It wasn’t that long ago that options were limited in how to care for and manage horses that either weren’t performing to their potential or those that simply weren’t quite right: often the recommendations included rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Thankfully, veterinary medicine has come a long way and things like acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, osteopathy, and kinesio taping are becoming mainstream options for equine health and wellness.

While the interest and availability of these modalities grows, it becomes less clear exactly how and when to incorporate these complementary therapies in a horse’s care routine. To help clarify what the modalities are and what they do, the Kentucky Horse Council’s (KHC) next Kentucky Equine Networking Association (KENA) dinner will host a panel of experts on Tuesday, August 23, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Locust Trace AgriScience Center in Lexington. These practitioners will demonstrate their specialty and inform attendees of exactly what each treatment method can – and can’t – do.  

Speakers include Dr. Larkspur Carroll, owner of CORE Therapies in Versailles; Jenna Doktor of CORE Therapies; and Dr. Anna Dunlap of Creek Hollow Veterinary Services in Georgetown. Each of these practitioners is incredible in her own right, but their ability to distill down the modalities they use into easy-to-understand concepts is invaluable to horse owners and caretakers.

KENA is part of the Kentucky Horse Council’s mission to use education and leadership to protect Kentucky horses and support Kentucky horsemen and women. KENA meetings are held quarterly and bring together equine professionals and horse enthusiasts from all breeds and disciplines. Attendees share ideas, business strategies, and obtain up-to-date information on horse and farm management, as well as on issues affecting the equine industry.

KENA is made possible by the generous support of the Equine Land Conservation Resource, Excel Equine, Lexington Equine Medical Group, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program.

For details and reservations for the August 23 event, click here. Tickets are $30. Interested in sponsoring this event? Click here.