Upper Valley Equine Services, LLC

03/16/2025

Character building. Lifestyle, not just the horse.

Parents of horse obsessed children. We see you. We applaud you❤️

This was sent in by Rosie. L Dunlop

Why My Mum Paid for Horse Riding

When I was little, I remember sitting quietly while my mum and her friends had a good gossip over tea and biscuits. One of them turned to her and said, “Why on earth do you spend so much money on horse riding?”

My mum just smiled and said, “Oh, I don’t pay for horse riding.”

Cue confused looks and someone nearly choking on a custard cream.

She continued:

I pay for the moments when my child is so shattered they want to quit but can’t, because the horse still needs mucking out and, funnily enough, doesn’t clean up after itself.

I pay for the days they come home from school “too tired” but still drag themselves to the yard, because apparently, horses don’t appreciate being left to their own devices.

I pay for them to learn responsibility,since forgetting your PE kit is one thing, but forgetting to tighten your girth leads to a very public lesson in gravity.

I pay for them to understand that no matter how much you beg, horses do not do homework extensions, and “the pony ate it” is not a valid excuse.

I pay for them to develop patience, because sometimes, your horse just decides that a leaf, a shadow, or absolutely nothing at all is life-threatening, and you have to just sit there and accept it.

I pay for them to learn resilience when they fall off, get covered in mud, and still have to get back on while their so-called friends are laughing instead of helping.

I pay for them to experience character-building situations, like being soaked, freezing, and smelling like a stable, while their non-horsey friends are warm, dry, and wondering why their car stinks after giving them a lift home.

I pay for them to understand that success doesn’t happen overnight but vet bills, saddle fittings, and emergency farrier visits sure do.

I pay for them to have friendships built on shared experiences, like the trauma of a pony refusing to be caught for an hour, only to suddenly trot over the second you give up and put the headcollar away.

I pay for them to learn that a “quick trip to the yard” is never, ever quick, and that one horse hair in your food means there are probably ten more you just haven’t noticed yet.

I pay for them to spend time outdoors, learning life lessons, instead of glued to a screen (unless they’re watching riding videos on YouTube and planning their next unrealistic equestrian purchase).

I pay for the absolute chaos that is Pony Club on a Friday night, where kids fly in all directions, ponies test every boundary, and parents question all their life choices but still show up again next week.

At the end of the day, my mum wasn’t paying for horse riding. She was funding a lifelong obsession, an impressive collection of bruises, and a social life that revolved entirely around the smell of hay and manure. And honestly? It was worth every penny.

03/10/2025

We love supporting our rescues and sanctuaries when we can.

Go check out Save Your Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue’s auction!

We have a couple generous auction services and items that have been added that we will be posting about the next few days, check them out!

Upper Valley Equine Services, LLC has donated one gift certificate for a routine dental examination and float. PLUS the same amout will be donated to SYA for one of the rescues to have a dental exam and float as well! Give your Donkey, mule horse or hinny a thorough dental exam and float and help a rescue donkey in need at the same time! Serving VT, NH and MA.

Make sure you register to bid! Auction begins in 28 days. 🤯

https://givebutter.com/c/syalercabinfeverauction/auction/items/842709

03/05/2025

Love those Long Ears!

Did you know that Dental disease in donkeys is only second to Hoof diseases in terms of Welfare concerns in donkeys? This is cited from The Donkey Sanctuary. I made an entire presentation on dental diseases in donkeys at Veterinary Dental Forum last Fall.

Donkeys LOVE to get periodontal disease and it’s been correlated to a significant increase in impaction colic and choke in donkeys. Due to their Stoicism, you often don’t realize they are in pain (dental or even colic) until it’s too late. The morbidity of colic in donkeys is 51% vs 10% in horses! 😳

There has even been a facial score adapted for determining pain in donkeys. Guess what? They are SUPER subtle findings.

So please please please have oral exams done on your long eared friends by veterinarian 1-2 times a year.

It can literally save their life❤️

03/01/2025

Miss Molly Morningstar. You know how I feel about the Long Ears ❤️

02/28/2025

Great day at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary as usual!

Open wide and say ahhh.

Dental day on the farm today for Mary Matilda (seen here), Willow and Miss Molly.

Of course, Miss Molly Morningstar was receiving her first float (and we will post all about it soon) but Mary Matilda and Willow were on their 3-4 month rotation to help with their periodontal disease.

Why so often? A shorter schedule means less inflammation and more healing. We can tackle anything stuck between their teeth that is attacking bones and gums, put in impression material, promote faster healing and allow for shorter visits which not only means a more positive visit, but also less drugs. Sometimes the easiest solution is taking the time it takes so it takes less time and on every visit their mouths look healthier and healthier.

Big thanks to Dr. Clapp and Kelsi for another great educational and impactful day. Now, I’m off to brush my teeth!

02/24/2025

We love hearing from our clients!

Kisu was referred to us last winter for having very stinky nasal discharge from her right nostril. Her veterinarian did some fantastic detective work before sending her in. We made a quick video of what the work up entailed and what her day looked like when she came to visit us.

Kisu was 6 years old when this all started and the only finding on her oral examination, done by her veterinarian, was a small crack in one of her cheek teeth. Radiographs showed a very full fluid filled sinus. So we requested she get a CT scan and some bloodwork before she comes to us.

Her CT showed us that the crack was a much bigger deal than the oral examination could show us and there was inflammation and thickening around the infraorbital canal (a very important cranial nerve runs through that canal!)

Once we had all our information to study to properly extract her tooth she confidently walked into our clinic, her mom and her moral support for the day went sightseeing locally, while we got to work finding that at this point the crack had actually fractured the tooth. She walked out that afternoon and loaded the trailer like nothing happened!

Here a year later are Kisu and her mom happy and healthy as ever! No nasal discharge, no abnormal chewing, and rocking their competitions throughout the year. Just enjoying each others company to the fullest!

02/19/2025

It’s cold! Want a warm fuzzy feeling?

Look at this Warm fuzzy Icelandic! How old might you think she is?

Ready? She’s 32!

If you haven’t watched the Periodontal Movie we posted last week go check it out.

We have been managing periodontal disease in this 32 year young Icelandic for the last year or so. She was referred to us for extractions. But we had different plans for her which involves periodontal management and guess what? We haven’t extracted a single tooth. At her first visit I scored multiple cheek teeth on each side of her mandible at grade 2 out of 3 for mobility. Now they are all 1 or below with some solid as ever. Plus her gums look completely healthy. She comfortably chews her hay and is clearly not starving or missing ANY of it.

A huge shout out to her owner for the work she has put in to get her here while staying dedicated to have us out regularly to maintain her progress.

I don’t know about you but I’m feeling pretty warm and fuzzy seeing how incredible she is doing ❤️

02/13/2025

Snowed in? Grab some popcorn and enjoy this movie…. But! Think about that popcorn that gets stuck in your teeth while watching 🤭

Periodontal disease management is something Kelsi and I work with (and smell!) everyday and it’s also probably one of the most overlooked thing that many of our clients had no idea their horse was struggling with. If caught early, I have shocked myself even, with how well these horses or donkeys end up doing (donkey’s LOVE to get periodontal disease). This is a condition that can be managed but does take a lot of time, patience and dedication to follow through with frequent rechecks. Many do end up requiring extractions eventually but so many of these we have ended up avoiding extractions entirely and the result (extraction or no extraction) is a healthy, happy thriving horse or donkey and a client to go along with it.

This makes Kelsi and I more than thrilled to pick pick pick and flush flush flush. I may be questioning my life choices as I’m frustratingly picking pockets of feed and wearing that lovely smell on my clothes (and face) but to come back to a recheck to find a thriving patient and thrilled owner? It makes it all worth it. I am being completely genuine here. The transformations are rewarding and priceless. Plus, Kelsi loves to tell the story of when the irrigation filled with Chlorhexadine exploded in her face drenching her in below freezing weather. I’m told it’s bitter 🤭😂

But! The biggest thing before we can help you help your horse is…. Finding it! That can only be done with a thorough oral examination like you see here. So please trust your veterinarian to thoroughly examine your horse at least once a year. We can only treat or manage what we take the time to look for and diagnose.

Enjoy the show! Thank you Oliver Liyou with EVDS way down under for always making such worthy shareable content!

Periodontal disease is the most common disease in ALL mammals - including horses! If your equine dental practitioner has not been checking for and showing yo...

01/09/2025

We had a young friend come into the clinic this week. Check him out 😉

09/05/2024

Love the Long Ears! ❤️

08/09/2024

Did you know we service a few wonderful non profit organizations that go above and beyond to make the welfare and quality of life of all types of lovely four legged creatures better?
Did you also know our not so little secret? We LOVE the Long Ears! That being donkeys and mules. It’s taken years to pinpoint the the differences in their care and behavior and has been a humbling but fun journey for me. The more I learn about these guys the more rewarding helping them has become.
A few of the organizations that help these lovely long ears are Tomten Farm and Sanctuary, Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue, and Amazing Grace Farm and Sanctuary.

They can only do this with help of their supporters though! So please hop on over to their pages and check them out.

The more support they get the more Kelsi and I get called to hang out with donkeys🤭 I’m kidding the more I get to make a difference in their lives is the “point” I was trying to make (pun totally intended!)

05/18/2024

I say these words word for word everyday. This is especially important to know for those horses with certain dental conditions. We work with our horse owning clients everyday on how to feed your horse with they are having trouble with their hay and still maintain a healthy forage based diet.

If you believe that horses need grain in their diet to meet their nutritional needs, you are not alone. However, horses should get most of their nutrients from a good quality forage source such as grass, hay, hay pellets, or a complete feed.

Horses generally eat between 1.5-2% of their body weight each day, so an average size 1,000 lbs horse should eat 15- 20 lbs of hay daily. To help fill any nutrient gaps such as essential vitamins or minerals, a ration balancer may be beneficial. Depending on breed, body condition, and exercise level, concentrates may be added in to provide additional energy but are often not needed.

When deciding on what to feed your horse, it is best to invest in high quality forages as the foundation of your feeding plan. You can even have your hay tested to see exactly what nutrients it is providing. Please consult with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist about your horse's diet before making any major changes, and remember that any changes should be made gradually over time to avoid GI upset.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

04/07/2024

A look at animal behaviors during a solar eclipse and expert advice for keeping pets safe and calm during this rare meteorological event. The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
https://www.dvm360.com/view/understanding-animal-reactions-to-a-solar-eclipse

03/21/2024

I am asked multiple times a day why there are so few Equine vets.

Here are some explanations and facts on the matter.

Deep breaths may be required upon reading 😬

03/02/2024

02/21/2024

Here is a quick photo dump! We went over the normal and the importance to look closely over all aspects to find the abnormal.

Let’s start with a few external and incisor examination findings and we can work our way back.

02/18/2024

We interrupt this dental educational month to reflect on what can happen in a year!

A memory came up the other day of Charlotte and I preparing for journal club. I had journal club again this morning.

What’s that? Well… I am into my 2nd year of my residency program working towards board certification in Equine Dentistry. This is part time for me so I can continue “Momming” and also continue to run the practice. So this journey may take me a total of 4-6 years.

Every other Sunday my resident mates and I meet on zoom with one of our mentors and present chapters from what we refer to as the Dental Bible. Occasionally, Dr Easley himself pops in which is awesome!

Well, these pictures were taken a year apart from each other. We are SO close! Coming up on chapter 33! These are very very detailed informationally dense chapters by the best of the best (yeah I know some of you are reading this 🤭)

This residency is more than another full time job. I have learned and become more skilled in more ways than I ever thought could happen in a year. I have had my radiograph set accepted (had to submit perfect images of all dental views) I have built the clinic up enough to have haul in cases for advanced procedures. I have invested in more equipment to be able to offer more services to further better the dentistry offered in our area for our client’s and for my colleagues client’s. Which leads me to saying how fortunate this residency makes me feel because I have developed such incredible relationships with our area veterinarians in the process. I have attended and presented at my first ever Veterinary Dental Forum, presenting on what will be my area of research for the residency. I have developed wonderful new relationships with many of the members of the AVDC in addition to those who travelled across the sea. I learned how encouraging everyone is and how far dentistry has come and see how well everyone collaborates to continue to bring it even further.

I feel so fortunate to be apart of all of this. I feel the most fortunate that in a time where our industry is quickly dwindling away, that I have only found more of a passion. I feel fortunate that I have created all these wonderful relationships both near and far with like minded and passionate equine veterinarians. It gives me hope that many of us can spread the contagious nature of Equine medicine and lure more equine veterinarians to the industry and stay in it🤞

So anyway, 33 chapters later, is how far we have come ❤️

Oh and Charlotte? Well, she has just intensified her Diva-ness (talk about a full time job!) 🤭

02/16/2024

Our last post we spoke on the importance of a proper and thorough oral exam. I left you all wondering what we might find in there. But first, let’s back up and touch on a few points (see what I did there) on normal horse dentition.

Horse’s have what we call Hypsodont teeth. Hippo what? Hypsodont! They have their incisors up front then 4 rows of 6 tightly packed cheek teeth used for grinding their feed into tiny tiny pieces to then have their nutrients absorbed in their small intestine. We really only see the tip of the ice berg when looking in their mouth. We see the crown but under the gum line is a long reserve crown tapering to roots, when young. As they get older, they erupt their teeth, ideally wearing at the same rate of 2-3 mm per year. Therefore, that reserve crown gets shorter as they age. With all of our modern dentistry and complete feeds and amazing medicine, we are getting horses to live well into their 30’s and some 40’s! BUT that takes proper diligent care and team work with your veterinarian. The important POINT to remember here is that the tooth is ERUPTING and WEARING not growing. So, we have a FINITE amount of tooth over the course of their life. They WILL run out of tooth if they live long enough or if they get floated too aggressively or have any abnormal wear patterns. The different feed types we have plays a role in the wear of their teeth in addition to tooth on tooth and their annual floating.
As a horse chews, they will chew in a figure 8 pattern. Their top teeth (maxilla) are wider apart then their bottom (mandible) so we have an uneven grinding surface. That is why they get sharp enamel points on the outside of their top teeth and tongue side of their bottoms. In a well-maintained mouth, ONLY the sharp enamel points should be taken down every 6-12 months depending on their age, feed, and feeding patterns.
Well, that is all good and grand, but horses don’t always read the book. I once heard hypsodont teeth compared to that of soldiers. They do what they are told to do. Erupt and wear. If they have nothing to wear against, guess what? They will continue to erupt! Dental abnormalities will only amplify over time. With the amount of chewing cycles they have in a day, this causes big problems that are often very painful.
We want to help, but we also want to do no harm. We can use this eruption pattern to our advantage at times if caught early. But we also have that finite amount of tooth to consider. It is very easy to do more harm than good if not addressing the primary issues or floating too aggressively and not watching what you are doing while floating.

Anything other than normal sharp enamel points requires a proper examination, diagnostics and careful treatment planning.
Remember our earlier post, 95.4% of horses over the age of 15 have AT LEAST one dental abnormality. There is a good chance our very good friends we care about need a good look, diagnosis, and treatment to help them feeling and living their best. Enabling them to utilize that expensive hay and feed you buy them, most efficiently! While also limiting any emergencies like choke and colic.
Up next, we will start sharing all the crazy things we can find inside. For now, here is a beautiful maintained mouth, a geriatric mouth, and a comparison of an extracted tooth from a 7 year old and that of a 28 year old horse.

Again, our main goal as practitioner’s is to keep as many functional teeth in their mouth, comfortably for as long as possible. The ONLY way to do that is to catch these things early. There is so much we can do for them before jumping to extraction.