About Ciera Guardia, DVM
A native of Bellville, Texas, Dr. Ciera Guardia grew up with the goal of being a leader in equine orthopedics and sports medicine. Getting back to her Texas roots, Dr. Guardia moved to the heart of DFW to work for Burleson Equine Hospital. There, she was able to treat numerous horses including western performance horses, hunter/jumpers, and FEI dressage horses while becoming qualified as an FEI Treating Veterinarian.
She has been blessed to move closer to her family and the area she first began competitive riding, starting Guardia Equine Sports Medicine. Dr. Guardia believes in treating each horse as an individual, understanding the importance of the bond between horse and rider.
As a teenager and throughout her undergraduate career, she was a competitive FEI dressage rider and assistant trainer at Windy Knoll Farm in Magnolia, Texas under USDF judge Fran (Dearing) Kehr. Also competing in 3-day eventing at Pine Hill in Bellville, Ciera later traveled with the 2004 Region 9 North American Young Rider dressage team to compete at Tempel Farms in Illinois. She also had the opportunity to travel to numerous USDF CDI competitions across Florida in the same year.
While attending Texas A&M University, she was a member of the Reserve World Champion Collegiate Horse Judging Team, earning a Reserve World Champion title in individual reasons, as well. Before and during veterinary school, Dr. Guardia worked for Equine Sports Medicine, mentored by Drs. Kurt Heite, Dave Frisbie, and Alan Donnell. While working for ESM, she traveled to many AQHA and APHA shows across the US, including world shows and the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. These experiences taught her the needs of many different types of horses, ranging from western and english performance horses to barrel racing and roping horses, as well as halter horses.
After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from TAMU and prior to beginning veterinary school, Dr. Guardia pursued a Master of Science degree in Equine Reproductive Physiology. Upon completion of her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, Ciera moved to Edmond, Oklahoma where she worked for Oakridge Equine Hospital, a premier equine referral facility for sports medicine and surgery. While at Oakridge, she assisted Dr. Brent Hague and Dr. Mike Major, leaders in equine orthopedics, with a wide variety of equine athletes, including QH and TB racehorses, rodeo athletes, Morgan and Arabian competitors, as well as draft breeds.
She strives to keep your equine athletes healthy and sound to enable them to reach their greatest potential. She is excited to become a part of your winning team by providing the best care for your horse.