Submission Deadline: March 1, 2026, Midnight EST

Purpose of How-To Papers

How-To papers are designed to describe and explain a technique or procedure used in equine veterinary medicine or industry practice. The method presented should  be either novel, not widely understood, or not commonly applied in daily clinical use.

Presentation Format

Presentations are limited to 15 minutes, with an additional 5minutes for Q&A.

  • There is no maximum word count, but papers must be at least 600 words.
  • All How-To papers must conform to the General Guidelines, including formatting, style, references, and ethical declarations.

Required Section Headings

The paper should be organized under the following headings:

1. Paper Title
* Must begin with “How-To” and clearly identify the technique or procedure.
* Should be concise, informative, and written in title case (capitalize key words).
* Avoid sentence-style titles and unnecessary punctuation.
- Example: How-To Perform Ultrasound-Guided Cervical Facet Injections

- Not Ideal: This paper describes how to perform cervical facet injections under ultrasound guidance

2. Take-Home Message

* A concise summary (1–3 sentences; approximately 50 words) of the key clinical value or practical outcome.
* Should clearly express practical application for the equine practitioner.
* Take-Home Message Example:
There are multiple upper respiratory conditions that impact performance during high-speed exercise. Differentiating between these allows for targeted treatment  and improved outcomes.

3. Introduction
* Briefly outline the rationale for the technique and its relevance to equine practice.
* Reference significant prior work or publications, if applicable.
* End with a clear statement of the paper’s objective or purpose.

4. Description of Technique/Procedure
* Provide a step-by-step description of how the technique is performed.
* Include enough detail that a veterinarian familiar with the field could reproduce the procedure. Include: all medications, supplies, and equipment used.
* Use generic names for medications and equipment; trade names may be footnoted if critical to the technique.

5. Outcome
* Describe the outcome of applying the technique.
* Include the number of horses treated, how success was evaluated, and any supporting data or observations.
* Clearly explain how the technique’s value was assessed (e.g., resolution of clinical signs, imaging outcomes, owner feedback).

6. Discussion
* Offer insights on why the technique is effective, based on experience or data.
* Discuss pros, cons, limitations, and appropriate case selection.
* Include follow-up information and summarize the clinical relevance in a final statement that reflects the Take-Home Message.

7. Acknowledgments
* Include the following as applicable:
i. Declaration of Ethics
ii. Conflicts of Interest
iii. Funding/Material/Technical Support
* See General Guidelines for detailed formatting requirements.

8. References
* Follow Vancouver style, per JAVMA standards.
* Number references in-text using superscripts in the order of appearance.
* See General Guidelines for detailed formatting requirements.
* Authors are responsible for ensuring formatting and accuracy of all citations.
For help with reference formatting please google “Vancouver citation tutorial” or check this link with a
roughly 3-minute video: Bing Videos.

Blinded Review Policy

To ensure an unbiased review process, all submitted papers must be blinded. See General Guidelines for detailed blinding requirements. Submissions will be reviewed by a blinded team from the Scientific Review & Editorial Committee (SREC) for relevance, clarity, and value to equine practitioners.