In the 2010 September-October edition of  South Bay Magazine, Diane E. Barber has penned a personal tribute to some of the people that help make the Palos Verdes Peninsula equestrian culture unique and vibrant — and Sylvia is featured!

“Tales from the Trails” by Diane E. Barber (excerpt):

For Dr. Sylvia Ouellette, what began as selling Girl Scout cookies as a child to save money for camp and horseback riding lessons led to a degree in veterinarian medicine and a passionate commitment to the well-being and betterment of horses. A UC Davis graduate and equine specialist, Dr. Ouellette has been practicing for 15 years with a focus on sports medicine and lameness.

Her days begin at 7:30 a.m. in the office. Radiographs and ultrasounds are read, emails and consultations are managed and paperwork completed before she heads out on the road for rounds in Palos Verdes at 8:30 a.m. In addition to an assistant on board, Dr. Ouellette (a.k.a. Dr. Sylvia, adjunct professor for Western University School of Veterinarian Medicine) usually has a student or two riding along. Her Ford truck is equipped with a mobile veterinarian unit that houses multiple drawers of medications, a refrigeration system for vaccines, portable digital radiology and ultrasound machines, and other medical equipment, as they greet the day expecting the unexpected. Regarding her portable equipment, she said, “I just love the technology age we are in.”

Horse lameness exams and treatments are the mainstay of the schedule – a field that is emotionally charged with owners often in tears. Dr. Ouellette begins each call talking to the horses to let them know she means them no harm, with a natural calm that not only comforts the animals but the owners as well. With her own emotions tucked away, this gifted veterinarian goes into doctor mode, doing what she is highly sought after for – examining, diagnosing, treating and, when possible, healing a lame horse. Despite having been severely bitten, enduring several broken bones, being stepped on and pushed around, her passion drives her to continue to go back for more.

“I will always drop what I am doing to help a horse,” she shared. “I truly admire these graceful creatures and want to do what I can for them as long as I can.”

Excerpt from the 2010 September-October Issue of South Bay Magazine. For more information or to subscribe, please visit South Bay Magazine online at www.lifeinthesouthbay.com   For more information on the photography, please visit Stephan Cooper at www.StephanCooper.com