Mobile Sports
Medicine Services
Learn about the breadth of our services below
Premium Care for Elite Sport Horses & Companion Horses
Full-service sports medicine delivered straight to your property
Whether you have an elite sport horse or a beloved backyard companion, Guardia Equine Sports Medicine is here to support their comfort, wellbeing, and long-term soundness. Dr. Guardia is committed to delivering the highest level of care and attention from in-depth examinations and diagnostics to advanced therapies and routine wellness all from the convenience and comfort of your own property. This saves you time and money while allowing us the opportunity to observe your horse in real time, including how they move on their footing, for a more accurate and informed diagnosis.
At Guardia Equine Sports Medicine, we take a comprehensive approach and is happy to partner with your farrier or trainer to ensure every aspect of your horse’s health is taken into account. With the whole horse in mind, Dr. Guardia will provide the most accurate care plan to maximize your horse’s athletic performance while supporting their current and future health.
Examinations, Consultations & Telehealth
Understanding the full picture so you can move forward in confidence
Performance & Lameness Examinations
You know your horse better than anyone and if you notice subtle signs of discomfort or want to make sure they’re at the top of their game for competition, a performance evaluation or lameness examination is right for you. During this exam, Dr. Guardia will complete a comprehensive sports medicine evaluation, identify issues affecting your horse’s performance, localize any present lameness, perform hoof assessments, and utilize objective gait analysis technology to support her findings.
Here’s what we’ll do:
- Comprehensive evaluation, ridden or on lunge
- Diagnostic blocks to localize lameness
- Flexion tests, hoof balance assessment, and objective gait analysis
Pre-Purchase & Pre-Lease Examinations
Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.Consultations & Telehealth
Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.
You know your horse better than anyone and if you notice subtle signs of discomfort or want to make sure they’re at the top of their game for competition, a performance evaluation or lameness examination is right for you. During this exam, Dr. Guardia will complete a comprehensive sports medicine evaluation, identify issues affecting your horse's performance, localize any present lameness, perform hoof assessments, and utilize objective gait analysis technology to support her findings.
Here’s what we’ll do:
- Comprehensive evaluation, ridden or on lunge
- Diagnostic blocks to localize lameness
- Flexion tests, hoof balance assessment, and objective gait analysis
Before you make the investment in purchasing a horse, you deserve to know the full state of their health and wellness. During a pre-purchase or pre-lease examination, Dr. Guardia conducts a thorough physical exam and dynamic soundness evaluation. We’ll observe the horse in motion in hand, on the lunge line, and under saddle if necessary to check for lameness, asymmetry, or gait abnormalities.
After this, we’ll discuss our findings with you to determine if you’d like to proceed with any diagnostic imaging or further testing. If requested, we can perform complete diagnostic imaging including radiographs, ultrasound, and more. Our goal is to partner with you to uncover any and all information necessary so you can feel confident in your decision to purchase or lease.
Here’s what we’ll evaluate:
- Overall health
- Conformation
- Dentition
- Hoof Care
- Lameness
- Asymmetry
- Gait abnormalities
- Advanced diagnostic imaging & lab testing as needed
If you haven’t established care with Guardia Equine Sports Medicine yet, we’re happy to accommodate a consultation to get you started with our practice. For clients who have already established care and need quick virtual care, telehealth options are available.
Diagnostic Imaging
A deeper look into your horse's health
Our practice offers state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging to identify underlying conditions that may not be apparent from a physical exam alone. Without hauling your horse to a hospital, we can provide the highest quality digital radiographs, ultrasound, and upper-airway endoscopy. All of our services are conducted stall-side for your convenience.
Imaging is highly recommended for performance horses to screen for orthopedic concerns like early signs of joint disease, proper hoof balance, or monitoring soft tissue fiber patterns that could impact the future health of the horse. Imaging can reveal changes before your horse is noticeably lame, which directly impacts performance and management.
- Here’s what we can do:
- Radiograph
- Ultrasound
- Upper-airway endoscopy
- Blood tests
Advanced Therapies
Specialty services for your horse’s recovery and overall health
As a full-service mobile sports medicine practice, we offer on-site therapies to aid in your horse’s recovery and offer them comfort when they’re injured. Through advanced techniques like joint injections, regenerative therapies, acupuncture, and shockwave therapy, we are able to relieve pain, speed up recovery, and prevent further injury.
Joint Injections
These are a common treatment to decrease inflammation within the joint if there is an injury or ongoing joint disease (osteoarthritis). Dr. Guardia is careful to select the appropriate medication types to offer pain relief and support healthy cartilage based on your horse’s specific needs, considering their age, metabolic health, and orthopedic needs.
Alternative Therapies
Introduced at the site of joint, tendon, or ligament injury, regenerative therapies can provide the fastest and most effective healing possible. These therapies will reduce the time it takes for your horse to return to work and offer them relief from pain.
Here are some of the advanced therapies we offer:
- PRP
- Pro-Stride
- RenoVō
- Alpha 2 Maroglobulin
- Arthramid
- Noltrex
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is generally used as a supplemental therapy and results in pain relief, relaxation, anti-inflammatory effects, and more. Dr. Guardia has seen great success in using acupuncture for horses with musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal problems.
Shockwave Therapy
There are many benefits to shockwave therapy including its ability to activate products used in regenerative therapies as well as to alleviate pain. When used in conjunction with regenerative medicine, shockwave therapy will quicken recovery time. As a pain relief method, shockwave therapy is a great way to alleviate pain from kissing spine, back muscle tension, heel bulb pain, and osteoarthritis.
FAQs
What areas do you serve?
The short answer is farms surrounding Houston in areas like Magnolia, Conroe, Cypress, Alvin, and Fulshear. Dr. Guardia frequently travels to other areas and even different states to see horses so if you don’t see your area on the list, still reach out and we’ll let you know if there’s anything we can do for you.
What types of services do you offer?
We are a full service equine veterinary practice and offer everything an equine hospital would including examinations, joint injections, regenerative therapies, acupuncture, shockwave therapy, and more. We do not offer emergency or reproductive services.
What does mobile sports medicine mean?
We bring the physician’s office to you. All of the equipment we need to perform any type of service is packed in our truck and we perform all services in the convenience of your property.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Call, text, or message us and we’ll contact you to schedule an appointment.
Do you offer emergency services?
We do not offer emergency services, but we can recommend emergency veterinarians and clinics in your area.
Do you offer reproductive services?
We do not offer any type of reproductive services at this time but we are happy to refer you to someone in your area that does.
What is a pre-purchase exam?
A pre-purchase or pre-lease exam is a thorough examination that Dr. Guardia will perform for any horse you intend on purchasing. With all of the equipment needed, Dr. Guardia will check the horse inside and out to give you all the information you need to make a purchasing decision.
Will you work with our trainer or farrier?
Absolutely! We collaborate with your full team to offer comprehensive care to ensure the best results for your horse.
What Our Clients Are Saying
"Dr. Guardia is easily one of the best vets I've ever worked with. I needed a new vet because I'm new to the area and she was able to get me an appointment set up less than two weeks away to do an annual exam on my horse...So great with my horse...just so friendly and easy to get along with! Couldn't be happier."
-B. Bentley
"We were lucky to have Dr. Guardia do the pre-purchase exams for my daughter's horses. She has also treated both horses for routine care, injuries and sport maintenance. She is thorough, extremely knowledgeable, practical and, as a rider, has the perfect demeanor for treating horses. I highly recommend Guardia Equine!"
-M. McLendon
"We are not from the area and we were needing a vet check on a horse we were looking to purchase. Dr. Guardia was very thorough and took her time to explain everything to us and our daughter. She was also nice enough to explain it all to our trainer over the phone. I would highly recommend Dr. Guardia..."
-M. Burrow
"Dr. Guardia is my new favorite vet. Since I have recently moved to the area I was under the stress of finding a new vet and I am very happy I came across her. Our first visit went well and she gave me great information. I look forward to using her for my horses needs in the future!"
-H. Cunningham
"Personalized care to keep your athlete at their best! Dr. Guardia makes it a key part of her practice to understand your horse and their needs!"
-G. DiBattista
"Dr. Guardia is easily one of the best vets I've ever worked with. I needed a new vet because I'm new to the area and she was able to get me an appointment set up less than two weeks away to do an annual exam on my horse...So great with my horse...just so friendly and easy to get along with! Couldn't be happier."
-B. Bentley
"Dr. Guardia is easily one of the best vets I've ever worked with. I needed a new vet because I'm new to the area and she was able to get me an appointment set up less than two weeks away to do an annual exam on my horse...So great with my horse...just so friendly and easy to get along with! Couldn't be happier."
-B. Bentley
"We were lucky to have Dr. Guardia do the pre-purchase exams for my daughter's horses. She has also treated both horses for routine care, injuries and sport maintenance. She is thorough, extremely knowledgeable, practical and, as a rider, has the perfect demeanor for treating horses. I highly recommend Guardia Equine!"
-M. McLendon
"We are not from the area and we were needing a vet check on a horse we were looking to purchase. Dr. Guardia was very thorough and took her time to explain everything to us and our daughter. She was also nice enough to explain it all to our trainer over the phone. I would highly recommend Dr. Guardia..."
-M. Burrow
"Dr. Guardia is my new favorite vet. Since I have recently moved to the area I was under the stress of finding a new vet and I am very happy I came across her. Our first visit went well and she gave me great information. I look forward to using her for my horses needs in the future!"
-H. Cunningham
"Personalized care to keep your athlete at their best! Dr. Guardia makes it a key part of her practice to understand your horse and their needs!"
-G. DiBattista
"Dr. Guardia is easily one of the best vets I've ever worked with. I needed a new vet because I'm new to the area and she was able to get me an appointment set up less than two weeks away to do an annual exam on my horse...So great with my horse...just so friendly and easy to get along with! Couldn't be happier."
-B. Bentley
