What is ISELP?

The International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology or ISELP is a continuing education opportunity for equine veterinarians who are focused on sports medicine. Dr. Crystal McRae completed the ISELP certification program in May of 2024. The ISELP certification has helped Dr. McRae provide more in depth and advanced treatment that helps horses to heal more efficiently, making them healthier and happier in the long term. 

The ISELP program provides a very detailed understanding of a horse's anatomy by breaking the biomechanics of a horse down into 8 modules. 

  • 8 specific anatomic Modules:

    • Neck & Back

    • Upper forelimb & Neck connection

    • Pelvis

    • Foot & Pastern

    • Lower hindlimb up to the Proximal Suspensory Ligament

    • Fetlock, Knee & Cannon bone region

    • Stifle & Thigh

    • Hock & Tibial region

  • These models help veterinarians identify disease pathology in the joints, tendons and ligaments more effectively. The more effectively they can identify an issue, the better treatment we can provide.   

ISELP educates veterinarians to more accurately ultrasound tendons, ligaments, joints, and vertebrae so that difficult diagnosis can be made. The certification also focuses on providing X-ray, MRI and Bone Scan education for individual regions of the horse. This allows the veterinarian to gain better imagery of a specific section of a horse and as a result see more on the image helping them to make better decisions on a course of treatment. 

Due to this certification Crystal is able to see and feel more than she could previously in the horses. The greater understanding of a horse's anatomy has allowed her to have an in depth understanding of the relationships between an immediate injured area and the impact up the limb and through the rest of a horse's body; thus enabling her to treat the whole horse, not just an injury, more effectively. This education allows Dr. McRae to identify treatment plans that help a horse heal faster and, ideally, heal with more strength.

Overall the ISELP certification has helped Dr McRae to provide better, more well rounded care for horses, allowing them to return to working with their favorite humans faster and stay injury free for longer. 

If you’re interested in Dr. Crystal McRae evaluating your horse, get in touch with us to schedule an appointment.