Our Story

What makes Equine Sports Medicine different from other practices?

Equine Sports Medicine was founded by Dr. Alan Donnell and Dr. Dave Frisbie with the goal of providing the highest quality veterinary care to equine athletes. From the beginning, their vision was to create a practice focused on advanced diagnostics, sports medicine, and rehabilitation designed specifically to support the health, soundness, and longevity of performance horses. Keeping that tradition alive remains the purpose of this growing business today.

Continuing the founders’ legacy is Dr. Josh Donnell, nephew of Dr. Alan Donnell and co owner of Equine Sports Medicine. Dr. Josh works alongside fellow co owners Dr. Cameron Stoudt and Dr. Sherry Johnson to maintain the mission established by the founders. As Dr. Josh Donnell explains, “We’re here for the horse and to provide quality service as seamlessly as possible.”

Together, the three co owners came together with a shared vision: to provide the highest level of equine surgery, sports medicine, and rehabilitation services for equine athletes. Their leadership continues the tradition of excellence that has made Equine Sports Medicine a trusted resource for horse owners, trainers, and veterinarians across the industry.

Today, Equine Sports Medicine provides comprehensive care for western performance horses and equine athletes across multiple disciplines, combining advanced veterinary knowledge, specialized rehabilitation programs, and a deep understanding of the physical demands placed on modern equine athletes. As Dr. Josh Donnell explains, the goal of acquiring and expanding the practice was simple: to continue building a business devoted to the health, performance, and long term success of the western performance horse.

Services

At Equine Sports Medicine (ESM), our mission is to provide comprehensive veterinary care that supports the health, soundness, and performance of the equine athlete. Whether at competitions or through our clinic locations, our veterinarians take a global approach to evaluating and treating performance horses, ensuring every aspect of the horse’s health and athletic ability is considered. As Dr. Cameron Stoudt explains, “Our job is to provide a service that covers all sports medicine services, surgeries, and general health care for the equine athlete.”

A large portion of the ESM caseload involves lameness examinations, pre purchase evaluations, colic cases, laceration treatment, performance evaluations, and advanced diagnostic imaging, including digital radiography and ultrasound. These services allow our veterinarians to accurately diagnose and treat injuries while supporting the long term soundness of equine athletes. As Dr. Sherry Johnson notes, “Our goal is to support the equine athlete while competing, when and where they need it most.”

At the ESM home base in North Texas, the practice continues to grow with the addition of both equine surgery and specialized rehabilitation services. The fully equipped equine rehabilitation center provides customized recovery and conditioning programs for both injured and healthy performance horses. Rehabilitation programs may include aquatic therapy, controlled exercise, and advanced physical therapy techniques, all tailored to meet the specific needs of each horse and its discipline.

The expanding equine surgical facility will further strengthen the ability of ESM to provide comprehensive care for performance horses. Combined with the established mobile sports medicine practice and rehabilitation center, Equine Sports Medicine is positioned to deliver a full spectrum of veterinary services from diagnosis and surgery to rehabilitation and return to performance.

As Dr. Johnson explains, “Rehabilitation is not one size fits all. Every horse’s path to recovery is different, and their rehabilitation plan should reflect their individual needs.” Through advanced veterinary medicine and personalized rehabilitation programs, ESM remains committed to helping equine athletes recover, perform, and thrive.