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Richard Morgan is a Large Animal Clinic Supervisor at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) and if you have the pleasure of meeting him, you will find he is one of those rare gems from the "old school" who will go the extra mile to help anyone, anyway he can.
He has been lending a helping hand to the University since 1963. He started out handling horses for the late Dr. John Hughes and he was soon recognized as being valuable for conducting treatments on horses due to his skills in managing the patients and his interest in veterinary medicine. Before long, he was working for Dr. J.D. Wheat (now a Professor Emeritus of the veterinary school) assisting in surgeries by helping tie horses to the surgical table, administering anesthesia, etc. He also shared some of his expertise by teaching casting labs where veterinary students learned the techniques of using ropes to restrain and completely immobilize horses for treatments and surgeries without the use of sedation.
Mr. Morgan's skill in handling horses stems from his family's pack station business in Bishop, California at the base of Mt. Whitney. His father ran a 20 mule team and Rich grew up working at the station, surrounded by mules and horses. He met several people from UC Davis through the pack station and they convinced him to offer his horse handling skills to the veterinary school.
Over the years, Rich has seen a lot of changes at the VMTH, especially the improvement of surgical techniques. "Colic surgeries are conducted in half the time and with better recovery rates," he said. "The anesthetic medications for surgery have improved considerably, resulting in a smoother induction and recovery from anesthesia, and the development of protective helmets and better padding (e.g., water beds) has also improved the recovery from anesthesia."
His responsibilities at the VMTH include assisting in surgeries and ultrasound, setting up equipment, circulating as a surgical nurse and "basically helping out anyone at the clinic who needs my services," he said with a smile. "This is one of the best jobs anyone could have. There are so many different things to do and learn. It is fun to be a part of it."
The VMTH Associate Director Dr. John Madigan said, "Rich is our ‘go to’ person here at the large animal clinic. His attitude of ‘we will find a way to solve the problem or provide the service,’ whether it be animal or personnel related, is what makes him so valuable. It doesn’t matter if it’s 5 a.m. or 7 p.m., he will get the job done."
One of Rich's favorite experiences is being a part of the equine rescue group. He helped develop the Anderson Sling and assists in helicopter lifts and sling-assisted rescue of horses, all on volunteer time. "I enjoy helping the disabled animal, especially slinging," he said. "If you make a difference to help the horse, it really feels good."
Rich claims, "I'm game for anything but I'm not an expert at anything. I'm just a consistent, long-term employee here at the VMTH." His humbleness, however, masks his true value to the veterinary school and the people he assists. Charlie Anderson, designer of the Anderson Sling said, "There is no way we could have come this far without Rich Morgan's help. He knows the sling and the problems associated with slinging horses and mules better than anyone. He's an important member of our team."
Dr. Wheat said, "Rich Morgan is everyone's friend. He is very versatile, able to fit into any place he is needed. He is also very innovative and a good mechanic. He helped design various pieces of surgical equipment over the years. He has always done more than what is required and no one has ever complained about him. He's a heck of a good person who adds to making the whole machine work. I don't know what they'll do when he leaves."
Reprinted with permission of the copyright holder and the Center For Equine Health. The materials offered in this article are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult your veterinarian in matters regarding the health of your animals.
Please visit The UC Davis Center For Equine Health website for addtional information at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh The Horse Report: Writer/Editor: Laurie FioEditor/WriterCenter for Equine HealthSchool of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaOne Shields AvenueDavis, CA 95616-8589phone: (530) 752-4434fax: (530) 752-9379e-mail: ltfio@ucdavis.edu