Conditioning Versus Competition with Dr. Chad Hewlett, DVM

Course Length: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

"You can’t do your sport to get fit—you must get fit to do your sport."

This powerful Team Talk with Dr. Chad Hewlett, a leading Sports Medicine Veterinarian, takes a deep dive into the cellular and physiological foundations of fitness in the equine athlete. Drawing from the latest research in human sports science and applying it to horses, Dr. Hewlett explores how to build effective training protocols that prepare horses for the stressors of competition—without compromising long-term soundness.

Participants will gain a clearer understanding of how mitochondrial health, cellular recovery, and rest cycles all contribute to true conditioning—not just surface-level performance. Dr. Hewlett emphasizes that competition stress must be balanced by a well-rounded baseline training program if horses are to perform safely and consistently throughout a season.

This course is ideal for equine professionals, riders, and trainers preparing for competition or looking to enhance long-term equine athletic health.

Key Topics Covered:
✔️ The science of baseline fitness at the cellular level
✔️ Mitochondrial function and recovery
✔️ How rest and stress cycles shape performance
✔️ Training vs. competing: the difference and why it matters
✔️ Designing competition-season protocols that support health