Horsemen learn emergency medicine

Sisters Country horsemen spent a cold and foggy Saturday morning holed up at FivePine Conference Center in Sisters, learning about effective wound care and bandaging.

Two afternoon sessions at the Bend Equine clinic enabled hands-on practice of common bandaging techniques. Had the day been sunny, many participants might have been enjoying outdoor pursuits, so the dismal weather could end up being a lifesaver for some horses.

Bend Equine's Continuing Education classes are in their third straight year. Topics such as mare and foal care, first aid, and de-worming strategies have been covered. The purpose, according to veterinary technicians Erica Leemann and Carol Nork is to build clients' confidence in their own ability to recognize problems and deal with them after treatment.

"It's easier to learn in a situation like this rather than during the stress of treating an injury or illness," said Nork.

This is the first year a full day of learning was offered, and clinic staff admitted surprise at the response. Bandaging is one of the most common forms of care for horses and also one of the more difficult to master, so the opportunity to learn from experts appealed to many. The hands-on session was extended into two when the first one filled quickly.

Drs. Wayne Schmotzer and Wendy Krebs, partners in Bend Equine Medical Center, associate Dr. Jessie Evans and intern Dr. Freya Stein presented brief lectures during the morning sessions. These included the importance of recognizing various types of wounds horses commonly sustain and the most effective ways to clean and treat them. Proper bandaging was stressed as an important factor in first-aid and care.

"Bad bandaging is sometimes worse than no bandaging," said technician Leemann.

Participants came from as far away as Summer Lake and Prineville. Annie Poitras from Prineville said, "I feel like I finally got the details (of bandaging). All you have to do is learn one or two things here and it's worth it."

Dr. Schmotzer believes there is an endless array of topics to cover, though some participants felt an annual refresher on bandaging would be popular. Technician and office manager, Sarah Cook, whose horse Rodney patiently withstood bandaging for both sessions, said, "We'll do whatever clients want."

Bend Equine Medical Center staff also has first-aid kits prepared and packaged, available to clients and others. Packed into a sturdy, bright red bag, the kits contain materials and medications necessary to deal with just about any equine emergency.