Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.texasequineva.com | 10 When an individual as prolific and impactful as Dr. Glenn Blodgett was, leaves us for greener pastures, it is daunting to summarize the man in one article from a single individual's perspective. For that reason, you will find a compilation of memorable experiences from friends, business partners and piers. ese illustrate his impact on the individuals themselves, as well as the equine industry as a whole. Dr. Blodgett was a founding member of the Texas Equine Veterinary Association and Texas Equine Foundation and served as the President of both. We are forever grateful for his leadership and guidance and will miss him greatly. Nathan Canaday, DVM Horse Division Manager 6666 Ranch Dr. Blodgett (Doc) has taught me more about being a veterinarian than anything I learned while in veterinary school. In fact, the summer I decided to apply he taught me a valuable lesson. I was just a summer intern, in over my head - I knew nothing. I was on shutdown duty one evening when we had a colic come in. I watched him silently work the horse up. When I couldn't take the suspense any longer, I opened my mouth and asked: "Does she have a twisted gut?" He paused, looked at me, then was silent….when he spoke he simply said: "at makes you sound ignorant. Speak like you know what you are talking about; it's a torsion, not a twisted gut." I felt about an inch tall. But then he followed up with my first equine abdominal anatomy lesson. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian and I wanted to learn as much as I could from Dr. Blodgett. I've since had the privilege to work with Doc since 2006. So many memories and educational moments! Dickson D. Varner, DVM, MS, Diplomat ACT Retired Professor & Pin Oak Stud Chair School of Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Texas A & M Horse doctor, cowboy, mountain man...Dr. Blodgett was,plain and simple, an exceptional man! His talents were exhaustive! He had a keen eye for a horse and an encyclopedic knowledge of pedigrees within the American Quarter Horse industry, be it racehorses or western performance horses. Beyond that, Dr. Blodgett was an outstanding veterinarian with a quiet demeanor, a tireless work ethic, a huge thirst for new knowledge, and a level of morality above reproach. Perhaps his greatest traits, however, were his love and compassion for both his family and his friends, and his intrinsic desire to guide young veterinarians and veterinary students during their formative years. All in all, Dr. Blodgett was the type of man that we all wish to be when we grow up...and I will miss his presence so very deeply. Tommy Hays, DVM Elgin Veterinary Clinic Doc was a kind and smart man of few words. A deep thinker. He taught me to listen and think before voicing my opinion. I was lucky to know him for all 36 years of my equine practice so far. We had similarities of growing up in the panhandle just north of Spearman and attending OSU. We hit it off well. He encouraged my participation and eventual involvement with the AQHA and we were Texas Directors and on various committees together. We spoke many times on how to fix various problems in racing and although we didn't always see eye to eye we both respected each other's views and worked tirelessly to do what was best for the horses. I was blessed that he had faith in my surgical abilities and sent me a lot of tough cases. We had great success together. at was all he cared about that the horses had the best chances to be sound. One of my favorite memories of him was when he called about a valuable sick foal at the ranch. It was too sick to haul to Elgin, so he said ,"I'll fly my plane down and get you and we'll do surgery up here". Sounded exciting to get out of EVH for a day! He flew his small plane down and off we went. It was a hot day and the air was terrible. It felt like a bucking horse. e plane would drop up and down a hundred feet. Heck I even hit my head on the roof a time or two. Doc just grinned and never acted like it was a problem. A truly patient man. I'm sad every time I think about his passing. It is difficult to replace men of his stature nowadays. Britt Conklin, DVM Associate Dean of Clinical Programs, Professor, Veterinary Medicine Texas Tech University It's hard to add additional narrative to an icon of the horse industry and veterinary profession. Dr. Blodgett's accolades go further than I could write on a page, and in all reality, he never advertised them. His influence on me, however, was both personal and professional and one Glenn Blodgett, DVM In Memory of December 21, 1948 — November 20, 2022

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