AADA Featured Rider

“Wendy Furlong, DVM”

I always wanted to ride. My parents had no idea where this child came from as they were both die hard tennis and golf players! I graduated from a guinea pig to a dog to a pony. I rode for a horse dealer through high school and had several holiday jobs with Hunt horses, Welsh cob breeding and Arabs in Switzerland. After vet school, I came to America and got my first horse.  After a very brief stint in Hunters I started eventing.  I was hooked. I loved the way the Dressage made the jumping better.

I produced several horses that I rode to 2 star level and some that went on to advanced level with other riders.

My current top dressage horses are both homebreds that won at the Preliminary level. After being top Master Amateur Preliminary Rider in 2010 I decided to switch to dressage. The horses have taken to their new careers happily and are both at the I1 level.  I have 3 young horses coming along and I love the training process.  

My love of horses is what led me to my professional career. After graduating from the University of Cambridge Veterinary School in 1983, I came to the United States, where I met Dr. Brendan Furlong, a veterinarian with a large practice in New Jersey.  In one summer, I graduated, got married, and emigrated. Since that time, I have been involved in many different aspects of the practice and its development, however, since 2000 I have concentrated primarily on integrating alternative therapies into the practice. I am a certified Acupuncturist and licensed Chiropractor, and practice using Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation, Acupuncture, and Chinese Herbal remedies as an adjunct to conventional veterinary medicine. As an Acupuncturist, I have served the United States Three Day Eventing team at the past 4 Olympic Games as well as numerous major championships with Brendan.

The 2012 London Olympics was our last competition serving as team vets.

A few other Q and A’s about me:

Q: Do you remember a specific moment when you decided you wanted to be an equine vet?
A: Growing up in England, it was common to go around the classroom asking what everyone wanted to do when they grew up. I went to a high school for young ladies and when I told my teacher I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon, she told me “young ladies don’t want to do that.” I was therefore determined to prove her wrong!

Q: What colleges/universities did you attend? When someone asks “where did you go to school?” what do you tell them?
A: Cambridge University – in the UK you effectively go straight from high school to vet school. I was at university for six years, as opposed to the 8 year programs in the US.

Q: Tell me about the animals you own now.
A: I own several horses, most of which are homebred and they compete in dressage and go fox hunting. I also have a Standard Poodle, Chloe, and a Jack Russell, Smitty.

Q: What do you do for fun, outside of work and spend time with your animals?
A: I worked in a restaurant through high school with a Le Cordon Bleu educated chef, and she taught me how to enjoy cooking. So now I find cooking for a dinner party more fun than stressful!

Q: If you weren’t a vet, what would you do for a living?
A: I would be a sport horse trainer.

Q: Favorite food?
A: Salmon – smoked or cooked in many different ways – my kids always make fun of me for ordering a salmon Caesar salad every time we go out for lunch!

Q: Favorite adult beverage?
A: Champagne!

Q: What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
A: A CD player! I do musical freestyles with my horses, and the shows still require providing your music on CD. Plus, I don’t like technology and I can’t ever make the fancy Bluetooth speakers work!