For the past 2 years, one of the door prizes at the International Hoof-Care Summit has been the chance for an attendee to spend a week at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., with equine veterinarian Scott Morrison and his podiatry crew.

The 2008 winner was Julie Bullock, DVM, who has an equine practice at Mount Sidney, Va., where she deals with many hunters, jumpers, endurance horses and pleasure horses. She has a keen interest in podiatry and trims and shoes some of her own patients — in cases of white line disease, founder and some other medical issues — and is striving to do more of this in her practice.

“I was sitting next to some friends of mine — some farriers I had met at the Summit — when the winner was about to be announced, says Bullock. “I was saying ‘Pick me! Pick me!’ When they called my name, I couldn’t believe it!”

She spent Nov. 10 through 15 at Rood & Riddle and felt it was very worthwhile. “I would definitely encourage any farrier or equine veterinarian who has an interest in podiatry to seize an opportunity like this,” she says. “I didn’t spend the whole week, but made arrangements to come back when they are busier.”

Bullock had to choose a time for her visit when her own practice had slowed down. Unfortunately, that coincided with a relatively slow time at Rood & Riddle.

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