Inside the Top 15: Lessons From Dr. Marty Tanner

During the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, most eyes are on what is happening inside the arena, but behind the alley there is an entirely different world at work. Horses are adjusting to the atmosphere. Riders are dialing in their focus. And veterinarians like Dr. Marty Tanner are watching every stride, every attitude change, every water bucket.

Dr. Tanner is the vet trusted by the top pros across every discipline. Many of whom you will find at the National Finals Rodeo, competing inside the coveted Thomas & Mack. From ropers to steer wrestlers to barrel racers, he is the one they call when it matters.

And here is a little rodeo secret: top competitors are picky. Very picky. Especially about who they trust with their most valuable asset, their horses. When a veterinarian earns the trust of not just one but many elite competitors, you pay attention.

This is nothing new for Dr. Tanner. He has spent countless years behind the scenes at the NFR, supporting qualifiers, world champions, arena record holders, and PRCA Horses of the Year. You do not build a resume like that by accident. You build it by living in the trenches with elite equine athletes.

We caught up with him before he headed to Las Vegas. What he shared was gold. And the best part is this: the things that keep NFR horses together are the same things that help horses in any barn, any trailer, any level.

1. Consistency always wins. 

Pro rodeo life is not exactly the poster child for consistency. Rodeo rigs live on the road. Long hauls. Weather swings. All night drives. Before horses even step into the 2025 Finals, they are already earning dollars for next season.
But there is one thing the pros stay rock solid on: their horses' routine. 

Dr. Tanner said it plainly. “Whatever you can keep consistent keeps that horse comfortable.”

Your feed, your supplements, your care. That routine becomes the anchor that helps a horse hold it together through travel, weather, crowds, and new surroundings.

Gut stress builds fast on the road, and you have to get ahead of gut trouble, not trying to play catch up.  That means building your feed and supplement routine before you leave home, not once you get to the rodeo grounds.

If you're going to change something up, like their forage, Dr. Tanner recommends doing it well before you leave. As he puts it, "Whatever you're going to feed on the road, start feeding it weeks before you ever leave the house. Don't make big changes once you're hauling. That's when things start going wrong." 

2.  It is the simple details that matter

We asked Dr. Tanner what is one thing he always has his eyes on during the NFR. The answer? The water bucket.

He told us, “The number one is water consumption.”
“If a horse usually drinks two buckets and only drank one, do not blow that off.”

Small problems become big problems fast if you miss them.
He’s a big advocate of adding electrolytes to their feed, to drive them to their water and keeping electrolyte paste on hand. 

He also shared one easy and affordable trick to keep things on the road consistent with what they’re familiar to. Go buy a simple RV water filter and screw it onto your hose. It helps keep the water tasting the same wherever you haul. Cheap, simple, and effective. Horses are far more willing to drink when their water tastes familiar.

Gut support is part of his routine too.
Gut support is something Dr. Tanner stays ahead of with his clients.
Many of them, including FullBucket ambassador Andrea Busby, keep FullBucket Probiotic Paste on hand for horses starting antibiotics. As Dr. Tanner puts it, “If they’re starting antibiotics, use the FullBucket paste.”
He also recommends keeping horses on their daily probiotic pellets for a healthy gut. 

3. Know your horse

“You have got to be observant.”

Every horse has their own tells. Some get loose when they haul. Some get tight and cranky.
Some stop drinking first. Others show it in their manure. Some slow down at the feed tub.
If you know what is normal, you notice what is not.

This is hands-on horsemanship at its best.
The top competitors know every hair on their horses. They know their moods, quirks, stride, and legs. They feel heat or swelling early. They can tell when a horse is just a little off, and they act fast.

And that ties directly into one more thing Dr. Tanner stresses.

Fitness.
“It is harder to hurt a fit horse than an unfit horse.”

Then he added something every horse owner needs to hear. “No fat horses.”
Conditioning is one of the few things we control completely. It makes everything easier. Legs. Joints. Recovery. Gut comfort. The works.

What It Boils Down To 

After talking through  NFR prep and long-haul rodeo life, Dr. Tanner kept circling back to the same core principles: consistency, hydration, gut support, and focusing on what you can control, like knowing your horse to the T!

These habits show up in every great program across the country.

Want to turn these principles into a clear daily routine? Get our FREE Champion’s Gut Health Playbook with the veterinarian-developed protocols used by top competitors.