Dr. Katie Crossan |
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Dr. Katie Crossan graduated in 2000 from the Ontario Veterinary College where she completed a large animal internship in medicine and surgery at OVC. Following graduation, she worked at an equine veterinary clinic in Campbellville then came home to Kirkton Veterinary Clinic in 2002 where she works among 4 veterinarians in a mixed animal clinic. |
Dr. Crossan enjoys working on all breeds of horses, and her practice includes dentistry, lameness, reproduction (including AI with fresh or frozen semen and embryo transfer work), chiropractic and preventative health care.
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Dave Dawson |
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Dave Dawson is the current treasurer for the Ontario Farrier’s Association and has over 20 years experience as a farrier. Dave has spent a great deal of time traveling around North America learning the farrier profession. The majority of his clients are in the show circuit, jumpers, eventers and dressage.
He travels to Florida every winter to work in the warm weather and spends the season following the show circuit here in central Ontario. |
| Davis is also the On Site Farrier for The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Palgrave Showgrounds in Caledon.
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Gayle Ecker |
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Gayle has been the Senior Manager of Equine Guelph since its inception in 2003, and played an instrumental role in its birth. She has dedicated her energies to advancing the equine industry through education and communications.
Gayle created the ‘pyramid of education’ model – an educational approach that provides learning pathways for career development at all levels.
In collaboration with the Office of Open learning, Gayle developed the Equine Science Certificate program – an on-line program targeted to the equine industry. She also acts as an instructor in the program. |
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Amy Halls |
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Amy Halls graduated in 2002 with a Masters in Animal Nutrition from the University of Guelph. Upon graduation she joined the Nutrition Team at Shur-Gain. As the Monogastric Nutritionist, Amy is responsible for equine, rabbit, poultry and exotic animal nutrition. She has created several custom feeding programs for all types of horse facilities, from pleasure to racetrack to breeding.
Amy has written several "Nutrifaxes" - Shur-Gain's Nutritional Newsletter - on equine nutritionally related topics. |
She has also given several equine nutrition presentations to horse groups, including local 4-H clubs. In her spare time, Amy enjoys volunteering for the Perth County 4-H Equine club, spending time with her family and riding her Morgan gelding, Lauralee Riddler Buoy. |
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Doug Nash |
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Doug served as farm manager at Glengate (formerly Cantario Farms) for almost 30 years. Glengate consisted of 3 farms, housing 80 - 100 mares, 8 stallions, and yearlings. In addition to servicing 1200 mares annually with their own stallions, Glengate collected, shipped, froze, evaluated, imported and exported semen for 125 to 140 stallions of all breeds and disciplines.
Raised near a commercial standardbred breeding farm and local fairgrounds, Doug spent his youth working on the farm and training and racing in Ontario and Michigan. |
| His first love was always the farm and in l974, he took over the management of a farm with 6 stallions and 130 mares. Since that time, he has personally attended over 2500 foalings and witnessed and participated in the evolution of artificial insemination, the freezing of semen and embryo transplants. |
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Dr. Ev Post |
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Dr. Ev Post grew up with horses and has enjoyed experience in many of the equine disciplines. After graduation from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1997, she moved to England. During the next 5 years, she worked in equine private practice and at the University of Liverpool Large Animal Hospital. She completed a 3-year Equine Surgical Residency with specialization in Orthopedics at that same hospital.
Upon moving back to Canada in 2002, she has practiced in the Campbellville, ON area providing first and second opinions for equine cases. She strongly believes continuing education for both the horse owner as well as the veterinarian, coupled with ongoing research are paramount to the welfare of our horses. |
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Dr. Susan Raymond |
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Susan oversees the communications program and is heavily involved in the education programs of Equine Guelph.
Susan is the instructor and course co-creator of the Management of the Equine Environment and the new Stewardship of the Equine Environment which is part of the Equine Diploma program.
Susan is also the assistant instructor of the Equine Journalism online |
course, Equine Business Management Certificate program. Formerly, she was involved in air quality research which provided practical recommendations to the horse industry on stable design and management.
Susan has completed a PhD, investigating the effects of exposure of horses to mycotoxins. |
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Michelle Staples |
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Horse rescue has been Michelle’s passion for almost twenty years. Once she and husband, Michael, retired to the north coast of California, Michelle became active in her community. She obtained her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, NDART membership, became an instructor in both CPR and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), joined the local disaster preparation committee, wrote a county plan for animals in disaster, an emergency pet first aid class, an advanced CERT class for organizing neighbourhoods, and a CERT class for animals. |
| In 2003, Michelle learned about Large Animal Rescue training when she organized a class in her area. Dismayed to learn of the lack of trained responders and lack of awareness by horse owners, she researched and wrote a book on Large Animal Rescue and has been actively promoting LAR training through her book and a website on the subject. |
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Dr Jeff Thomason |
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Dr. Jeff Thomason is a popular speaker amongst horse owners as he has the ability to “bring the anatomy to life” with his presentations. His seminars are well-known for his teaching aids as he brings “bits and pieces” for demonstration purposes to give his audience an in-depth view and understanding of the form and function of the horse.
Dr. Thomason teaches veterinary anatomy to first-year veterinary students and is also conducts research focused on hoof biomechanics. |
He also developed and instructs the Equine Science Certificate’s Functional Anatomy course.
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Dr. Robert Wright |
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Dr Bob Wright graduated from the University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1978. Dr. Wright initiated the equine extension services of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Recently retired, he was the Lead veterinarian for equine and alternate livestock.
On a daily basis, his teaching, and clinical activities involved investigations and surveillance into disease outbreaks of horses, cervids and rabbits. |
Investigations have included ergot alkaloids toxicity in pregnant mares, alsike clover poisoning of horses, West Nile virus of horses and chronic wasting disease of cervids. Recently, his research efforts were focused on the development of laboratory analysis to evaluate hay and hay dust as it pertains to horse health.
Bob has a passion for writing and extension education and has authored more than 150 information sheets and 500 “snippets” in a monthly column for horse owners. The topics of these writings are based on the many investigations he has been involved in. |