2026 Giving Trip Day 1: Coming Home to San Andreas Itzapa
January 30, 2026 | Read Time: 5 minutes
In This Article
Field Report from the 2026 Texas Equitarian Project ~ Sponsored by FullBucket
Photography by Michael Pintar
The 45-minute drive from Antigua Guatemala to San Andreas Itzapa feels less like travel and more like returning to familiar ground. The team has worked in this community for over a decade now, and the relationships built here run deep.
When our project first began visiting this village years ago, the clinic set up on a dirt patch that served as the central gathering place. Today, that same space has transformed into a beautiful artificial turf soccer field, a symbol of the momentum building in this community. The field’s evolution reflects the broader progress here: steady, visible, earned through years of partnership and trust.
A Community That Shows Up
The horses in San Andreas Itzapa arrived in better body condition than those seen in more remote villages, reflecting years of education, outreach, and the year-round nutritional program that now operates between annual visits. Several owners were familiar faces, people who’ve attended clinics in years past and returned not just for care, but to share the results of conversations about their horses’ health.
It’s gratifying to hear their feedback on the continuum of services that’s developed - local Guatemalan veterinarians now provide care throughout the year, building on the foundation laid during these intensive clinic days. The work continues long after the team leaves.
Local government officials stopped by to express their gratitude, their presence a signal of real municipal investment in the people and animals of this community. A local press team interviewed horse owners and members of the team, spreading word of the clinic throughout the region. These horses aren’t pets; they’re essential infrastructure for daily life, and the community knows it.
The Team
This year’s group blends deep institutional knowledge with fresh energy. Rob Franklin coordinates again, bringing his decades of internal medicine expertise and his history as past president of both the AAEP and TEVA. Keith Latson serves as the attending equine surgeon, working the intake team and handling surgical cases as they arise.
The team includes Robby Schwyzer from New Mexico, bringing acupuncture expertise to horses who’ve never experienced it. Concho, Concepción Hernandez from Mexico, is the kind of horseman you rarely meet anymore: farrier, veterinarian, natural horseman, saddlemaker, and an all-around force of nature. Leslie Easterwood from Texas A&M manages the pharmacy and equipment while lending her ophthalmology expertise. Will Franklin works the dental team with the energy of someone who grew up around this mission, while Liz Franklin serves as translator and keeps the kids engaged.
Then there’s Luis Martinez, whose story embodies what this project is really about. Luis first attended one of the giving trips as a young Nicaraguan veterinarian early in his career. He went on to complete a one-year internship with Dr. Nick Moore, the dentist who traveled with the team last year, then returned to Guatemala to open his own equine dental practice. He’s the sustainability model in human form.
Whitley Reder, FullBucket’s Ambassador Program Director, brings her ranching roots from South Dakota and her years competing on college rodeo teams. And Michael Pintar, a longtime friend in animal health who’s made a name for himself in rodeo photography, is documenting the culture, relationships, and imagery of the trip. He’s attended multiple giving trips before, but this year he’s leaning into his craft to tell the story more intentionally.
Joining the team were approximately a dozen veterinary students from Guatemala City and several professors from the local veterinary school. Their participation is central to the mission: hands-on training, mentorship, and knowledge transfer alongside direct patient care.
The Work
Stations rotated through hoof care, dental work, vaccinations, wound care, and the distribution of FullBucket mineral supplements. The supplements aren’t just a handout, they’re a conversation starter. They open the door to discussions about nutrition while acknowledging the real limitations these owners face in feed availability and caloric resources for their horses.
Many owners arrived having already identified an issue with their horse but without understanding the cause or how to manage it day-to-day. One of the most gratifying moments is watching the lightbulb go off, seeing an owner feel empowered to manage their horse’s health after a conversation with the team.
A young foal presented with an abscess under its jaw that had developed over the prior two weeks. The conversation with the owner about the genesis of the abscess - what caused it, what to expect, how to manage it as it progresses - gave him knowledge he’ll carry forward. Many horses also arrived never having had their feet trimmed properly, so the education the farriers provided was invaluable for owners who trim their own horses’ hooves.
The veterinary students were engaged throughout the day, curious about everything from acupuncture to vaccinations. There was specific instruction on positioning when working on a horse, how to conduct a thorough physical exam, the foundational skills that make a veterinarian.
The Gray Stallion
One standout case was a large gray stallion, approximately 16 hands, with the appearance of some draft or imported bloodlines, presented for a recheck from treatment last year. He’d come in with an inflammatory sinus issue that has now largely resolved. He appeared to be owned by one of the more prominent families in the community.
Here’s the remarkable thing: nearly 40% of the horses in San Andreas Itzapa are gray, likely tracing back to this same stallion. It’s a vivid illustration of how genetics ripple through small populations and how the health of one animal can shape an entire community’s equine population for generations.
Concho worked extensively with the stallion throughout the day, bringing his unique combination of skills to bear on an animal that clearly matters to this village.
The Day’s End
The weather cooperated beautifully with dry season conditions, temperatures in the mid-70s, sunshine, and a steady flow of horses throughout the day. It was long and physically demanding, but marked by big smiles, meaningful work, and visible progress.
The team wrapped up Day 1 tired but energized, grateful for the collaboration with local students and faculty, and carrying the quiet satisfaction that comes from returning to a place where the work done together, year after year, is written in the health of the animals, the knowledge of the owners, and the transformation of a dirt patch into a proper soccer field.
Tomorrow brings a new community. The horses are waiting.
The Texas Equitarian Project is collectively sponsored by FullBucket, the Texas Equine Foundation, and the Foundation for the Horse, with additional support from Boehringer Ingelheim, Zoetis, MWI, Precision and Wickliffe compounding pharmacies, and HDE and Yeti equipment suppliers.
If this work inspires you, please consider supporting equine health initiatives through the Texas Equine Veterinary Foundation or the Foundation for the Horse. Your donations help fund vital programs including student scholarships and volunteer initiatives focused on working horses in developing countries.
