The Horse First: A Veterinary Sport Horse Podcast

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Dr. Audrey DeClue hosts this podcast designed to help owners, riders, trainers, and others understand their horse's needs better.

Audrey DeClue, DVM


    • Sep 11, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 57 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Horse First: A Veterinary Sport Horse Podcast is an amazing resource for anyone who works with or owns horses. It is educational, informative, and eye-opening. The podcast covers a wide range of topics related to equine health and wellness, and each episode provides valuable insights and perspectives that can help improve the well-being of horses.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the expertise and knowledge of Dr. Audrey DeClue, the host of the show. She is a renowned equine veterinarian and her passion for helping horses shines through in every episode. Her research and recommendations are backed by scientific literature, making her insights credible and trustworthy. Additionally, Dr. DeClue makes complex topics accessible to all listeners, regardless of their level of knowledge in equine health.

    The podcast also stands out for its focus on biomechanics and sports medicine. Dr. DeClue discusses how injuries or issues in one part of the horse's body can have an impact on the entire system. This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of equine health that goes beyond simply diagnosing individual joints or limbs. It encourages listeners to view their horses holistically and consider how various factors may contribute to overall well-being.

    While there are many positive aspects of this podcast, one potential downside is that it may leave listeners with more questions than answers. The depth of information provided can be overwhelming at times, especially for those who are new to equine health and wellness. However, this can also be viewed as a positive aspect as it prompts further learning and exploration into the topics discussed.

    In conclusion, The Horse First: A Veterinary Sport Horse Podcast is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of equine health and well-being. Dr. Audrey DeClue's expertise, passion, and dedication shine through in every episode, making it a must-listen for horse owners, trainers, riders, and veterinarians alike. By delving into topics such as biomechanics and sports medicine, the podcast offers a unique perspective that can help improve the lives of horses and strengthen the human-horse bond.



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    Latest episodes from The Horse First: A Veterinary Sport Horse Podcast

    Episode 57: The Horse First Sport Horse Rounds: KISS Theory - Making Complex Lameness Simple

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 62:07


    Dr. Audrey DeClue, DVM and Dr. Kate Workman, DVM discuss the complexities of lameness in horses and the importance of simplifying veterinary medicine. Dr. DeClue shares her recent work with the US Army Caisson horses at Arlington National Cemetery, the deplorable conditions and mismanagement of these horses including wasteful spending of taxpayer money. They emphasize the need for veterinarians to understand biomechanics and anatomy to solve complex issues like shivers and stringhalt. Dr. DeClue plans to conduct seminars to teach these principles, starting with girtiness and equipment lameness, followed by iliospoas injuries. They stress the importance of practical, results-based knowledge and the need for veterinarians to continuously learn and adapt.    

    Kissing Spine in Sport Horses, Part 2: Do you ride the Horse or the Radiograph?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2023 59:54


    In part 2 of this series, Dr. DeClue continues her deep dive into kissing spine, including some eye-opening data regarding its prevalence across the world. Some highlights in this episode include: The prevalence of back diseases in horses. 5:37 Impingement of the dorsal spine. 10:55 Kissing Spine Syndrome in thoroughbreds. 14:43  Kissing spine in horses in Malaysia. 21:45 Radiographic findings supporting a developmental vs. acquired etiology. 33:05 The 2023 paper from italy on kissing spine. 42:43 Are kissing spine lesions painful? 47:16 Stretching the dorsal spine. 52:43

    Episode 55: Kissing Spine in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 40:07


    Countless hours of research have culminated in today's episode on kissing spine in sport horses. Dr. Audrey DeClue pulls knowledge from decades, centuries, and millennia of data on kissing spine to learn more about this affliction that has impacted dogs, cats, humans, otters, horses, and even dinosaurs. 

    Episode 54: Lead Change Problems in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 28:55


    If your horse seems stiff, uneven, and doesn't track straight, you're probably also having issues with lead changes. It's another long-thought mystery issue impacting performance and sometimes leading to anxiety in horses during drills. As always, Dr. Audrey DeClue brings a practical, common-sense aproach to examining your horse and getting to the bottom of lead change problems in sport horses.

    Episode 53: Expectations in Injured Sport Horses with Dr Kate Workman

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 75:07


    Following a very popular episode previously (Episode 46), Dr. Audrey DeClue talks again with Dr. Kate Workman (Denali Equine in Southern Pines, NC) about cases cases they have treated. They discuss shivers, treatements, lameness, and more with the goal of helping you understand the expectations of performance horses and sport horses that have been significantly injured or have chronic lameness. After proper treatment and rehab, some horses went back into performance or competition. 

    Episode 52: Cantering Issues and Problems in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 38:18


    Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses a common complaint among riders and veterenarians - cantering issues. Though, historically, much attention has been paid to the limbs, Dr. DeClue brings it back to to the body of the horse, where many of the lameness issues actually originate. She discusses her experience addressing cantering issues and what to consider if this is a problem in your horse. 

    Episode 51: Shivers Horses and Its Association to the Cerebellum

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 73:27


    In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue focuses specifically on the association of the cerebellum to shivers horses. She shines a light on the existing, published research on shivers and the trouble with conclusions based on a small sample size. She also includes an interview with longtime friend, Celeste, to provide a powerful story of what it is like to live with a degenerative cerebellar lesion. 

    Episode 50: Shoulder Girdle Injuries in Sport Horses - Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 44:00


    Dr. Audrey DeClue continues her series on the treatment and solutions she has discovered while helping horses with shoulder and girdle injuries. 

    Episode 49: Shoulder Girdle Injuries In Sport Horses: Part 2 Cause and Effect

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 64:33


    Dr. DeClue discusses the Cause and the Effect of Shoulder Girdle Injuries in Sport Horse creating Kissing Spine, Back and Pelvic Pain, Chronic Undiagnosed Front Limb Lameness, Suspensory Strains/Injury and Sleep Deprivation and Collapsing Horses.

    Episode 48: Shoulder Girdle Injuries

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2022 65:24


    Despite having little to no peer-reviewed published papers about the issue, Dr. Audrey DeClue takes this episode to discuss what she has personally learned while dealing with shoulder girdle injuries in sport horses.  

    Episode 47: Guest Appearance on The Humble Hoof Podcast (Shivers-Stringhalt)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2022 35:01


    This episode is a guest appearance by Dr. Audrey DeClue on The Humble Hoof podcast with host Alicia Harlov.  They discuss the research and developments that Dr. DeClue has discovered in her journey of putting the horse first when tackling Shivers and Stringhalt. 

    Episode 46: Solutions to Problems in Sport Horses with Dr. Kate Workman

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2022 75:12


    After some time on the road with show horses, Dr. Kate Workman realized her true desire was to put the wellbeing of horses first. While dealing with a particular case, one of her colleagues recommended she listen to The Horse First Podcast. She then reached out to Dr. Audrey DeClue, who, after hearing about the case, decided they should meet.  In this episode, you have the opportunity to hear more about that story as well as insights from both Dr. DeClue and Dr. Workman on topics such as shivers, lunging, limbs, shoulder girdles, and more.

    Episode 45: The Number One Cause of Lameness in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2022 40:33


    In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue addresses the top causes of lameness in sport horses. These include injury during competition, injury during training or overtraining, injury during turnout, and lower limb abscess farrier work. But the number one cause of lameness? Equipment. Listen as Dr. DeClue shows how to find the pain that drives lameness. 

    Episode 44: Positional Lameness in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2021 55:59


    When body lameness in your horse only occurs when they're moving, it is positional lameness. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue breaks positional lameness into two parts and urges more critical, rational thinking within the veterinary profession in order to put structures together and create a more accurate diagnosis. She'll discuss how positional lameness is a subset of body lameness, but worth examining to create better outcomes for horses in general.

    Episode 43: Body Lameness in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2021 71:43


    In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue focuses on the impact that the axial skeleton has on the performance of your horse. This often overlooked connection can provide significant insight on body lameness. 

    Episode 42: Sacroiliac Injuries in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 30:49


    Poor performing sport horses with a difficulty in diagnosis often receive SI injections. And while this can offer some relief, there is hope beyond injections for horses with sacroiliac injuries. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue addresses these injuries with a different perspective than you might commonly find. 

    Episode 41: Suspensory Ligament Injuries in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 61:55


    It can be scary to hear the words 'suspensory ligament injury.' But in today's episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue brings some hope to the discussion. She talks specifically about these injuries often being secondary to something else, which can provide for more options when moving forward.

    Episode 40: Horse Communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 38:32


    In today's episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue is focused on the importance of communicating well with others based on the strong communication you've built with your horse.  She also discusses the prevalence of suicide within the veterinary community and how we can be supportive of each other during times of extreme stress, trauma, and burnout. 

    Episode 39: Absolutely Everything is Important

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 49:42


    In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue aims to help riders, owners, and trainers take notice of things going on with your horse and point them out to your veterinarian. Taking special note of the subtle things you see in the day-to-day and asking about them can make a big difference in proper diagnosis.

    Episode 38: Causes and Solutions to Contact Issues with Your Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2020 41:23


    In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue provides an 8-step process of elimination to address causes and solutions to contact issues with your horse. This is an important episode if you struggle with bridal or contact issues.

    Episode 37: Straightness Issues Bulged vs Hollow Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 44:04


    Straightness is one of the most common issues owners and trainers have with their horses. It's also a very common topic in publications, no matter what discipline of the horse.  In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue explains that if you can ride your horse in a straight and balanced manner, your lameness  issues go down exponentially. But that's not all, so listen as she digs into the research on straightness issues to help you and your horse become more aligned. 

    Episode 36: Tension is the Enemy and the Cause of Many Lamenesses in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2020 26:34


    Whether it's from a known or unknown injury, tension is the enemy of every lameness. The perfect horse can become lame due to tension and a lame horse come back to life when tension is addressed. In today's episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses cases where lameness has either improved or declined based on discovering and treating tension - no matter what the cause. 

    Episode 35: Iliopsoas Injuries in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2020 51:33


    It's among the most common muscular skeletal injuries seen in sport dogs and human athletes. Iliopsoas is also the number one reason people have back pain. Yet there's very little research about it in sport horses. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses her research on the iliopsoas muscle, which is responsible for the clinical signs of shivers and stringhalt in the hind limbs of horses. 

    Episode 34: So Your Horse is Injured?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2020 34:37


    After recently suffering an injury of her own, Dr. Audrey DeClue takes this episode to discuss what you need to look for - and possibly act on - if your horse is injured. 

    Episode 33: Sleep Deprivation and Collapsing in Performance Horses Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2020 41:41


    Dr. Audrey DeClue returns to continue her series on the issues surrounding sleep deprivation and collapsing in performance horses. In this episode, she dives into the anatomy, what the clinical signs look like, and what you can do. 

    Episode 32: Sleep Deprivation and Collapsing in Performance Horses (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2020 38:27


    If you don't know what normal is, you probably don't know what abnormal is. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue goes through the history and research of rest and sleep patterns in horses to help determine what is normal when observing those behaviors in other performance horses.

    Episode 31: Shivers and Stringhalt Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2020 40:55


    Dr. DeClue continues her discussion on what is causing Shivers and Stringhalt in horses. 

    Episode 30: History of Shivers-Stringhalt Syndrome

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 45:27


    Today, Dr. Audrey DeClue begins sharing all the information she has gathered on Shivers-Stringhalt Syndrome. 

    Episode 29: My Horse Does Not Lay Down to Sleep

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2020 44:17


    Episode 28: New Years Resolution: Advocate For Your Horse!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2020 46:13


    Dr. Audrey DeClue asks listeners to consider their horse when making new commitments in the New Year. Watching, listening, and learning from your horse helps you understand what they need and how to advocate for them.

    Episode 27: Why Are Horses Girthy or Cinchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2019 39:44


    Dr Audrey DeClue discusses the dangers of having a girthy horse and how to address it.

    Episode 26: How to Help Your Veterinarian Diagnose the Lameness in Your Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2019 39:12


    A common theme in the Horse First podcast is the importance of advocating for the health and needs of your horse. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses how to talk with your veterinarian about lameness, emphasizing the importance owners play in determining the priorities of the veterinary world.

    Episode 25: Headshaking Syndrome

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2019 50:06


    In today's episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses a number of cases she's seen of horses dealing with Head Shaking Syndrome (sometimes referred to as Trigeminal-mediated headshaking).

    Episode 24: Diagnosing Lameness at a Canter

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2019 47:17


    Dr. Audrey DeClue continues her series on diagnosing lameness in your horse. Today's focus is on diagnosing at a canter. She details the different aspects of the horse she pays attention to when examining a horse from this vantage point. 

    Episode 23: Recognizing Lameness at a Trot (featuring Mikala Vig)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2019 40:54


    In previous episodes, Dr. Audrey DeClue has discussed recognizing lameness at a walk and at a standstill. In this episode of The Horse First, she brings back veterinary student Mikala Vig to discuss recognizing lameness at a trot and what she has learned while working with Dr. DeClue.

    Episode 22: Equine Shivers Treatment and Information

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2019 14:33


    It's the episode many of you have been waiting for. Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses how she discovered the treatment for Equine Shivers and offers hope to riders, owners, and equine veterinarians. We owe it to our horses to take a closer look at a treatment that has been otherwise believed to be impossible.

    Episode 21: Recognizing Lameness at a Walk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2019 50:33


    "If you see it...feel it...or hear it, it's there." Dr. Audrey DeClue is back on the topic of lameness as she follows up on her last episode (Recognizing Lameness at a Standstill). In this episode, she gives advice for recognizing when your horse is lame by it's walk - whether alone or under saddle. 

    Episode 20: Recognizing Lameness at a Standstill

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2019 54:27


    Todays episode is about recognizing lameness at a standstill. Dr. DeClue explains how to recognize a lame horse by identifying and diagnosing lameness without modern technology.

    Episode 19: Dorsal Scapular Movement Disorder (DSMD)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2019 45:42


    In this episode of The Horse First, Dr. Audrey DeClue goes back to her trusty Anatomy of a Horse book to discuss DSMD. She stresses the need to understand that all horses can improve with the correct measures. 

    Episode 18: The Mystery of Unresolved Front Limb Lameness and Hopping Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2019 46:48


    Armed with her trusty "Anatomy of a Horse" book, Dr. Audrey DeClue goes takes you down the rabbit hole of what front limb lameness is, what's causing it, and how to address it.

    Episode 17: The Pain-Behavioral Pyramid of the Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2019 49:37


    Dr. Audrey DeClue describes a diagnostic process she has developed over a decade to understand why horses start to develop pain.

    Episode 16: How to Lunge for Back and Pelvis Rehabilitation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2019 54:22


    Dr. Audrey DeClue takes this episode to emphasize the need and value of lunging your horse when going through rehabilitation of the back and pelvis. She also discusses the nuance of that process and how to be consistent in rehabilitation without ignoring the needs of the horse, itself. 

    Episode 15 - Back and Pelvis Rehabilitation (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2019 44:48


    in part two of this series on rehabilitation, Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses lunging for the purposes of back and pelvis rehabilitation. You'll learn how critical lunging truly is to the process.

    Episode 14 - Back and Pelvic Rehabilitation in Horses (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2019 29:07


    Dr. Audrey DeClue is back and starting a very important series on the rehabilitation of horses as it relates to their back and pelvis. If you're ready to start down this journey, Dr. DeClue is ready to help.

    Episode 13 - Back Injuries and Treatment in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 50:52


    Back injuries are a significant concern in the sport horse world. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue talks about injuries she's seen, some common causes, and the variety of treatments involved. 

    Episode 12 - Recognition and Diagnosis of Back Pain in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2019 38:56


    There are several reasons your horse could be experiencing back pain. But making a priority of recognizing and diagnosing those issues can stave off a number of issues down the road. 

    Episode 11 - Saddle Fitting and Girths

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2019 51:45


    You might not have thought much about it, but the type of saddle and saddle pad you use on your horse can have a profound impact on their comfort and how they ride. Dr. Audrey DeClue explains why it is so important to choose the equipment that best fits your horse.

    Episode 10 - Cervical Issues in Sport Horses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 49:47


    Neck issues will always affect the performance of your sport horse. In this episode, Dr. Audrey DeClue shows how cervical issues can show, the cascade of effects that can follow, and how to rehabilitate.

    Episode 9 - Rehabilitation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2018 44:31


    Dr. Audrey DeClue presents a candid approach to the process of rehabilitating sport horses and the dedication required to ensure the treatment is most effective.

    Episode 8 - Treatment Solutions and Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2018 28:53


    With everybody looking for a quick fix these days, Dr. Audrey DeClue explains why it's important to have realistic expectations in terms of outcomes and timing when treating your horse.

    Episode 7 - Injuries

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2018 54:14


    Dr. Audrey DeClue discusses common injuries and the common misconceptions often associated with them.

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