Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding: Dr. Sam Crosby

Every Friday, Horse Nation teams up with Ovation Riding to spotlight an individual or organization doing good work in the horse world. Today we recognize Dr. Sam Crosby, the July honoree of the AAEP’s Good Works for Horses Campaign.

As equestrians, we rely on our veterinarians to keep our beloved companions healthy, happy and able to perform the jobs we ask of them. Without quality vets, most of us would be lost. Therefore, it is important to recognize vets who are working hard to ensure that veterinary students are properly equipped to take care of our fur babies. Dr. Sam Crosby is exactly one of those vets.

Dr. Crosby is the July honoree of the American Association of Equine Practitioners’s (AAEP) Good Works for Horses Campaign. Dr. Crosby has shown persistence and commitment to the next generation of the profession is providing veterinary students in the Southwest with skills, training and opportunities to kick-start their careers.

Good Works for Horses honors AAEP-member practitioners who perform volunteer service to benefit horses and the equine community.

Sam Crosby. Photo courtesy of the AAEP.

Dr. Crosby specializes in performance horse medicine at his Crosby Equine Service in Arcadia, OK. He is a founding board member and driving force behind Veterinarians Encouraging and Teaching (VET), a non-profit organization that coordinates free hands-on clinical experiences for veterinary students. He is also pivotal in the establishment of “Pathways to Success,” a career symposium that connects students with internships, residencies and associate positions.

VET’s origins trace to a December 2017 meeting at the Lazy E Ranch, during which 15 area equine veterinarians, faculty and staff from Oklahoma State University and representatives from several pharmaceutical companies discussed how to improve upon the practical experiences of veterinary students as a way to complement the vast “book knowledge” they acquire in school.

Dr. Crosby took it upon himself to begin pursuing initiatives discussed at the meeting . He organized a student wet lab in May 2018, recruiting six instructors and 30 veterinary students to an indoor arena in Carney, OK, to refine skills related to colic emergencies and horse handling.

VET formed shortly thereafter when Dr. Crosby mobilized the support of colleagues to implement a career symposium. The inaugural symposium, held at Heritage Place in October 2018, brought together guest speakers, representatives from more than 30 equine veterinary practices and 15 pharmaceutical companies and 90 veterinary students from Oklahoma State and Texas A&M universities.

The success of the event garnered considerable interest in the next symposium, scheduled for October 2020.

In the meantime, VET organizes regular wet labs in central Oklahoma to provide veterinary students with necessary skills in dentistry, podiatry, reproduction, horsemanship and other areas. The hope is to create veterinarians who are better prepared to meet the needs and improve the well-being of horses upon graduation.

About the American Association of Equine Practitioners:
The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, KY, was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.

Throughout 2019, the AAEP’s Good Works for Horses Campaign will spotlight AAEP-member practitioners whose volunteer efforts are improving the health and welfare of horses. To discover the Good Works of AAEP veterinarians or nominate a Good Works candidate, visit the AAEP website. For more information on nominating a veterinarian for this program, contact Giulia Garcia at [email protected]. 

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.