...
The High Fat Diet – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 7 of 12
I know this is getting very detailed. Read this anyway. Print it and then mark it up with a highlighter. Ask your barn friends to test you on it. Become a student. Become your Horse’s Advocate. But for those who feel overwhelmed, don’t weave in your stall....
The Basics of Sugar, Fat and Proteins – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 2 of 12
Welcome back! In the last article I reviewed 3 types of sugar important to horses. They were glucose, which is a single molecule of sugar (monosaccharide), starch, which is a chain of glucose molecules linked together (polysaccharide) in a way the horse can digest...
Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition – Introduction
Clouds shroud these hilltop wind turbine generators hiding their true giant size – much like the misinformation in feeding horses creates a cloud of mystique in what is truth. This is a series on my approach to feeding the horse. I introduced the word...
Complexicate
Welcome to a new year and to a new word – complexicate! I like getting older. Why? Because the layers of confusion people add to life become more clear and are now easier to peel off. Yes I know. This is a sure sign that I am becoming a grumpy old man. Guilty as...
Cheating On The No Grain Diet
I need to come clean with all of you. I have been cheating on the no grain diet. Please forgive me but I and Melissa have been put into an impossible position. Tis the season where fabulous clients find time to head to their kitchens to make baked treats or stores to...
Nothing
Sometimes I need to just write about nothing. No dentistry articles, gut digestion things, husbandry ideas or thoughts about our profession. According to a book I’m reading called “Mastery” by Robert Greene, all people who want to be great thinkers need to stop every...
What Is The Cause Of EOTRH In Horses?
After the 2017 meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) featuring Dr Paddy Dixon, the world’s leading expert on dentistry in horses, the cause of EOTRH in horses is still unknown. But I have an idea that merits this blog. Equine Odontoclastic...
Horsemen, Surgeons And Equine Dentistry
Horsemen, surgeons and equine dentistry have a major flaw that was made evident at the AAEP in San Antonio, Texas in 2017. The flaw isn’t easy to explain and has taken me decades to understand. This year Dr Jack Easley (treasurer of the AAEP, author of several text...
Why Do I Bother?
Why do I bother attending meetings if what they say I disagree with? Why be part of a group that is subsidized by feed companies (whose names are printed on the credentials lanyard) when my belief is that grain is hurting our horses? But right now I’m heading to San...
Rhubarb Pie, The Orbiting Earth and Your Horse
When I was a boy my Mom grew rhubarb in the garden. She was very proud of the crop and while it grew she would dream of the rhubarb pie we were all going to be blessed with in late summer. I hate rhubarb pie. There was nothing good about it and I dreaded getting a pie...
Constantly At War
Are We Really Constantly At War? Is there a never ending battle between us and them where if we win, we live and if we don’t, we die? Is this going on right now in the guts of our horses? This has been a tough week with the insane shootings in Las Vegas. Today I...
Lectins
Here is a new word for many of you but we have known about them for a while. A lectin is a protein made by plants. OK so far? The things I will be writing about here are mind blowing – and very new. I am excited about this information for a lot of reasons. The...
Symbiosis And The Horse’s Gut
I am trying to make sense of things but I keep coming up short when determining why grain causes so many issues in horses. My search has led me to an idea that is based on research in human nutrition. In this and blogs I am writing over the next several weeks I will...
An African Breeze
A week ago horse owners in Florida were living with their decision about the upcoming weather. A few weeks before that our brethren in Texas were living with their decisions. In both cases, a gentle wind coming off the desert of Africa left for a journey across the...
Decay Of The Profession
It is with a sad heart I write this blog about the professional decay in my profession of equine veterinary medicine. The story told here is true as it was told to me today by a a very kind and generous man I’ll call Jay (not his real name). He is almost 80 years old,...
Doughnut Hole
Think of the Doughnut hole, the space filled with air going from the top to the bottom of the Doughnut. Now place your finger in the Doughnut and wear it like a ring. Is there any question that the hole is NOT the Doughnut? Yet without the Doughnut, there would be no...
Comfortable
One of our most valued feelings is being comfortable. Comfort provides safety, security, a feeling of well being, and other emotions that make us feel good. For example, laying in a hammock after dinner swinging gently under the shade of a tree on a warm summer’s...
No Sweat!
I mean, no sweat as in your horse has stopped sweating. For anyone in the latitudes where it never gets above 85 degrees F or the humidity is moderate, you will never know what I’m talking about. I wish I had a picture of the first horse I had actually known with...
The Best Interest Of The Horse
The Electrician We should all agree that when we see any professional, we expect that professional to work in our best interest. This would include any service professional from auto mechanic or electrician to any kind of doctor. I just had an electrician come to my...
This Client Just Says “Easy” to Equine Dentistry Without Drama™
The new client and I sat in the shade of the heated dry air surrounding us in the flat, windy and arid Columbia Plateau east of the Cascade mountain range of Washington state. Pausing to think of the right answer to my question about the Equine Dentistry Without...
Why Horses Should Not Be Fed Grain
Everything you swallow is NOT inside your body. Think about this for a bit. The things you and your horse swallow is placed inside a tube running through you from the mouth to the anus. There are no little people inside of you opening little port holes in this tube...
A Vet, A Truck And A Dog
On a farm in New York, a faithful dog waits for his friend. I thought many of us could relate to these pictures. Maybe not in a perfectly preserved pick up classic, but certainly the idea of a companion sitting and waiting in the front seat ready to travel the roads...
Islands
My travels take me to many islands where horses have found homes. The most common island is Long Island of New York. Other than it’s name, it is hard to realize that this highly populated strip of land connected by 3 huge bridges and several ferries is an island....
Starvation and Weight Loss
Discussion: There are 3 reasons for a horse to be underweight: the food isn’t available, the food is available but can’t be swallowed and the food is available, swallowed but isn’t absorbed. Let’s look at each. BCS 1 – Poor – Extremely emaciated with no...
Traveling On Back Country Roads
The hustle of life faded away as my “mellow unplayed” song list gently took my mind away from the horse I had seen earlier and the new horses I was about to see. During these moments I find driving on 2 lane country roads most peaceful. My mind refreshes...
Testimonial – Sweating Again In 3 Days
This is areport from the owner of a 27 year horse being fed with care but will not sweat in the summer heat. “I know you wanted an update on how he was doing so this is what I’ve got so far: Well, we’ve completed the 1 week “diet reset” where I...
Life Is Sooooooo Good
The definition of a perfect day is today. The autumn air crisped the details of life into focus and accented everything into a clarity only a Sunday morning sunrise can do. I traveled freely eastward on the normally congested beltway around the south side of...
Who Is Responsible? (part 2)
(See last week for part 1) Leaders Need To Know Who They Are Leading Different personalities need different styles of leadership. A dominant personality needs a leader who can look the horse in the eye without fear but remain as calm as smooth water on a lake and...
Who Is Responsible? (part 1)
Here is a question from Loretta that was asked in a recent Horse Talk webinar at The Horse’s Advocate™. It was free and no one left the meeting during the first hour! “I was wondering if there is a sure proof way to expose your horse to everything and keep...
Barracuda!
Above picture: Doc T 120 feet down on a wrecked ship in the Atlantic off the coast of Palm Beach, FL. I held onto the rope at 15 feet as I looked at the end disappear into the darkening water below me. A faint outline of the huge vessel seen 100 feet below me, barley...
Our Special Day
A special Travels With Doc T™ today – Most of you have met me or Melissa in person and know our passion for working with your horses using horsemanship skills developed over 42 years working with tens of thousands of different horses. A lot of you know we...
500,000 Miles
How on earth did I do that? And where did the time go? My odometer turned over half a million miles on my 2007 GMC pick up this month. What scares me the most is that this truck is only a fraction of the miles I have traveled in my life – and many of these...
Travels With Doc T – June 6, 2014
We were invited to do some work in a gorgeous farm in New York. It was built by a director of a famous TV show but has been sold to the current owner. Enjoy the pictures in the gallery below. 2018 – an update – this barn burned to the ground. No horses...
Happy Holidays from The Equine Practice, Inc.
Dr. Tucker Here! Just wanted to wish you Happy Holidays from our House to yours. May the Season be bright and the year that’s ahead turn out to be just right. With warmest wishes for Good Health and Happiness. Have a very Prosperous and wonderful New Year! Hope...
Worms!
NOTE – be sure to read to the very bottom of this article for a surprise ending you won’t believe (but it’s true!) I just sat through a lecture given by a very intelligent parasitologist. He basically stirs horse poop and water together then looks at...
The 2014 Equine Affaire
A few weeks ago, I went with my team (my family and an event team) north to West Springfield, MA to the Equine Affaire, the largest east coast exposition of horse related businesses, services and ideas. The Expo show ground was filled with demonstrations, food,...
The 2014 AAEP Convention
Salt Lake City, Utah was the meeting site for thousands of cleaned up equine veterinarians this past weekend. I wore my new jeans but kept my comfortable cowboy boots on. The weather was a balmy 60 degrees and sunny. The news reports were complaining that the ski...
WARNING – This horse may kill you!
The White Horse Melissa approached the 7 year old gelding warmblood the same way she approaches every horse she sees – with leadership. The owner had called two days earlier and said that she would not be attending the appointment because she knew she was a...
Small Paradise
Occasionally I come across something unique in my travels. Today we worked on this horse in a hand painted stall that brought tranquility to my inner soul. Done 3 years ago, the horse’s owner says that a pressure washer has kept it clean. I think the horse has...
“Ollie Berger”
The newborn black Thoroughbred lay helpless for a moment in the straw of the 12 by 12 foot stall on a spring morning in upstate New York. The bay mare who had just delivered him hours earlier kept her distance. The maiden had no experience with foals and honestly...
Stranded
This wasn’t what I had planned for the end of my day. A small leak in a radiator hose has shut us down for the day. Thankfully, AAA has sent this fine towing service and we are in the cab heading home. A long Day Sorry for the shortness, but really, other than having...
Travels With Doc T – June 23, 2014
A summer scene in Ocala, Florida today. I could not pass it up. For some reason, a green field filled with mares and foals is so peaceful, though one of the foals looked like he was a mischief maker. Mares and foals in an Ocala, FL field enjoying green summer grass...
Travels With Doc T – June 19, 2014
I have finally gotten over last week’s all night driving from NY to FL. I have also calmed down from my first helicopter flying experience for Father’s Day. If you missed the video of me learning how to hover, go to my Facebook page and scroll back to Sunday. It was...
Integrity
A lot has been written about equine dentistry over the past 10 years especially on the forums. There are people who believe that dentistry should be performed only by vets and those that believe that power equipment is the best way to go. Those of you who know me...
Travels With Doc T – June 9, 2014
It was a busy weekend so there are a bunch of pictures here. The red barns were too picturesque to pass up on a late spring day in New Jersey. Parasite control is taken seriously on this farm with snow shovels mounted on every 4th post around the paddock for manure...
Travels With Doc T – June 4, 2014
A gorgeous day in New York and Massachusetts to be working with horses. High 60’s with a light breeze and plenty of sunshine. We started the day at a large show and sales barn with a lot of horses fresh in from Europe. They came from France, Germany, Holland, and...
Travels With Doc T – June 3, 2014
A lot has happened in the past few days. Mostly working on the school. Mostly organizing what is left to be done. It is almost overwhelming, but with a clear plan and a great team helping, it should come together. This rabbit and the chickens were part of a farm in...
Fusaichi Pegasus
Next weekend is the Belmont Stakes, the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown for Thoroughbreds in the United States. Put aside any ill feeling about race horses for a moment. I agree with most of you but on the other hand, I started in the TB business. I still float a few race...
A Pain In My Finger
Baling twine waiting for a purpose. This is a tough job. Just look at my finger here. Kinda gross. I know I’m supposed to rasp teeth, but I decided to rasp off part of my fingernail. After 60,000 horse floats, I still occasionally do this. It never happens to the...
Who Knocked Out My Front Tooth?
The day after Memorial Day. I hope we all paused a moment yesterday to thank our soldiers for their service, commitment, and even their loss of life for our freedoms. If you didn’t, go ahead and thank them now. Then again tomorrow…… Mel and I were in Wellington, FL...
Pull The Tooth!
Please read this first -This post has received a lot of comments. Before you post your question, please read all of the comments at the end to determine if it has already been asked. Remember, I cannot give you direct advice….. see disclaimer. This week a horse...
Kicked In The Teeth
I have a flat spot on my forehead from me banging my head against the wall. I’ll admit, I’m frustrated. First, just take it from my perspective of examining the teeth of over 60,000 horses and floating over 52,000 horses in the past 31 years. I think I might have an...
Retrospect
The car wound down the mountain side strip of asphalt banked on both sides with mounds of plowed snow. With only the dashed line down the middle to remind me it was a road, my mind believed I was in a bobsled racing down an Olympic tube on my way to victory. It was a...
The End Of A Year – Tetanus In A Horse
Winter in upstate New York can be long, cold, and endless. The call came early on the last day of the year. A Trotting-bred owner called me saying his two week old foal wasn’t right. The Trotting-bred is a pony breed that race like Standardbreds with trotters and...
Christmas Eve
The trachea is a firm round tube of cartilage that carries air from the mouth down the neck to the lungs. Most people call it the windpipe. My fingers explored my own wind pipe as I contemplated my duty this Christmas Eve. In front of me stood my own Thoroughbred...
Sun-Up Sunday In The Hamptons
The eastern tip of Long Island is unique. It has a mix of Middle-America with traditional values, farmers with large fields dotted green with John Deere equipment, liberal politics and hard working, blue collar, American workers waving the Stars And Stripes. Money...
The George Washington Bridge
This is one of my old blogs about a day in my life. The second half has interesting thoughts about dentistry, the threshold of pain and the judicious use of medications in horses over time. The George Washington Bridge in New York City The car was tossed up and down,...
An Iconoclast In The Horse World
It is the start of 2021 and the world is in a disruptive way. Our lives are nothing like they were...
Mineral Deficiency In Horse Hay And Pasture
There is a common thought among horse owners that the mineral content of the soil and hay has been...
Feeding Salt To Horses
(This blog’s header photo is of a white salt block in a stall.) When we see a salt shaker...
Hormesis, Hay And Horses
(This blog’s header photo is of a modern 6 wheel tractor tedding the hay field before...
Speechless In A Case Of EOTRH In A Horse
(This blog’s header photo is of a horse that is moderately affected with EOTRH) Every once...
I Am Very Grateful
(above photo is the early morning skyline of Manhattan over Newark, NJ airport) It is legal for me...
Ghost Town
(Above image – the plane showing over half the 1st class seats empty in orange as is the...
The Equine Influenza Event Of 1872 And Today’s Corona Virus
The world is paralyzed by the new Corona virus called COVID-19 that started in China and is now in...
Get Your Brain Right, Get Your Horse Right
The Wall Street Journal often has some really good articles. This weekend’s issue (Feb 22, 2020)...
Food Does Not Equal Love
It was Valentine’s day yesterday and I made a HUGE mistake. I had worked all day in the northern...
A Veterinarian’s Christmas Story
I wrote this a long time ago and decided to reprint it here today, December 25, 2019. It really...
Cheerleading and Coaching Horses
Here is a simple concept you can use that will immediately change your relationship with your...
Feeding Horses – The Frequently Asked Questions
Contents What Is The Two Week No Grain Challenge? Is it OK to abruptly remove the feed he is used...
The Death Of Horses
The text said, “I need to talk with someone I trust.” Her 7 year old horse had just died from an...
The Trouble With Dentistry As Seen By A Human Doctor
I came across an article on Dr Joseph Mercola’s website. He is a functional medical physician who...
Cheese Doodles, Chocolate Bars and Candy Won’t Hurt You
Did Doc T just say OK to eating Cheese Doodles, chocolate bars and more tasty things? Yup! But...
A Better Approach To Parasite Control
From an email to me: Hi Dr. Tucker, Yes, I wonder about your recommendations per worming horses....
Decomplexicating Horsemanship – Eliminate Fear
“This horse is a killer!” I was in the next stall working on the teeth of a big bay Warmblood...
ECEIM Consensus Statement On Equine Metabolic Syndrome
The European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM) issued a consensus statement on a problem...
Weed Killer In My Beer And Wine
(above) Doc T gives a presentation on nutrition to horse owners at a “Horse...
Thank You
This Is Not A Holiday The end of February for most people is a time of the year filled with dark...
A Question About Soybeans
A simple question came to me recently that needs to be discussed. A horse owner asked, “The above...
Disrupters
Disrupters shake things up and disturb the peace causing the people around them discomfort,...
My Christmas Wish 2018
I was working on a horse with no one around. We were connected and our communication was clear. ...
How We Perform Equine Dentistry Matters
5 days in San Fransisco at the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners meeting and I...
The 2018 AAEP Meeting – A Summary
Above is the Marriott at the San Fransisco 2018 AAEP meeting. I was on the 35th floor overlooking...
A Chilling Walk In San Francisco
Here are some images I captured with my camera one day here in San Fransisco, CA. The tall...
Feeding Senior Horses
When Is A Horse A Senior? I don’t know when a horse becomes a “senior.” Age is a human concept of...
Honesty – A True Story
This is a true story and all of my true stories are true but this one will seem a stretch for a...
Feeding The Horse As Simple As 1-2-3
(above) A bucket with hay pellets and soy bean meal. This plus grass hay, alfalfa cubes and...
The Story of David
This incredible story is about the power of giving over receiving. The line goes something like,...
Jimi Hendrix
This is a true story. I need to say this because you won’t believe the ending. In 1968 or 9 I...
Summary – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 12 of 12
WE ARE DONE!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!Some Basic Rules Will Help You 1) Feed a horse as it has fed...
Lectins – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 11 of 12
This Is Really New Stuff The things I will be writing about here is mind blowing – and very...
Supplements – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 10 of 12
The nitty-gritty of nutrition seems to lie in supplements which include 1) the elements we call...
GMO, Pesticides and Fertilizers – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 9 of 12
GMO Foods and Their Use In Horses Here we are in the proverbial space between a rock and a hard...
The Importance of Protein – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 8 of 12
When discussing nutrition, most people know more about sugar as it is in the news every day. Fats...
The High Fat Diet – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 7 of 12
I know this is getting very detailed. Read this anyway. Print it and then mark it up with a...
The Basics of Sugar, Fat and Proteins – Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition Part 2 of 12
Welcome back! In the last article I reviewed 3 types of sugar important to horses. They were...
Decomplexicating Equine Nutrition – Introduction
Clouds shroud these hilltop wind turbine generators hiding their true giant size – much like...
Complexicate
Welcome to a new year and to a new word – complexicate! I like getting older. Why? Because...
Cheating On The No Grain Diet
I need to come clean with all of you. I have been cheating on the no grain diet. Please forgive me...
Nothing
Sometimes I need to just write about nothing. No dentistry articles, gut digestion things,...
What Is The Cause Of EOTRH In Horses?
After the 2017 meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) featuring Dr...
Horsemen, Surgeons And Equine Dentistry
Horsemen, surgeons and equine dentistry have a major flaw that was made evident at the AAEP in San...
Why Do I Bother?
Why do I bother attending meetings if what they say I disagree with? Why be part of a group that...
Rhubarb Pie, The Orbiting Earth and Your Horse
When I was a boy my Mom grew rhubarb in the garden. She was very proud of the crop and while it...
Constantly At War
Are We Really Constantly At War? Is there a never ending battle between us and them where if we...
Lectins
Here is a new word for many of you but we have known about them for a while. A lectin is a protein...
Symbiosis And The Horse’s Gut
I am trying to make sense of things but I keep coming up short when determining why grain causes...
An African Breeze
A week ago horse owners in Florida were living with their decision about the upcoming weather. A...
Decay Of The Profession
It is with a sad heart I write this blog about the professional decay in my profession of equine...
Doughnut Hole
Think of the Doughnut hole, the space filled with air going from the top to the bottom of the...
Comfortable
One of our most valued feelings is being comfortable. Comfort provides safety, security, a feeling...
No Sweat!
I mean, no sweat as in your horse has stopped sweating. For anyone in the latitudes where it never...
The Best Interest Of The Horse
The Electrician We should all agree that when we see any professional, we expect that professional...
This Client Just Says “Easy” to Equine Dentistry Without Drama™
The new client and I sat in the shade of the heated dry air surrounding us in the flat, windy and...
Why Horses Should Not Be Fed Grain
Everything you swallow is NOT inside your body. Think about this for a bit. The things you and...
A Vet, A Truck And A Dog
On a farm in New York, a faithful dog waits for his friend. I thought many of us could relate to...
Islands
My travels take me to many islands where horses have found homes. The most common island is Long...
Starvation and Weight Loss
Discussion: There are 3 reasons for a horse to be underweight: the food isn’t available, the food...
Traveling On Back Country Roads
The hustle of life faded away as my “mellow unplayed” song list gently took my mind...
Testimonial – Sweating Again In 3 Days
This is areport from the owner of a 27 year horse being fed with care but will not sweat in the...
Life Is Sooooooo Good
The definition of a perfect day is today. The autumn air crisped the details of life into focus...
Who Is Responsible? (part 2)
(See last week for part 1) Leaders Need To Know Who They Are Leading Different personalities need...
Who Is Responsible? (part 1)
Here is a question from Loretta that was asked in a recent Horse Talk webinar at The Horse’s...
Barracuda!
Above picture: Doc T 120 feet down on a wrecked ship in the Atlantic off the coast of Palm Beach,...
Our Special Day
A special Travels With Doc T™ today – Most of you have met me or Melissa in person and know...
500,000 Miles
How on earth did I do that? And where did the time go? My odometer turned over half a million...
Travels With Doc T – June 6, 2014
We were invited to do some work in a gorgeous farm in New York. It was built by a director of a...
Happy Holidays from The Equine Practice, Inc.
Dr. Tucker Here! Just wanted to wish you Happy Holidays from our House to yours. May the Season be...
Worms!
NOTE – be sure to read to the very bottom of this article for a surprise ending you...
The 2014 Equine Affaire
A few weeks ago, I went with my team (my family and an event team) north to West Springfield, MA...
The 2014 AAEP Convention
Salt Lake City, Utah was the meeting site for thousands of cleaned up equine veterinarians this...
WARNING – This horse may kill you!
The White Horse Melissa approached the 7 year old gelding warmblood the same way she approaches...
Small Paradise
Occasionally I come across something unique in my travels. Today we worked on this horse in a hand...
“Ollie Berger”
The newborn black Thoroughbred lay helpless for a moment in the straw of the 12 by 12 foot stall...
Stranded
This wasn’t what I had planned for the end of my day. A small leak in a radiator hose has shut us...
Travels With Doc T – June 23, 2014
A summer scene in Ocala, Florida today. I could not pass it up. For some reason, a green field...
Travels With Doc T – June 19, 2014
I have finally gotten over last week’s all night driving from NY to FL. I have also calmed down...
Integrity
A lot has been written about equine dentistry over the past 10 years especially on the forums....
Travels With Doc T – June 9, 2014
It was a busy weekend so there are a bunch of pictures here. The red barns were too picturesque to...
Travels With Doc T – June 4, 2014
A gorgeous day in New York and Massachusetts to be working with horses. High 60’s with a light...
Travels With Doc T – June 3, 2014
A lot has happened in the past few days. Mostly working on the school. Mostly organizing what is...
Fusaichi Pegasus
Next weekend is the Belmont Stakes, the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown for Thoroughbreds in the...
A Pain In My Finger
Baling twine waiting for a purpose. This is a tough job. Just look at my finger here. Kinda gross....
Who Knocked Out My Front Tooth?
The day after Memorial Day. I hope we all paused a moment yesterday to thank our soldiers for...
Pull The Tooth!
Please read this first -This post has received a lot of comments. Before you post your question,...
Kicked In The Teeth
I have a flat spot on my forehead from me banging my head against the wall. I’ll admit, I’m...
Retrospect
The car wound down the mountain side strip of asphalt banked on both sides with mounds of plowed...
The End Of A Year – Tetanus In A Horse
Winter in upstate New York can be long, cold, and endless. The call came early on the last day of...
Christmas Eve
The trachea is a firm round tube of cartilage that carries air from the mouth down the neck to the...
Sun-Up Sunday In The Hamptons
The eastern tip of Long Island is unique. It has a mix of Middle-America with traditional values,...
The George Washington Bridge
This is one of my old blogs about a day in my life. The second half has interesting thoughts about...