Lameness is the most common cause of poor performance in equine athletes, and researchers have shown that many behavioral issues under saddle are caused by physical pain. Proactive treatment strategies can help extend your horse’s competitive career and improve his overall well-being. 

During this Ask TheHorse Live Q&A, two experts will answer questions about equine performance problems and how veterinarians prevent and treat them.

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About the Experts:

Beau Whitaker, DVM, CERP, grew up near Nashville, Tennessee on his family’s farm, developing a love for horses and livestock. He obtained a degree in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, after which he trained quarter horses in Gainesville, Texas for a short time. Whitaker graduated from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, in College Station, in 2005. Whitaker moved to Salado, Texas, and joined Dr. T’s Equine Clinic in 2007 (which later became Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals-Salado) where he established a busy lameness and sports medicine part of the clinic. He received his CERP in 2014 from the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. Whitaker enjoys drawing, the outdoors, and spending time with his family when not working with horses.

James D. Conway III, DVM, is the Director of Veterinary Professional Services with Contura Vet. Conway has been an industry veterinarian for the past eight years. Prior to his role in industry, he served as an associate veterinarian at a large regional referral lameness and rehab facility in north Texas. Conway is a 2012 graduate of Colorado State University Veterinary School, in Fort Collins, where he was heavily involved with equine stifle and condylar fracture research. Conway completed an internship at Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery in 2013 and upon completion started his own lameness and sports medicine practice in the panhandle of Texas and Oklahoma. Conway has been invited to speak at numerous universities in the U.S. and Canada and at the ACVS and AAEP national conferences. His publications over bisphosphonates, the equine stifle ethesis, and medial condylar fractures can be found in the Equine Veterinary Journal and Equine Veterinary Education.