PPF: Dr. Pomales, thank you very much for sharing your time with Perfiles del Paso Fino so that we could get to know you a little better.
HP: Thank you Maritza, for having you here and for giving me this opportunity.

PPF: For those who don’t know you, do you come from a family of equine tradition?
HP: My background, Maritza, is from a town called Guayama. It is located in the south of Puerto Rico. My father was a cattleman there and he also owned horses, even though they were not his preference. He always loved cattle more, but his friend, Genaro Cautiño, was the owner of Dulce Sueño – who, as you know, has been the founder of several Puro Puerto Rican horses. So, that friendship influenced him since his childhood to have Paso Fino horses.

Genaro Cautiño’s son also had horses and, because he was such good friends with my father, my father and my sisters, I have 2 sisters- one who passed away and one who is still with us- that sister is about 13 years older than me really loved horses so much. That is, my sister, Wanda. My father and her spent time together and always had some horses around. Later, once I grew up, I wanted to keep that tradition of having horses on the farm. My father owned various land and we always used them for horses and cattle. So, I did have the fortune to have that influence from my father since I was a child. It also came from other people in my town who were knowledgeable about Paso Fino.

PPF: So, did you ride those horses or did you breed them also?
HP: Yes, yes. Well, since I was very young, I was interested in having them, curing them, observing them. I was fascinated by the ides of seeing them give birth; their reproduction. I remember like it was yesterday when I was in high school, I used to buy pregnant mares and would sometimes tie them to a post in my backyard to see when they were going to foal and observe them. Since I was young, I always had a passion for seeing animals grow and reproduce and to ride them as well, obviously. I used to break my own horses when I was young. I learned from the people out in the country and in the neighborhood called Carmen de Guayama. They taught me how to ride. Back then, we made halters out of rope and would bring in saddles from Santo Domingo and American saddles. We would ride with those saddles and our own halters. We would use some Indian bits, as we called them in Puerto Rico; they were very simple and affordable bits. That is what I used to start training my own horses. I used to start them off young. Now that I think about it, I did train them myself. They weren’t Paso Fino horses per se, they were mixed with Paso Finos, but creole horses.

PPF: At what point did that pass from being an interest to knowing that you wanted to have a career as a veterinary doctor?
HP: Obviously, I always had a passion for animals since I was a boy. With horses, I would always go with my father and if he couldn’t take me, my grandfather would take me. He also had some land in that same area. He was a pure cattleman and didn’t like horses. But he would let me ride the horses they used for work on the cattle ranch. Back then, we needed to check the barbed-wire fencing, keep an eye on the property, see if any of the animals had given birth. During times of drought, we rode all over looking to see if the cows had gone into labor because they could be experiencing milk fever, where they become very weak when they give birth. So, I would do that every Saturday or Sunday, any day that I went either with my father or my grandfather. I would spend so much time out there. Oh, and to answer your question, I had an albino mare. I bought her because she was pregnant and I wanted to see her foal. I used to ride her. When she tried to give birth, she couldn’t.

Unfortunately, in the rustic way we used back then, we tried to pull the foal out and were unable to do anything for her. She died and that touched my heart. I was about 15 or 16 years old and I felt quite frustrated to not have been able to do anything more for her, with my little knowledge back then. That is what sparked the thought to become a veterinarian. I wanted to be available to save these animals. I think that was a very important moment with that albino mare.

PPF: Yes, I can imagine.

PPF: What is the most difficult aspect of your work?
HP: In this line of work, the most difficult aspect for us is definitely the schedule. It’s the time we take away from our family. It’s something that nobody understands until they come with me in my car. I can explain it to you and perhaps you understand, but until you ride with me and see all the directions we take in a day and how sometimes we have to adjust those directions in order to integrate an emergency or go somewhere else, or maybe even give prevalence to a situation where- all cases are important, but some may be more urgent like with a bleeding horse or a mare in foal or a horse in colic- you get taken off your planned schedule for the day. That brings you back home very late and your wife and kids experience the impact of that. Unfortunately, that is the biggest sacrifice because then you have to compensate another day and in another way for what you have taken from your family. That is the part I like the least about my profession. Yet, this is something we obviously do because of the love we have for our work and because we are committed to take care of our animals and our clients. Once we start with a client, we try to provide the best service, you know. So, that is the greatest sacrifice I feel I make because of my career.

PPF: And now that you mention it, every time I see you, you’re smiling. That is a part of what you’re telling me; providing that service and showing that love. But tell me; what makes you smile so much?
HP: Doing what I love, Maritza. Definitely! I think that God has put me in what I call “Disney World” for me. Ocala has been a blessing. When I came here many years ago, I was very young and had so many ideas. I hadn’t even started studying yet. I arrived in Ocala, and I remember like it was yesterday. I went to Jorge Suarez’s farm. I believe it belonged to Doña Mirna, which is where Javier Suarez is currently. I came with someone from Puerto Rico who brought me for the first time. We went to visit, and I met Doña Mirna, Jorge, Javier, and Jaime. On that trip, I noticed an illusion growing inside of me and I simply thought ‘wow’. Back then, I remember an acre used to cost $2-3,000, maximum. Arriving to the farm that today belongs to Javier Suarez was impactful. I remember looking to the left and to the right and seeing all that gorgeous green land and all those horses. Obviously, when anyone spoke to me about Capuchino, who has always been THE horse for me all my life, and also seeing them as a guiding star… when we set our career goals, we also want to interact with certain people, and to think about coming to work with them in the future has been a true blessing for me. Me being here, in Ocala, with so many great horses, and wonderful facilities, and so many other breeds, has been a true blessing. Honestly, I have no words. I feel that it is this blessing that makes me smile every single day, because I feel an immense feeling of satisfaction in my life.

PPF: This is related to my next question. What motivates you each day to go to work and travel such long distances because you have come to see my horses in Miami and just like that, you drive right back up to Ocala. You have some long, hard days, as you have said yourself. What motivates you the most to do that?
HP: First off, my family, I must say. I make a living doing this, my wife takes care of our children. One of my daughters is married now and no longer lives with us, but we have a son and another daughter with us at home. My wife has been a homemaker and caring for our kids as well as helping me with my business as well. Knowing that I can provide for my family’s needs each day and that I am so fortunate to have so many clients in Ocala, Miami, Orlando, Gainesville… it’s a privilege God has given me and a blessing that I do not take for granted. It’s something that I thank God for giving me this opportunity to work for, you, for example, and your father, may God bless his soul. It’s something that God has always granted me. I arrived in Florida in 1998. My first years were in Chicago and then I came here in 1998 and, thanks to God, I was given the opportunity and I have used it as best I can. We have tried to do our best during all these years. We have been working in Ocala for 23 years now.

PPF: What has been the greatest satisfaction you have felt in your profession?
HP: Wow! That question honestly wraps many aspects inside of it. I think, in general, it has been being able to do what I love and to generate an income from it, being able to raise a family among an environment that I like and being able to enjoy friendships I have created during all these years. It’s something so nice and that I love, knowing that I have a friend here and there. I enjoy all that. There are no words to describe how I feel. God has allowed me all these things throughout all these years.

PPF: If you were to start all over, I can imagine you would choose the same career. So, all the steps you have taken… would you want them to be the same ones, or would you want to change a part of your journey?
HP: I wouldn’t change anything, no. I think that I have been blessed. With the gifts God has given me, I have done the best I have been able to do. Obviously, there are some things we might think we want to change, but no… I have nothing to regret. Thanks be to God; I have been happy all these years.

PPF: What has been the most significant sign of affection that you have received from a horse?
HP: Wow! I’ll tell you this story which is really huge, honestly. I was at the Mundial in Pereira [Colombia] with Pacho Londoño, veterinarian and good friend of mine- greetings to him. Dr. Londoño and I were checking a mare and I noticed she was moving and kept pointing her ear as if she was watching and watching me. Then, Pacho said to me ‘Doctor, she is one of yours’ and so I looked at her, but I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me. The mare kept looking at me when they were walking into the pre-ring. The mare touched me with her muzzle and tried to rub against me or maybe smell me. Her name is La Caleña; she is a daughter of Dulce Sueño. So, I asked Pacho which mare that was. She looked rather slim, and I didn’t recognize her at that time. So, I asked Pacho again and he replied ‘Doctor, you know this mare. This is Caleña, the mare that was in Ocala at Josi Nieves’ house. She belonged to your friend.’ And I was like ‘wow.’ I had tears coming down my cheeks because that mare suffered 2 colics here at this farm. Coincidentally, my office is located at this same farm. I saved her on 2 occasions, meaning she responded to the treatment I gave her twice. One of those colics was really, really strong. I tell you, Maritza, that mare was looking at me, touching me… I’m telling you, that day I felt as if she was thanking me for what I had done. That day in the pre-ring I just started to cry. Forgive me, I feel like crying right now because it’s such a feeling. I don’t tell many people this story because maybe they’ll think I’m crazy, but that mare was almost talking to me. It was amazing. When I finished hugging her and crying over her, I started telling Pacho the story. I was there drying my tears when I saw someone at the end of the pre-ring signaling me to go to them. I signaled them to give me a minute while I finished checking the other horses for competition. When I was done, I went over to that person. He said, ‘Sir, I wanted to ask you if you know that mare.’ I said, ‘Yes, Sir. That mare belonged to a friend of mine, and I had her in Ocala. I’m crying because that mare suffered some colics and this mare has surprised me today because she seems to remember me and to be thanking me.’ He said to me, ‘Sir, I am so amazed here. I don’t know how to tell you. I am co-owner of that mare and am so astounded to see how she doesn’t want to leave your side and is doing all those things. Without you telling me, from a distance, I could tell that this mare has a connection with you.’ That’s when I started to cry again. Honestly, I can’t forget that anecdote. There have been others. I’ll tell you quickly about one with Director del Daguao. Director del Daguao belonged to my friend, Luis Mundo, and his father, Wiso Mundo. I hope they find themselves well in Puerto Rico. That day, I was with my good friend, Alberto Sierra, who was his trainer at the time. He placed an emergency call to me with a very strong colic. I arrived and there was no hot water at that farm. Those lines we use, the nasogastric tubes, sometimes need to be placed in warm water because they get too rigid. I had to intubate him but without warm water at the farm, I massaged the tube a bit and placed it as it was. Amidst the rush, we didn’t have a twitch handy, and the horse was fussy and on top of everything, he was in pain. Maritza, I tell you, Alberto Sierra said to him ‘What’s going on with you? We’re trying to help you, I need you to cooperate and behave yourself.’ As soon as Alberto spoke to him, the horse stopped and stayed still. So, I placed the nasogastric tube, and he didn’t even budge. I thought ‘Oh my God, what is this?’ Watching this left me in awe. To this day, I still think about that moment because Alberto had a connection with Director de Daguao like very few I have seen. It was one of those things… it was something between a horse and his trainer that I haven’t seen elsewhere. We lived through several moments like this, where Alberto spoke to that horse, and it was as if he was speaking to a person. It was something… incredible!
PPF: Right, seeing how he understood him. I imagine it is the type of thing you observe on a daily basis that may not influence your work but does influence you as a person- to see the relationships between an owner or trainer and their animals.

HP: Yes, yes, of course. I think that for all veterinarians or anyone who has been in the horse world for a long time. I, personally, am of Christian faith and have seen many miracles come to pass with horses. I have experiences with horses where I have already called the insurance company to get permission to euthanize a horse, and upon taking it out of its stall, I say a prayer, or the owner prays and the horse takes a deep breath and starts taking a turn for the better. It has happened to me with several horses. I have another anecdote at a farm that belonged to my good friend, Efrain Rodriguez. There were young American guys who owned an Arab mare there. That mare lost her life and fell to the ground. I would say she was laying on the ground for about 2 minutes. Actually, you know that when they die, they relax their sphincter muscles and often release secretions or they urinate, or something of the sort. I was sitting in my car waiting for the second owner to arrive so I could explain what had happened and how the mare had died. The moment I hung up the phone with him, the mare stood up. Obviously, we had been praying and asking God to help the mare react. The second owner was a cancer patient. He was a person who had experienced a less than correct childhood, as an abused and orphaned child. There were several situations with him that were worthy of compassion. Maritza, that mare stood up. She stood up. I exited Efrain’s farm and stood at the entrance to cry once again. It occurred to me to call my sister because I didn’t know who else to tell about that miracle. I told her everything that happened because, again, these are topics I don’t discuss with almost anyone because some people are not believers of God and His power and the power of Jesus. But I do believe in Him, and I have seen not one, two, or three miracles. I have seen many miracles throughout my career.

PPF: Such beautiful anecdotes!

PPF: Speaking of all this, what is the number one tip you can share with any of us who own horses that is the most basic or the most important in maintaining good health in Paso horses?
HP: There are 2 things to always keep in mind, I believe. The first is common sense. You have to do what your heart tells you, or follow your gut feeling, as some would say. If you don’t have a doctor or someone to help you immediately, you must do what is logical. In an emergency or a situation with a horse where we must take immediate action, there is no room for heroic action. We need to apply common sense. The second thing you need is to be humble. As a horse person, you must be humble because you are always going to need somebody. In this world, everybody is important. From the person who cleans your stall, to the trainer, to the transporter, to the rider, to the owner…. Everybody is necessary and if you are not humble, you won’t receive the help you need. Believe me, nobody will run for you. They’ll say they’re busy or something. But when you are a good person and you have good feelings, you are going to have extra helping hands. And together with your common sense, God is going to provide a veterinarian nearby or someone to give you a good idea or you will have the right medication in your possession so that you can help that horse to take a step forward.

PPF: Who have been your greatest teachers?
HP: I had the pleasure of having the guys out in the country teach me when I was a child. They taught me how to tie a knot, how to catch a horse, how to protect myself from them, how to ride them, how to tame them. The horses also teach you themselves. My father got me thinking about his thoughts and all the things he had to do with animals. As a professional, when I started my first job upon graduating from Perdue University in Indiana, I had a grand mentor, Dr. Gary Porter. He was in Frankfurt, Illinois and he taught me something very interesting at my very first job interview. I was in the middle of my senior year, and I arrived at the interview with my resumé, with the hope of getting a job. I had applied for an internship in Kentucky for the end of the year. At the end of the interview, I noticed he hadn’t even looked at my resumé.

I was curious and nervous, so I told him, ‘Doctor, here is my resumé. Would you like me to open it so you can see it?’ He said to me ‘Hiram, I don’t need to see that. The people who recommended you have already said enough for you. I need for you to start working with me as soon as possible. I am going to guide you’. And I remember like it was yesterday when he said he wasn’t going to throw me to the wolves. He was an inspirational person to me because you know how your first job is when you have no experience and need to do your own work, not counting on 5 or 6 technicians like at the university. This time, I would be on my own with my own truck, with my medicines, making my own decisions. And when the time comes, you have to be able to take action in the most responsible way and you must watch out not only for the horse’s health but also for the health of all those who are around. He was a key person in my career, truly a key person. I worked with him for 2 years, he was a true blessing. And to this day, he has his practice in Illinois and I truly appreciate him so much because he gave me the tools I needed to become part of the veterinarian that I am today. Obviously, I have the influence of many other people, but, without a doubt, I can highlight the guys out in the country, my father, and Dr. Porter who gave me those tools.

PPF: Would he be the most influential person in your career or is there anyone else?
HP: My career is complex because at the same time I enjoy my profession, I also like horses. I have received a lot of inspiration aside from my profession from all the people involved in this industry, especially from the riders who have paved the way and became famous here in Ocala. I’m referring to the Suarez brothers, to Jochi, to Edgar and Alei. Alei is a person who has left a great mark in me as has Edgar because not only are they my clients, but they are also my friends. I mean, all of them are my friends, but aside from that, she always taught me… Alei, I don’t know. Alei has something that taught me many lessons. When I arrived here, Alei was all in the mind. She could have 20 things on her mind and had a rush. She had a rush for her work, and I don’t know, somehow, she passed it on to me. And I like it. I like that rush, that adrenaline with the horses. Fifteen appointments, no problem, we’ll get them done. I don’t know if that was the influence, but Alei has that… the more work she has, the more work she does. It’s amazing. I think she did influence me that way because I have always been that way, kind of rushed and I like doing things. In Puerto Rico, I worked with Cubans who were like family to me, and it was always like things needed to be done yesterday, not today. Alei is like that. She likes to get things done. Back then, she was even more demanding than now. Thank goodness, she has become more relaxed. But her being demanding of herself as a person, that way of being so demanding of herself is something that she shared with me. I think that is why I don’t say no to anyone, or I commit to things that are a bit out of reach for me. I don’t know, maybe I have that in common with her.

PPF: So, it’s that concept of ‘nothing is too much’ and ‘nothing is out of reach’.
HP: That’s right. We take on extra problems for no reason and I think she may have influenced me a bit in that respect. She passed on that habit to me.

PPF: What is the most important aspect of your work?
HP: You have to be as responsible as possible, within your capabilities. You also have to consider the people that are around you, not only the animal you’re treating. You have to make wise decisions and if you don’t know what you’re facing, you must consult someone else. It is inadmissible to perform heroic acts. You must use your common sense alongside your knowledge. It’s okay if you don’t know something or if you want to consult it. This is a common practice in human medicine as well as veterinary medicine. I think it is important to do things as they are supposed to be done, to use your common sense, to apply your knowledge, and to know how far you can go. That is important.

PPF: What do you like the most about horses?
HP: it’s nobility. The horse is an animal that emotionally engages you within 2 days of being with them. I think that only dogs are superior in that respect. God made dogs so perfectly that even when they are mistreated, they remain by their human’s side. But aside from a dog, a horse can engage you sentimentally within 2 days because they touch you, they smell you, they stay close to you. This could become a problem because you can become a horse hoarder. I remember like it was yesterday, I was at David Lopez’s farm, may he rest in peace. He was Angel Lopez’s father. I remember it vividly when he told me ‘Pomales, this mare isn’t going to be cured and I really don’t want to keep doing this. If you want her, you can have her.’ You know, I liked having animals to study different problems and try different medications with and he had decided not to continue treating her because he wanted her for competition and she wouldn’t be able to perform in competition, so I kept her for myself. At that time, she was the sixth or seventh horse that was gifted to me and I knew I couldn’t keep doing this because to begin with, I was no longer receiving an income from them, and more so, they were costing me. There comes a point where you are so emotionally involved with them that you end up wanting to keep them all and it’s a problem. I have truly had problems with this throughout some time because I love horses and it is something that becomes addictive. It’s like anything else and I must admit that there was a time when I did form a small addiction to horses. I remember like it was yesterday, when I sold Profeta Segundo to Mr. Benjamin Leon and I remember that the money Mr. Leon paid me was gone within about a month and a half. I don’t recall exactly how much it was, but I know it was a substantial amount. And I remember that money turning into nothing because I used it to feed the horses I had at the time, which were about 45 horses. My accountant used to tell me ‘Pomales, there is no way to move forward like this because you seem to be addicted.’ Regardless, it is something I have always enjoyed and, thank God, I no longer have that addiction. I got over it. But, obviously, horses consume a lot and we must be able to keep them well so that they don’t suffer, you know.

PPF: What do you want people to know or remember the most about you?
HP: I would like for people to be more giving and more helpful to each other. Unfortunately, the Paso Fino industry sometimes can be bittersweet. Everyone needs to sell their horses; everyone needs to generate an income because some people depend on those horses to make their living. All that is understandable. Sometimes people speak without having correct information and we should have more grace as we do these things. If you don’t have the horse that someone is looking for, just let someone else sell them that horse. When an inaccurate horse is sold to someone, that bothers me. I don’t like it because the buyer ends up stuck with a horse, they have no use for, a frustration, and a negative experience. Every horse is important and has a use. When we perform pre-purchase exams, we always ask what use the horse will have because all horses have a purpose, and every horse is important.

PPF: How would you like to be remembered by people?
HP: I want to be remembered as a humble person, as a person who gave his all, as a person who enjoyed sharing. A person who not only enjoyed sharing himself as Hiram Pomales, but also who shared his knowledge. I like to share as much as I can with my clients to give them information and guide them. I like to go the extra mile when they ask me a question so that they can understand a bit better. I like for people to learn. I want people to remember me as a person who lived his profession with intensity.

PPF: If you had to describe your work with only one word, what would that word be?
HP: Love. Love. Love is everything. You select for love, you sacrifice for love, you remain where you are for love, you do what you like every day for love, you help for love, you work for love, you do everything for love. Anything for love. God is love.
PPF: That’s right.

PPF: Doctor, thank you very much. This has been a true honor for me.
HP: You are always welcome. Thank you for having me. Truly, it has been a privilege to be with you and I honestly thank you and wish you great success with this program.
PPF: Thank you so much, Doctor.