Joan Kulifay graduated from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland with a Master of Science in Equine Science in 2012. Her studies included equine nutrition, orthopedics, exercise physiology, reproduction, behavior and physiology. Her dissertation was on equine arthritis, a topic dear to her heart. Most older horses have arthritis or will get arthritis. However, it is commonly missed in the early stages because horses are masters of deception when it comes to lameness and pain. Horses are prey animals and the horse that limps first is the horse that’s eaten next. Most people don’t realize that the arthritis is progressing until it is fairly well advanced, when the horse can no longer hide the lameness.

Armed with this information, Joan has created a key note presentation of the arthritic changes that occur, as well as some of the strategies that we can utilize to support the horse.

Joan Kulifay attained her undergraduate degree from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Life Science. Since that time, she has also taken equine courses from Michigan State University, Texas A&M, and all of Dr. Kellon’s online courses, including nutrition, radiography, reproduction, muscle diseases, Cushings and insulin resistance.

As an online instructor, Joan has been an instructor at Post University. Post University has an excellent online degree program in Equine Studies. Joan also served as a student tutor for the University of Edinburgh’s Massive Open Online Course in Equine Nutrition. She has been the evaluator for Dr. Kellon’s courses for externships that students submit for outside institutions.

Joan has lectured to several groups on equine issues. In 2013, she gave a lecture at the No
Laminitis conference on hormonal status and laminitis in the mare. In 2016, she delivered a lecture on arthritis at the Pacific Hoof conference in California.

 A prolific writer, Joan has written over 40 equine related articles of interest to the horse owner.