ABOUT
S4 EQUINE SERVICES
S4 Equine Services
Delivering excellence in equine sports medicine and performance care.
S4 Equine Services was founded on a passion for keeping performance horses healthy, sound, and competitive. With decades of experience in equine sports medicine and a deep-rooted background in the performance horse industry, our practice provides advanced care tailored to the unique needs of each horse.
From pre-purchase exams and lameness evaluations to sports medicine, rehabilitation, and show support, we offer a full range of services designed to keep equine athletes performing at their peak. Our team combines leading diagnostic technology with hands-on expertise, ensuring continuity of care whether in the clinic, at the track, or in the show ring.
At S4, we are proud to work with horses across all disciplines—saddlebreds, racehorses, hunter/jumpers, dressage, western performance, and more—bringing the same level of dedication and detail to every horse we serve.
ABOUT
Dr. Brian Saathoff
Dr. Brian Saathoff graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. Raised on a farm and ranch in Hondo, Texas, he developed a lifelong dedication to animal care and performance horses through his background in rodeo.
After beginning his career at Rosehill Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Saathoff moved to Southern California, where he spent six years with Equine Medical Center, focusing on racehorses at Los Alamitos Racetrack. His work included caring for horses in films like Seabiscuit and for the Budweiser Clydesdales, as well as sport horses trained by his wife, Nicole, a professional hunter/jumper trainer.
In 2006, he co-founded Equine Sports Medicine and worked with top trainers including D. Wayne Lukas, Blane Schvaneveldt, and Paul Jones. In 2011, Dr. Saathoff and his family returned to Texas and launched S4 Equine Services in the Houston area.
Today, he specializes in lameness and sports medicine for a wide range of performance horses, including racehorses, hunter/jumpers, dressage horses, saddlebreds, and barrel/rope horses.
Nutritional Value
I THINK IT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE HEALTH OF ALL HORSES, AND IT'S ESPECIALLY VITAL FOR EQUINE ATHLETES.
Equine sports performance is directly influenced by the quality and precision of a horse’s nutrition. As a veterinarian, I emphasize that diet is not simply about providing calories—it’s about meeting the specific physiological demands of an equine athlete. Proper nutrition supports muscle function, stamina, joint integrity, and overall metabolic efficiency. Horses in training or competition require careful attention to electrolyte balance, nutrient density, and hydration to sustain performance and promote recovery. Inadequate or imbalanced feeding programs can quickly lead to decreased performance, increased susceptibility to injury, and delayed healing. A tailored, evidence-based nutritional plan is therefore a critical component of every successful equine athlete’s care and management.
