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The 2009 International Equine Veterinarians Hall Of Fame Inductees
The membership of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame increased by three: Donald Walsh, Michael Steward and Phil Edler. They were recognized during a ceremony at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 3, 2009.
The Class of 2009 were honored for their work on behalf of horses, horse owners and the hoof-care community.
Frank Lessiter, editor/publisher of the American Farriers Journal, which sponsors the International Hoof-Care Summit, congratulated this year’s inductees for careers he characterized as “inspirational and impassioned, and which have had a significant impact on elevating the level of hoof health, care and management.”
Here is a look at the International Equine Veterinarians Hall Of Fame Class of 2009.
Donald Walsh, Pacific, Mo.
Donald Walsh’s career changed when he encountered a series of particularly devastating laminitis cases after he’d already been operating the Homestead Equine Hospital for 14 years.
“As a doctor of veterinary medicine with a pledge to alleviate suffering, I felt helpless to ease the pain caused by this debilitating disease,” recalls the 1969 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine. “That’s when I became intent on discovering the underlying causes as a first step toward implementing an effective prevention and treatment protocol.”
Working closely with the farrier community, Walsh was convinced that one day there would be a scientific breakthrough on laminitis. His research, he says, “found a life of its own,” and led to a connection with renowned Australian researcher, Christopher Pollitt, another member of the International Equine Veterinarians Hall Of Fame.
Eventually, Walsh’s work led to the establishment of the Animal Health Foundation in 1984.
The foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that funds laminitis research, with 100% of public donations going toward this effort. The foundation also offers information to help owners prevent laminitis. The painful and crippling disease continues to strike thousands of horses ever year. While progress is steadily being made, Walsh notes, “We are still a long way off from making a difference to those that are suffering today.”
Walsh, who was raised on a farm where he developed a passion for Saddlebreds, is committed to continuing his work to conquer laminitis.
“Do what is right for the animal and the rest will turn out alright,” is how he describes his philosophy.
For more on the Animal Health Foundation, visit www.animalhealthfoundation.com.
Michael Steward, Shawnee, Okla.
Michael Steward says the old adage “Necessity is the mother of invention” best describes how he first came up with the concept of his wooden clog system 15 years ago.
“The farrier wasn’t around, and I was desperate,” recalls the veterinarian, who had been called in to treat a laminitic horse. “That’s when I saw some plywood lying on the ground. I grabbed it, shaped it to fit the foot and screwed it on.
“The truth is, I thought the horse was going to have to be put down, but 3 months later, he was racing around barrels.”
Steward originally intended to become a medical doctor. He grew up on a farm, primarily with cattle and pigs and says, “My love of horses didn’t come until late in my college life. In fact, my father, who had the misfortune to work with a number of renegades, didn’t have a very high regard for horses at all. It must have been a glitch in my DNA that I should become dedicated to their welfare.
And dedicated he is. In addition to his daily rounds at the Shawnee Animal Hospital, he’s developed a specialty in treating horses that have foundered, with an emphasis on working closely with the farriery community.
During a stint as a Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred trainer, Steward came to realize that, “The horse will give 100% if you do.” He also subscribes to the belief, “Be ye not a horse whisperer; be ye a horse listener,” which he believes is at the heart of his having successfully treated over 300 cases of laminitis.
“If you pay attention to what the horse is telling you, you will see what makes him feel better,” he says.
Steward used the term, “selective stabilization,” to describe his technique of fitting his wooden clogs.
“Take as much pressure off the hoof wall as you can, and with the added 1 1/2 inches of height (provided by the clog), the horse will find his own ‘comfort zone,’ he explains. “This will help put him back into balance.”
The self-effacing Steward says farriers and horses are his two greatest teachers and are the motivation behind all his accomplishments.
Phil Elder, Hudson, Iowa
Growing up on an Iowa farm with several beloved ponies “started it all,” says Phil Edler, a graduate of Iowa State University and a partner in the Hudson Veterinary Clinic.
Edler is revered throughout the Cedar Valley community as the quintessential veterinarian for the common man, reminiscent of the old time country doctor who would make house calls at all hours of the day or night. He’s known for always doing what’s best for the patient and for the ability to bridge the gap between innovation and application.
Edler sees himself as, “a primary care provider having looked after second and third generations of people and horses.” Using modern technologies as an integral part of his practice, he is often able to perform a variety of procedures that would otherwise have to be referred on at considerable cost.
Edler attributes the majority of his success to his wife, Pat, who he met during a short term in Saskatoon, Canada in 1974, “without whose understanding, I could never have spent the many hours away that this work requires.”
He sees the practice of veterinary medicine as a never-ending journey and “both an art and a science.”
“I’ve never regretted the journey for a minute,” he says. “Even when things haven’t turned out the way I had hoped they would.”
Involved in lending a hand to local 4-H Clubs and Future Farmers of America programs, as a guest speaker and mentor for students aspiring to careers in veterinary medicine, Edler is known for selflessly donating money, time and energy as a matter of course. It is said that what sets him apart is his caring heart for the horse as well as the owner. Armed with faith, hope and trust, along with 37 years of veterinary experience, his commitment and dedication to the profession is reflected in all that he does.
“Owners and animals don’t care how much you know, they just know how much you care,” he says.
