About Us

OUR HISTORY

Veterinary clinic for sport horses

L’Equine Practice S.r.l. is an equine veterinary clinic specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of sport horses, operating since 1996 and recognized for excellence in equine medicine and surgery.

Founded by veterinarians with a modern approach to equine veterinary care, the clinic offers comprehensive services for the equine athlete through advanced diagnostics, state-of-the-art technology, and modern surgical techniques.

Experience, innovation and continuity

The clinic is led by Dr. Fernando Canonici, Medical Director and sole owner, with over 40 years of experience in equine veterinary medicine.
L’Equine Practice relies on a team of specialized veterinarians and collaborates with qualified equine specialists, selected according to each patient’s clinical needs.

A reference clinic for the equine athlete

L’Equine Practice is a trusted reference for owners, breeders, and equestrian professionals seeking high-level equine veterinary care, focused on health, performance, and long-term well-being.

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Fernando Canonici

Fernando Canonici

Dr. Fernando Canonici

Dr. Fernando Canonici is an experienced equine veterinarian with over 40 years of clinical and surgical practice, specializing in sport horse and racehorse medicine and surgery.
He graduated in Veterinary Medicine in 1982 from the University of Perugia, earning summa cum laude (110/110).

From 1983 to 1986, he served as a Veterinary Officer with the Italian Mounted Carabinieri Regiment in Rome, gaining extensive experience in equine clinical management.

International training and advanced equine surgery

Since 1985, Dr. Canonici has pursued extensive international postgraduate training, beginning with a professional experience in the United States (Florida) at Pompano Beach racetrack, working alongside highly regarded equine veterinarians in harness racing.

His professional development has focused primarily on advanced equine surgery, particularly equine arthroscopy and orthopedic surgery:

  • 1987 – Solvalla Equine Clinic (Stockholm): arthroscopic training with Prof. G. Nilsson and clinical work with Dr. C. Ruelker
  • 1990 – “Advanced Equine Arthroscopy Surgery Course”, Colorado State University
  • 1991 & 1994 – Externship at Department of Equine Surgery, Ohio State University
  • 1992 – “Diagnosis, Medical and Surgical Management of the Acute Abdomen in the Horse”, Colorado State University
  • 1994 – “Veterinary Advanced Equine Course”, AO-ASIF, Davos, Switzerland

Clinical focus on the equine athlete

Since 1986, Dr. Canonici has worked as a freelance equine veterinarian at the Rome harness racing track, collaborating with leading racing stables.
In 1985, he also co-founded an equine veterinary clinic, where he established and developed his equine surgical practice.

His clinical work has consistently focused on the medical and surgical management of sport horses, including trotters and thoroughbreds, supported by advanced diagnostics and modern surgical techniques.

Medical Director and professional roles

Since 1997, Dr. Canonici has been primarily active at “Equine Practice S.r.l.” Equine Clinic, located in Campagnano di Roma (Italy), where he serves as Medical Director.

He has held and continues to hold significant academic and professional positions:

  • President of SIVE – Italian Society of Equine Veterinarians (2001–2003)
  • Contract Professor, University of Teramo, School of Specialization in Equine Medicine and Surgery
  • Board Member, WEVA – World Equine Veterinary Association (2008–2011)

Pubblicazioni scientifiche e contributi a congressi nazionali e internazionali:

  • Trattamento delle artriti/artrosi e di alcune affezioni articolari e sinoviali con acido ialuronico ad alto peso molecolare per via intrarticolare. Obiettivi e Documenti Veterinari Anno IV – N. 1 1985
  • Rimozione dei Frammenti Osteocartilaginei in 19 Casi di Osteocondrosi Dissecante (OCD) dell’Articolazione Tibio- Astragalica in Cavalli Trottatori e Sella Italiani. Ippologia 1 (2) 67-70  1990
  • Visita Per Compravendita del Cavallo Trottatore. IX Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Ippologia. Bergamo 1993
  • 134 Horse with Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Tarso-Crural Joint. Clinical Consideration and Results Following Arthroscopic Surgery. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Vol. 16, n 8, 1996
  • Lateral Approach for Arthrocentesis of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint of the Horse. Equine Practice, Vol. 19, N.3 1997
  • Lesioni a Carico della Porzione Prossimale del Legamento Sospensore del Nodello. Ippologia Anno 9, 3,  1998
  • Osteotomia Apicale delle Ossa Sesamoidee Prossimali per via Artroscopica. Ippologia, Anno 11, 1,  2000
  • The Clinical Importance of the Scintigraphy in the Prevention of Catastrophic Injuries in the Thoroughbred. 7th World Congress WEVA- SIVE, Sorrento (Italy)
  • Diagnostic Arthroscopy of the Fetlock Joint: Findings and Prognosis. 7th World Congress WEVA-SIVE, Sorrento (Italy) 2001
  • Distensione articolare con mezzo liquido e gassoso nell’esame artroscopico del cavallo. Ippologia, Anno 13, N. 4, 2002
  • Tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament: incidence and influence on the prognosis of the carpal injury of the racehorses. 8th World Congress WEVA, Buenos Aires, 2003.
  • Resezione per via endoscopica del retinacolo flessorio del carpo con porta operativa distale: note preliminari. Valbonetti L., Canonici F., Varasano V., Petrizzi L. Congresso nazionale SIVE 2004.
  • Il ruolo del veterinario curante nelle discipline sportive rette dall’UNIRE. Congresso Nazionale SIVE 2005
  • Exostoses of the caudal aspect of the distal radius in six horses: effectiveness of the ultrasonographic examination and endoscopic treatment. 9th World Congress WEVA, Marrakech, 2006.
  • Preparation of the patient, the surgical facilities and postoperative management of the patient. AO-ASIF Course. Cremona 2007
  • Diagnosis and surgical treatment of slab fractures of the third carpal bone. AO-ASIF Course. Cremona 2007
  • Impiego di cellule staminali da grasso in gel piastrinico nel trattamento artroscopico di una cisti ossea subcondrale del condilo mediale del femore di un cavallo. F. Canonici, D. Amaddeo, K. Barbaro, V. Serata, P. Bonini, F. Scholl, GL. Autorino. Congresso nazionale Sive 2008.
  • Retrospective study on the effectiveness of the arthroscopic treatment for fragmentation of the proximal sesamoid bone: 109 cases. 10th World Congress WEVA, Moscow, 2008.
  • Cellule staminali da grasso di equino: loro applicazione nella rigenerazione ossea. K. Barbaro, P. Bonini, C. Gentili, R. Cancedda, F. Canonici, GL. Autorino, D. Amaddeo. Atti X Congresso nazionale SIDiLV Alghero ottobre 2008 Poster
  • Diagnosis and treatment of surgical conditions of the carpal canal. 11th World Congress WEVA, Guarujà, SP Brazil 2009.
  • Diagnosis and surgical treatment of slab fractures of the third carpal bone. 11th World Congress WEVA, Guarujà, SP Brazil 2009.
  • Retrospective study on findings and prognosis in middle carpal joint diagnostic arthroscopies: 68 cases. F. Canonici, V. Albanese. 11th World Congress WEVA, Guarujà, SP Brazil 2009.
  • Studio clinico retrospettivo per la verifica dell’efficacia del trattamento delle tendinopatie del cavallo mediante impianto di cellule staminali omologhe derivate dal grasso. M. Sala, F. Canonici, K. Barbaro, P. Bonini, A. Caminiti, V. Spalluci, E. Aquilini, D. Amaddeo, GL. Autorino. Atti XII Congresso Nazionale S.I.Di.L.V. – Genova, 27-29 Ottobre 2010
  • Studio clinico retrospettivo per la verifica dell’efficacia del trattamento delle tendinopatie del cavallo mediante impianto di cellule staminali omologhe derivate dal grasso. M. Sala, F. Canonici, K. Barbaro et al. Atti XII -S.I.Di.L.V. – Genova, 27-29 Ottobre 2010
  • Diagnosis and surgical treatment of slab fractures of the third carpal bone, AEVEE Congress, Segovia, Spain 2011.
  • Diagnosis and treatment of the pathologic condition of the fetlock joint, AEVEE Congress, Segovia, Spain 2011.
  • Diagnosis and treatment of surgical conditions of the carpal canal, AEVEE Congress, Segovia, Spain 2011.
  • Temporo-hyoid osteoarthropaty: is it a surgical condition?, AEVEE Congress, Segovia, Spain 2011.
  • Superficial digital flexor tendinitis in the athletic horse: how to manage it. 12th World Congress WEVA, Hyderabad, India 2011.
  • Tendon sheath diseases: disorders and treatment. 12th World Congress WEVA, Hyderabad, India 2011.
  • Isolamento e coltivazione in vitro di condrociti isolati dalla cartilagine auricolare di cavallo. K. Barbaro, F. Canonici, A. Fagiolo, C. Eleni, A. Zepparoni, A. Altigeri, S. Sittinieri, C. Cocumelli, C. Roncoroni, D. Amaddeo. XIV Congresso Nazionale S.I.Di.L.V. – Sorrento (NA), 24-26 Ottobre 2012 Comunicazione Orale
  • Chirurgia endoscopica nel trattamento della tenosinovite asettica della guaina digitale: studio retrospettivo di 33 casi. G. Celani, F. Canonici, L. Petrizzi. Ippologia 2, 3-12 – 2013
  • Study of in vitro differentiation of chondrocytes isolated from equine trachea. K. Barbaro, F. Di Egidio, A. Amaddeo, F. Canonici, G. Barraco, G. Lupoli, C. Gallottini, R. Eggenhöffner, P. Ghisellini, C. Roncoroni, D. Amaddeo. Congresso NAMABIO COST – Venezia 25-27 Marzo 2015 • comunicazione orale
  • Terapia rigenerativa endodontica in medicina veterinaria con cellule staminali e nanoidrossiapatite®  in vitro e successiva applicazione in vivo in lesioni cistiche (parte 1)  K. Barbaro,  G. Barraco, A. Amaddeo, A. Altigeri, A. Zapparoni , P. Ghisellini, C. Rando, F. Canonici, R. Eggenhöffner, G. Lupoli. 34° Congresso Nazionale SIE – Guardando al futuro – Bologna 5-7 Novembre 2015. Comunicazione Orale
  • Trattamento sperimentale di cisti endodontiche con nanoidrossiapatite. (parte 2) K. Barbaro,  S. Pagano, C. De Carolis, G. Barraco, A. Amaddeo, A. Altigeri, A. Zapparoni,  P. Ghisellini, C. Rando, F. Canonici, R. Eggenhöffner, G. Lupoli. 34° Congresso Nazionale SIE – Guardando al futuro – Bologna 5-7 Novembre 2015. Comunicazione Orale
  • Articular Cartilage Repair: regeneration of hyaline cartilage in damaged joints. F. Canonici1, G. Lupoli, G. Barraco, R. Eggenhoffner, C. Gallottini, P. Ghisellini, A. Amaddeo, A. Zepparoni, C. Cocumelli, S. Torchia, L. Alfieri, K. Barbaro,6 March 16-19 –2016 Los Angeles, Calif., USA 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADR 40th Annual Meeting of the CADR (J Dent. Res. 95 (Spec Iss A):1106, URL,2016). Poster
  • Evolution of in vitro differentiation of chondrocytes isolated from equine trachea.  K. Barbaro, F. Di Egidio, A. Amaddeo, A. Fagiolo, C. Roncoroni, F. Canonici, S. Eramo, G. Barraco, C. Gallottini, D. Amaddeo, G. Lupoli March 16-19-2016 Los Angeles, Calif., USA 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADR 40th Annual Meeting of the CADR. Poster
  • Regenerative Medicine: repair of articular hyaline cartilage in damaged joints. F. Canonici, C. Rando, C. Roncoroni , R. Eggenhöffner, A. Cersini, A. Amaddeo, F. Di Egidio, A. Zepparoni, A. Altigeri, C. Cocumelli, P. Ghisellini, K. Barbaro. IADR/AADR/CADR March 22-25, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif., USA. Poster
  • Disordini dell’apparato ioideo e del compartimento laterale delle tasche gutturali: diagnosi e trattamento. Covegno Fise Lazio/SIVE. Roma 2017.
  • Come gestire le patologie del carpo: articolazioni e guaine sinoviali. 23°Congresso Internazionale SIVE. Napoli 2017.
  • Come Iniettare o anestetizzare il canale carpico. 23°Congresso Internazionale SIVE. Napoli 2017.
  • Tissue regeneration: advanced ceramics and composites. F. Canonici, A. Cersini, C. Cocumelli, E. Galvano, F. Di Egidio, A. Amaddeo, A. Fagiolo, C. Roncoroni, A. Altigeri, A. Zepparoni, P. Ghisellini, C. Rando, L. Giacomelli, K. Barbaro, R. Eggenhöffner. International conference TRACE- Genova, Italy – October 19-20, 2017. International Conference TRACE- Conference Book pag. 14. Comunicazione Orale
  • In vitro evaluation of a medial approach for intra-articular injection of the tarsometatarsal
    joints of horses. P. Canonici, F. Beccati, F. Canonici, M. Pepe. AJVR-Vol 80-No. 4 April 2019.
    Pp. 396-402.
  • Digital sheath tenosynovitis: clinical tips and surgical treatment. 16 th World Congress WEVA,
    Verona, Italia 2019.
  • The carpal canal: a clinical challenge and options for the endoscopic treatment. 16 th World
    Congress WEVA, Verona, Italia 2019.
  • Arthroscopic Treatment of a Subchondral bone Cyst via Stem Cells Applicatiuon: A case Study in Equine Model and Outcomes. Canonici F et Al Biomedicines 2023, 11812) 3307; DOI: 10.33907biomedines11123307