Mellissa checks on horses' teeth for a living

MELLISSA LALSINGH has been around horsemen and horses since she was a child. So, it came as no surprise when Mellissa decided to pursue a career around horses. Apart from graduating as a vet, Mellissa created history by becoming the only female equine dentist in the Caribbean. Unbelievable but true, Mellissa deals exclusively with horses’ teeth. Mellissa, 32, comes from a well-known horse-racing family. Her uncles Edmund and Patrick De Freitas are trainers, while another uncle, Trevor De Freitas, is a former jockey. Her father is Francis Hasranah, a former jockey, while her brother, Terrence Hasranah, was at one time a jockey full of promise. Her stepfather, BI Lalsingh, is well-known as a starter at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. Her uncle, the late Derek Cozier, was the secretary of the Betting Levy Board (BLB).

Mellissa graduated from St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, in 1988. Immediately after leaving school, she hooked up with Dr Ryan Shim where she got her first taste of veterinary science. She completed her pre-agriculture qualifications at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, in 1992. She knew what she wanted, so it was off to the Barry University in Miami where she qualified in 1996 as a veterinarian officer. Mellissa also attended the Miami-Dade County College where she completed a course in management and information systems. By this time, Mellissa settled down in Miami, with the odd visits to Trinidad and her family’s central location at the Bonanza Stud Farm, Tumpuna Road, Guanapo. Between 1997 and 1999, Mellissa worked in Miami at the Metropolitan Mortgage Company as an underwriter. But her love for horses was foremost in the mind, so she took a giant career step. “I wanted to be among the animals. That was my real love. I wanted to do something else, but I did not want to have to go back to school for a seven-year degree,” Mellissa told Sunday Newsday.

She started research on dentistry and what it could do for the horse population. “I think it is very important in a horse’s daily life for a horse to have good teeth. It is just like humans, you must visit your dentist every six months for a check-up.” Mellissa said horses eat grass all the time. The horses wear their teeth. “If we don’t take care of these horses, especially race horses, they can have all sorts of problems, like sharp points which can stick them in their gums which can cause them not to angle properly, or prevent them from eating properly.” She found there was a market out there as vets normally don’t like dealing with teeth. There are only two schools in the United States specialising in equine dentistry. Mellissa enrolled at the American School of Equine Dentistry at Perceville, Virginia, under Professor Raymond Hyde, who has written many articles on the subject. He is also a director of the International Association of Equine Dentistry. Mellissa’s life changed when she enrolled at this school. “While it was interesting, it was also very hectic. At night, I had to read, watch videos and observe behaviour patterns in horses. At the end of a certain period, I had to write an exam as well as do physical testing.”

Mellissa was off and running earlier this year after nine-months at the equine college. With a certificate in hand, the job market was at her feet. Living in Miami presented her with opportunities. There were two big tracks - Hialeah and Calder. She chose Calder and obtained her license to practice there. She started at Calder more than a month ago, being linked to the Ralph Zaidie barn. She oversees 15 horses in the initial period. There are four equine dentists at Calder. But Mellissa is on top of the world with a major contract at the Orange Valley Farm in Lilliput, Montego Bay, Jamaica. “I have about 150 horses there to look after. I have really been accepted by the Jamaican people, but I want to get a market in Trinidad, and then Barbados.” Mellissa is in Trinidad searching for that elusive market. Apart from being the only female equine dentist, she is the only one who went to school to become one. “Vets here do the whole body of the horse including the teeth, but they really don’t like to do teeth. I have specialised in teeth and I enjoy doing it,” she added.

In the US and Jamaica, Mellissa said an extraction costs between US $30 to $50. Floating costs between US $75 and $150. But Mellissa is not the only one interested in horses. Her sister Jeannine is an assistant trainer at Woodbine in Canada. Why is she searching for a market in Trinidad? “I am a Trini. Jamaica has opened up opportunities for me and gave me a great start. I am a Trini and I want to give back something to the industry. I love horses, I love animals, I grew up among horses. When I go to Jamaica, they ask me if I am a Jamaican. I say no, I am a Trinidadian, so I am promoting Trinidad.” Last weekend, Mellissa was in action at the Bonanza Stud Farm where she removed a tooth from two-year-old colt, Skippy. Surprisingly, Skippy remained calm during the operation. Although the colt’s groom was nearby, the horse was well-behaved. Mellissa is a member of the International Association of Equine Dentistry.