Sid Gustafson DVM
 

Sid Gustafson DVM

Equine Behaviorist

Bloodstock selection and management 

I help you select yearlings sound of wind and limb, captivated with the behavioral essence to prevail.

I assist in developing willing partnerships between horses and humans that keep your horses sound, happy, and healthy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I offer purchasing and management services. Before purchase, I am avaialble at Keeneland to evaluate behavior, conformation, and movement of your selected prospects. Once your ideal horse is secured, I can guide you and your horse to the most appropriate training farm or stable, one with knowing and sensitive human hands. Based on the horse's development and physical maturity, the most behaviorally positive training situations are sought out and secured. Once placed, I monitor stabling and training on your horse's behalf. 

I represent the health and welfare of your horse, assuring the best of care and handling. In addition to monitoring the training, racing, and conditioning protocols, I monitor your horse's contentment, soundness, nutrition, and perhaps most importantly, your horse's attitude and behavior, a sometimes overlooked aspect of racehorse management.

Behavioral fulfillment strategies are designed and implemented to enhance your horse's potential to train and win. Nurturing a willing partnership between horse and trainer/rider is essential to racehorse success. Soundness, safety, and longevity are the goals. I promote drug-free racing, and educate and guide trainers with strategies that avoid injuries and respiratory issues. Natural behaviors are re-created in the training and stable setting. Near-constant movement and foraging, along with abundant daily socialization with other horses creates winners. A naturally fulfilled and behaviorally enriched racehorse is a willing partner, happy to train and win. These strategies also facilitate smooth career changes when that times comes.

 

 

 

 

 

Each horse must be stabled, trained, and managed in a fashion that fulfills the horse's individual needs along with her innate behavioral needs. Abundant daily locomotion and appropriate socialization are essential to maintain beahvioral health. 

I monitor your horses to ensure they are trained and stabled in a fashion that re-creates natural to an adequate degree. Progressive racehorse management ensures that each horse's behavioral needs are abundantly fulfilled. Happy horses become willing partners, eager to train and run. 

 

 

 

Utilizing sophisticated training-monitoring technology is an up and coming progressive strategy to win races. Monitoring assures owners that their racehorse is being trained safely and appropriately. Physiology parameters including heart rate, speed, stride length, and stride frequency are tracked during each second of the training session. The results are recorded, compared, and monitored. Conditioning protocols can be accurately adjusted to avoid injuries or bleeding. Early problems are detected and corrected before they manifest themselves as an injury.

Conditioning and distance preferences are determined for each horse. Soundness is maintained, both mental and physical. This scientific monitoring enhances each trainer's ability to train, place, and condition horses to sustain a long and safe career. Breakdowns are prevented.

Dr Gustafson reviews all suggested medication protocols. Never is medication allowed to facilitate training or racing by suppressing a problem or reducing pathological inflammation. Physical therapy, rubbing, swimming, walking, lounging, grazing, and socialization with other horses are the soundness-maintaining strategies that enhance endurance and longevity.

 

 

  

My experience as an attending veterinarian, regulatory veterinarian, and equine behaviorist supports my seasoned ability as a bloodstock agent and racehorse manager. I secure sound horses with animated movement. I find horses with the mental aptitude to readily blend with humans to condition, stable, and race successfully. 

Pedigree is but half the equation. Horses evolved as social grazers of the plains moving and grazing together nearly 2/3 of the time in natural settings. Abundant daily locomotion is essential to maintain soundness, pulmonary, digestive, metabolic, and behavioral health. Dental health in growing horses requires daily attention and care. 

 

 

 

  

Native Bloodstock. 
Racehorse selection, acquisition, and welfare management.
Securing yearlings sound of wind and limb with the behavioral essence to train up and prevail. 
Progressive racehorse monitoring utilizing sophisticated EKG and GPS motion monitoring technology. 
Enhancing welfare to maintain the soundness of wind and limb, while developing the will and stamina to prevail. Medication-free training and racing enhances welfare.

 

 

 

Dr Gustafson is a thoroughbred bloodstock agent and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The application of behavioral science to the development of racehorses enhances optimal health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity. Behavioral, social, locomotory, training, and nutritional strategies enhance the prosperity, vigor, and health of competition horses. Sid develops racehorses in deference to the horse's perspective, achieving willing and winning equine partnerships with humans. 

 

Dr Gustafson is a thoroughbred bloodstock agent and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The application of behavioral science to the development of racehorses enhances optimal health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity. Behavioral, social, locomotory, training, and nutritional strategies enhance the prosperity, vigor, and health of competition horses. Sid develops racehorses in deference to the horse's perspective, achieving willing and winning equine partnerships with humans.

 

Dr Gustafson provides guidance for thoroughbred owners interested in purchasing sound, impeccably bred racehorses sound in both body and mind. See you at Keeneland in September. swgustafson at yahoo