Ivan Melchor Mendez - South Dakota

This summer I traveled to South Dakota with Equitarian Initiative as part of my Global Programs externship. EI is a nonprofit that partners with communities to improve the health of working horses, donkeys, and mules by mobilizing volunteer veterinarians, providing training, and delivering basic care where it’s needed most. It was my first time outside California and my first time working with horses, so I arrived excited and a little nervous.

I flew into Rapid City, drove past the Badlands, and joined a multidisciplinary team of equine veterinarians, students, farriers, technicians, and local handlers. Each morning we split into small crews and visited families across Pine Ridge. With limited supplies, we focused on high-impact basics: vaccines, parasite prevention, dentals, farrier work, wound care, and humane castrations. While our primary patients were horses, we also supported goats, dogs, and cattle when requested. Over the week, our teams collectively provided veterinary care to more than 500 horses.

Under close supervision, I performed my first equine castration (using the EquiTwister) and my first dental float with mentorship from Dr. Gieche, a board-certified equine dentist. These “firsts” grew my clinical skills and, just as importantly, my ability to communicate clearly with owners about pain control, after-care, and rechecks. One case that stays with me was a geriatric horse whose teeth were in poor condition yet remained well-conditioned overall an example of equine resilience and of a family’s commitment to daily care.

This experience reshaped how I think about medicine. I saw, firsthand, how distance, cost, and transportation can shape animal health as much as any diagnostic tool. With finite resources, our focus on comfort, prevention, and simple follow-up that families can realistically do made a meaningful difference. I returned home more disciplined about triage, more committed to plain language care plans, and more determined to center access and equity in my future practice.

Serving in the Oglala Lakota community expanded my cultural awareness. Horses are woven into Lakota culture, work, and recreation. Listening to families describe that relationship helped me approach care with deeper respect for values and traditions. As someone who grew up in a rural community in Oaxaca, Mexico, I recognized familiar foods, rhythms, and family priorities. Those echoes helped me listen better, build trust faster, and tailor care to what would truly work at home. On our final day, thanks to the White Plume family, I rode Wambli (“Eagle”) through the Badlands. This was my first time riding, a moment I will carry into my veterinary career as a reminder to lead with humility and gratitude.