June 2008
Client Education - Summer 2008 Workshop Series
At Thal Equine, we strongly believe that an educated horse owner is a good horse owner. Dr. Thal has written various articles about equine healthcare available on our website www.thalequine.com. This summer we will also host a series of workshops, wherein Dr. Thal and staff will work closely with a small number of clients. Horses for these workshops will be provided unless otherwise stated.

Basic First Aid and Bandaging - Sunday, June 29, 2008 9 to 11 a.m.
Learn some basic equine first aid, including how to examine your horse, safely and properly apply a bandage, stop bleeding, and lots more!.

Developing a Relationship of Trust and Respect with Your Horse - Sunday, August 24, 2008 9 to 11 a.m.
Dr. Thal has a special interest in horsemanship and behavioral issues. Learn Dr. Thal’s approach towards developing a relationship of trust and respect, which forms the basis for all good horsemanship. A limited number of people may bring their horse to our facility so that we can address specific behavioral issues.

Attendance is limited for all workshops so please call the office to reserve your space. All workshops are $25.00, non-refundable fee.

The Pre-Purchase Exam - FREE - Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 9 to 11 a.m.
Dr. Thal will discuss how he conducts a pre-purchase exam, the benefits and limitations of this process, and what questions you should ask when considering the purchase of a new horse.



May 2008
Horseowners Workshop Wednesday, May 28
6:30 - 7pm  Open House
7 - 7:30 Performance Riding Demo
7:30 - 8:30 Troy will speak on Purina's new Well Solve Diets
Dr. Thal will speak on "special needs" applicable to Well Solve Diets such as Diabetes, Obesity, Polysaccharide storage, Insulin Resistance/Cushings, etc.
8:30 - 9  Door prizes
Attendance is free and, as always, there will be lots of great door prizes and giveaways.



April 2008
Foaling season at Thal Equine

	Dr. Thal with Raffona's newborn foal

Following surgery, the horse is placed in our padded induction/recovery stall. The recovery device is tied into the tail and a head rope is tied to the halter.  As the horse wakes up and tries to stand, the tail device is used to support the horse's efforts.  It does this by providing gentle yet significant controlled upward force to the horse's hind end. The head rope is used to steady the horse's head, if necessary. 

The current system is an improved version of an idea that Dr. Thal developed 15 years ago while an intern at Littleton Large Animal Clinic. Littleton still uses a similar system, based on a sailboat block and tackle.


In March,  Samuel Smith, a second year veterinary student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, graciously volunteered at the practice during his spring break. 

Sam has been here before and has always been very eager to help and learn. All the staff really enjoy Sam's attitude, willingness to help and eagerness to develop his skills and knowledge.

Sam helped Dr. Thal  and staff with a variety of cases  during his days here, including lameness , dentistry  and hospitalized cases.

Sam will be back to work as a veterinary assistant in the summer. We wish him luck in completing his second year in vet school.

December 2007
Thal Equine leases Taos property to the Equine Spirit Sanctuary
We are pleased to announce that the former Thal Equine hospital and clinic in Taos has now been leased to the Equine Spirit Sanctuary (ESS). Thal Equine believes in the need for client education and horse rescue, sharing the values of the mission of ESS.

"The Equine Spirit Sanctuary is a non-profit, volunteer-based healing center that believes in responsible horse ownership. ESS is dedicated to the safety and welfare of all equines and through a program of rescue, rehabilitation, relocation or permanent retirement, and education, serves to establish a connection between equines and humans." ESS will offer a therapuetic riding program, educational events and clinics for horse owners, and horse rescue at the new facility.



September 2007
Don't Neglect Your Horse's Fall Work!
Just a reminder - it's time for fall vaccinations, deworming and a checkup to ensure that your horse is prepared for the coming cold winter months. Call our office for more information on these services. You can also read our fall newsletter, mailed to all current Santa Fe area clients, or by following this link to a PDF version: Oct. 2007 Newsletter.



August 2007
Open House & Colic Seminar
About 65 persons attended the Thal Equine 2007 Open House held August 25. Dr. Thal spoke about how the term "colic" merely means abdominal pain, which can result from a variety of underlying problems, some of which can be resolved with simple treatment and others that require surgery. Dr. Esteras spoke about the specifics of colic surgery, stressing that it is the ultimate diagnostic tool - because the surgeons are able to see firsthand what is going on in the abdomen that causes the pain.
Tara Rogers of Pfizer then spoke about parasite control and received many good questions from the audience about deworming and Pfizer's new fly control product, Solitude IGR. A variety of great door prizes were given out, including several bags of grain courtesy of Purina Mills. The staff of Thal Equine gave a tour of the facilities, including the induction/recovery stall, surgical suite and the hospital barn. Everyone was warm and supportive of our efforts to provide educational information and veterinary services not available elsewhere close by.

West Nile Is Once Again a Threat to Area Horses
We have seen several cases of West Nile Virus in horses in the last few weeks. We feel as though it will be a significant threat to horses in the area. Here is what you can do:

• Be sure that your horses are well vaccinated ( in the last 6 months) with a quality vaccine. They must have had the original 2-shot series the first year that they were vaccinated for West Nile.
  
• If you have questions about your horses vaccination status, you should have them vaccinated again, or call your veterinarian for advice.
  
• Be aware that there are now several West Nile Vaccines available. Two of these give more rapid immunity in horses which have never been vaccinated before. Ask your vet about these vaccines for horses with no vaccination history.
  
• Remember that West Nile is transmitted by mosquitoes. Try to eliminate stagnant water sources on your property.
  
• Do the best you can to prevent mosquitoes from biting your horses. Spray with fly spray in the evenings or use fly sheets and masks as possible.
  
• Be on the alert for signs of West Nile Virus. Horse symptoms are weakness and wobbly, almost drunken gait, muscle tremors. Other signs can be lack of appetite or depressed attitude.
  
• Be on the lookout for dead birds. They can be a sign of West Nile in the area.
  

If you have questions, call your veterinarian or our office - (505) 438-6590, or e-mail drthal@thalequine.com

July 2007
Updates!
Thal Equine is now offering emergency colic surgery. This is a first for Santa Fe and follows from our offering it in Taos for several years. Northern New Mexico horses will benefit by having quicker and easier access to life saving surgery.

West Nile Update: One case of West Nile Virus has been reported so far in New Mexico this year, in a southern county. Even though this number is low, vaccination continues to be very important. Remember that vaccination should always also include EWT (encephalitis and tetanus) as well, as these diseases are also present and are even more deadly than West Nile.

New on the Preferred Veterinary Products page. You can now order Solitude IgR fly control products from our web site. We have found this product to be a very effective means of fly control.

June 2007
Dr. Thal's Preferred Veterinary Products
NEW!!! As a new service to our clients and other horse owners, the products and medications that we use and have faith in can now be purchased directly from Thal Equine. See the Preferred Veterinary Products page for a full listing of available products, complete with descriptions and recommendations by Dr. Thal.

Thal Quarter Horses
NEW!!! Many people are not aware of the fact that Dr. Thal also raises Quarter Horse and has a Foundation Quarter Horse breding program. See his new web site for information on his horses. There is a full list of fine quality horses for sale also.

May 2007
Dr. Thal is back at work!
After two back operations and a long recovery, Dr. Thal is back at work! Our hospital has been open about three weeks. We have a whole new staff and a great new clinic. We are now taking appointments and after hours emergencies, as well as limited referrals. Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

Purina Horse Owners Workshop held May 17 The 2007 Santa Fe Horse Owners Workshop was hosted by San Marcos Feed and Thal Equine the evening of May 17. The workshop was held at Thal Equine. Gilly Slayter of Simply 3-Day and some of her students did a presentation on 3-day eventing, with jumping demos.
Troy Rogers rode his reining horse and showed some training techniques and talked about how to work with all the parts of your horse to get a winning performance.
The demos were followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Thal and Troy on horse health and nutrition concerns.	San Marcos Feed provided pizza, drinks and lots of other great snacks, as well as samples of Purina feeds for horses, cats and dogs. Purina Company provided door prizes and coupons.

February 2007
A snowy winter in New Mexico!
Some scenes from this winter's snowstorms. These photos were taken by Kristin Thal at Thal Equine, where work on the newly built clinic and surgical facility was completed (in between snowstorms!).
Many changes have taken place at the new facililty as Thal Equine expands and continues to work on innovative ways to better serve our clients. This web site also will be offering more soon including additional options for client communication. There is a signup form on the home page for our new free enewsletter, which will provide all the latest news from Thal Equine and horse health news and alerts.

	The much needed snow was welcome, but did present a challenge for staff, including Lyndsey (above).

Check this page frequently for added new articles and updates.
drthal@thalequine.com