Could you do the same?

Equine Clipping Business

Originally from Long Island, N.Y., 34-year-old Kristen Abano was a horse girl who majored in communications and English. After college, she worked in office administration at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists in Elmont, N.Y., for a year before relocating to south Florida. Eager to be more hands-on in the equine industry, Abano began working as a veterinary technician at Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, Fla.

“Once I got into vet med, I thought that would be where I’d work the rest of my life,” she says. “That was my dream job at the time, but the burnout is real in that industry. Toward the end of my time as a vet tech, I started doing some grooming [for private clients]. When I left the clinic in early 2020, I started my own business as a professional groom and made it a legal operating entity in 2021.”

It took three years for Centerline Equine Clipping to create full-time income, but the business has doubled every year. Her own horse, Ace, a Haflinger/Quarter Horse cross, models for her business marketing photos.

Centrally located near the show horse hub of Wellington, Fla., Abano is able to service south and southwest Florida. She works on everything from six-figure show horses to the 40-year-old backyard pony.

“Body clipping is not just about aesthetics; some horses need this medically,” says Abano. “Take Cushing’s horses, for example: I have these on a four- to six-week schedule to stay ahead of their coat growth, otherwise they may develop further health complications.”

While most of her business is body clipping, Abano offers plenty of other services, including sheath cleaning, mane tidying, private client grooming for shows, and preparing horses for photo sessions.

“Photoshoot prep is one of my favorite services,” she says, noting that she can do all the grooming and hand over an immaculate photo-ready horse, or stay for the duration of the shoot to help with details and getting ears up.

“My favorite part of what I do is getting horses to look and feel their best,” she adds.

Working Thoroughbred Sales

In 2023, an amazing 14,462 Thoroughbreds sold at public auction in North America for gross receipts of $1.2 billion. The average price per horse was $86,114.

Consignors who sell horses at these auctions routinely hire workers who specialize in preparing and handling horses at the sales. The most talented are able to work sales exclusively, rather than working on farms. On average, these consignors pay sales workers $250 to $300 per day.

Giovanni (Gio) Garcia, 31, of Little Village, Ind., has built a reputation as a top hand and makes a living working the country’s biggest Thoroughbred sales.

Garcia wasn’t raised with horses, but he’s consistently worked in the equine industry since starting as a groom at Tampa Bay Downs in 2012.

“I started coming to Ocala and working as an exercise rider and groom on a farm,” says Garcia. “Someone asked me about working sales and told me I could make more money doing that.”

He experienced this firsthand in 2020 when he worked for Claiborne Farm at the Keeneland yearling sale in Lexington, Ky. It was there Garcia found his niche. Since then, he’s been hired by sales consignors to work at Thoroughbred sales in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland and New York.

“I go wherever the horses go,” says Garcia.

During the longest sales, he may be away from home 16 days at a stretch. Once the horses ship in, the days are long and intense with no time off until the sale ends.

Whether he’s tacking up and wrapping the legs of a 2-year-old before a breeze show (where buyers get to watch the horse have a timed workout on the track before the auction) or showing rambunctious yearlings to prospective buyers, Garcia’s focus is always making sure the horses look their best.

“Whether it’s cold, raining, or hot, I love what I do,” he says. “I love horses and I’m paid to do something I love.”

Paul Sharp, one of the industry’s top 2-year-old consigners, sees Garcia’s passion.

“He’s reliable, knowledgeable, communicates well, and has a good touch. He definitely has a passion for the horses.” Ocala-based Sharp has hired Garcia to work all of his consignments since 2021.

As Sharp explains, an experienced hand like Garcia understands what’s at stake with the big sales and pays close attention to detail.

When he’s not working a sale, Garcia is home spending time with his family—his wife Courtney and their almost 2-year-old son, Giovanni Jr.

“He loves horses and already has a pony,” Garcia says with a smile.

Supplement Business

When Jerry Miller was a young man cowboying in Wyoming, he never imagined owning an equine supplement company.

Raised in Sheridan, Wyo., Miller went into the U.S. Navy after graduating high school. After serving his country, he moved to Seattle and worked as a welder for 12 years.

Miller then earned his mechanical engineering degree and moved to Idaho after graduating college in 2002. For the next 15 years, he traveled across the U.S. working as a consulting engineer for a company that built food and beverage processing systems.

“Between my ranching, welding and engineering experience, I was able to come up with new ways for my clients to make money,” says Miller. “I was always on the lookout for a way I could be my own boss.”

That opportunity came in 2019, when Miller wrote an engineering proposal for a nearby CBD oil extraction lab. The owner ended up hiring Miller as the production manager to design and run his extraction lab in Oregon.

“I learned everything I could about the product and processing it,” says Miller.

When he realized the company threw away the hemp after extracting the CBD oil to use in human products, he sent samples for testing. When the results came in, his entrepreneurial mind started spinning.

Testing revealed the hemp contained no THC, but was rich in 18 amino acids that fuel hoof, bone, skin and hair growth, repair muscle, manage weight, and help mental focus, among numerous other benefits.

After doing a trial with horse-owning friends and seeing how readily horses ate it, Miller knew he had a viable product. From there, it was a matter of researching the best way to dry the hemp, grind it, and process it into a supplement.

Miller officially launched Remount on May 1, 2020, during the early days of the pandemic. His company is registered in Idaho and his production shop is located across the border in Ontario, Ore.

Remount is a 100 percent hemp amino acid CBD equine health supplement. It contains 18 vital amino acids, including lysine, methionine, leucine, and more. The supplement is available in both powder and pellet form.

“I put some money in the business to get it rolling, but it was paying for itself by the second year and became profitable by year three,” says Miller. “I’ve seen a 30 to 40 percent increase in sales since 2021.”

In addition to selling online through Remount’s website, Miller has the supplement in eight retail locations in five states, and he has 12 distributors in 10 states.

This fall, he is heading south in his fifth wheel to spend the entire winter in Arizona, doing vendor booths at horse events from November through March.

Advice for Making an Equine Career Happen

Do you have what it takes to launch a career in the equine world?

“There are many ways you can make a living working with horses,” says Abano. “Find what you’re good at and figure out how to make money at it. Make sure it’s something you enjoy and are passionate about. If you’re offering a service, you have to love it.”

Miller recommends researching first.

“Find something no one else is doing and go for it,” he says.

If you’re marketing a product, be prepared to give away samples in the first year to get people to try it. Sponsoring good competitors who use your product also helps get the word out.

For obvious reasons, location matters if you’re offering a service. For example, Abano’s proximity to Wellington and her ability to travel in south Florida set up her business for success.

During show season in Idaho, Miller has a vendor booth at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, which hosts many shows and equine events, allowing him to showcase his product to horse people from a variety of states and different breeds.

Next, don’t skimp on appearances. A professional website is crucial when you’re launching a business. Miller says “before and after” photos of horses using his supplement have really helped promote Remount.

Finally, take advantage of social media and make the most of your connections.

“Wahl reached out to me after having followed my social media for a few months and asked me if I would be interested in joining their Pro Equine team,” says Abano. “Professionally, having this credential behind my name makes my business more competitive and marketable.” She is now a Wahl ambassador and educator who exclusively uses Wahl Animal products.

“I have consistent sales in over 25 states,” says Miller. “I couldn’t have gotten sales in some of those states without social media. I do a lot myself and have 15 to 20 sponsored competitors who talk about the brand on social media.”

This article about niche equine jobs appeared in the October 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Niche Equine Jobs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

If you’re looking for a job working at a riding stable, you’re in luck. There are countless openings for stable help and qualified instructors across the country—it’s a job-seeker’s market right now due to working shortages affecting riding stables. The United States is not alone in its struggle to keep a full workforce; the UK’s Horse and Hound magazine reports that a number of riding schools have decreased offerings due to a shortage of workers, horses and funds. The recent headline: “Looking for Work? Canada’s Horse Industry Has Endless Opportunities” from the American Horse Publications newsgroup describes worker shortages in Canada.

But why the shortage? Can it be solved? And how will it affect the future sustainability of riding stables?

Shortage of Young Workers

Colleges with equine programs receive requests for graduates by riding stables. Marny Mansfield from SUNY Cobleskill indicates that “on the average, I receive one request a week for either barn help or a therapeutic horsemanship instructor. There is an unmet demand, since most of my students get swept up after their internship.”

The same has also been said by many equine vet practices looking for recent graduates to add to their staff. Younger people value their time and question if the longer hours and hard work of a stable or veterinarian job meets their need for work-life balance.

In addition to the decreased supply of workers, stable employers report a decrease in the knowledge and skill level of applicants. Where do potential workers obtain the needed knowledge and skill sets?

Years ago, many kids would be a “barn rat”—someone who would spend long hours working at a stable in exchange for saddle time. That option is less available today. Robin Brueckmann, dressage professional and a former barn rat, extolls the value of that immersive experience and points to the German saying, One only learns riding by sweeping.

Kids also gain equine knowledge and skills by participating in 4-H, Pony Club, camps, et cetera. If there are fewer qualified staff available, who will train the next generation?

Creative Solutions for Riding Stables

Equine Affaire in Massachusetts in November 2023 provided hope, however. A large number of youth were in attendance and clearly articulated that they wanted to continue to work with horses.

A few indicated that they would pursue a non-horse career to afford horses as a hobby. Teachers described equine classes that have been added to their high school curricula, along with kids participating in Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) riding programs.

Creativity is the key to possible solutions. Work-to-ride programming, like the old barn rat programs, are popular.

One such program is offered by Kim Gundersen at Equine Journey in Lakeville, Mass. The average age of kids in Gundersen’s program is 7 to 12—before they tend to lose interest or take up other activities.

Interestingly, there is a resurgence of adults over the age of 35 that participate in the work-to-ride program. Participants gain knowledge and skills, and Gundersen gains assistance in caring for the horses.

“The world is different now,” she says. “I don’t know where the teenagers are, but I wish they’d come back to the barn.”

Hours, Pay, and Benefits

Stable owners need to have business management skills to help make sound decisions. Kris Young of Touchstone Farm in Lyndeborough, N.H., says that flexibility is needed to meet the needs of workers.

To increase worker supply, the horse industry must promote why a position at a riding stable is a sound career choice. Kitty Stalsburg, executive director and instructor at High Hopes therapeutic riding center in Old Lyme, Conn., indicates that the horse industry tends to be myopic and needs to look outside of the box for solutions.

The pay scale also needs to be competitive. Stable owners must not overwork their staff. If four staff are required to run the stable, but only two are hired, the temptation to overwork and burn out the two is high.

Stable managers need to support their staff and provide additional incentives, such as benefits, time off, education, and other perks. Stable owners should be ready to step in and continue training employees to fill the knowledge gaps. Home-grown instructors can provide solutions.

Focusing on the benefits of the horse and human connection can be a powerful selling point. Following the work of organizations, such as Horses and Humans Research Foundation, which supports research and provides webinars about why horse connections are powerful, can provide sound, useful data.

Key Takeaway

With high overhead, lots of hard work, and a decreasing work force, there is a concern for the future of stables and horseback riding as we know it. So why work in this industry?

“I love the connection with the horses and how I feel around them, and I love sharing it with others,” says Gundersen.

A youngster puts it in more current terms: “A horse connection is chill!”

The working shortages across our riding stables are a troubling phenomenon, so put on your thinking cap to help our industry find creative solutions.

This article about the worker shortage affecting riding stables appeared in the March 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Riding Stables in a Crisis Due to Worker Shortages appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Among these independent individuals—male and female—is an entrepreneurial group known as “day workers.” Instead of working at just one operation, they hire out to work by the day at different ranches.

These freelance cowboys load up their horses and dogs, drive where needed and get the work done, from gathering, sorting and shipping to doctoring, vaccinating, branding, castrating and weaning. It all revolves around cattle, but tasks vary depending on the time of year.

The demand for skilled day workers is such that experienced individuals can make this a full-time job. We caught up with three of them for a glimpse at their lives.

Gen Z Cowgirl

Like most Gen Z-ers, Makenzie Higgs, 21, is totally tech-savvy, although she doesn’t live a bright-lights, big-city lifestyle.

She’s grown up on her family’s ranch in Cedar Point, Kansas, where they raise Angus cattle and registered Quarter Horses. Her job is training horses and day-working. She’s been riding with her dad since she was 1 year old, and got her first horse at age 5.

“My dad and my older brother, Troy, are both mentors to me,” says Higgs, who has been day-working for pay since age 16. “They completely make a living with cattle and horses. My mom is a schoolteacher.”

“I missed track and softball season because of school closure, so I was able to day work more,” she adds. “That really sealed it for me.” Higgs graduated high school in the “Covid year” of 2020.

Higgs attended Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, and graduated in May 2022 with her associate’s degree in Farm and Ranch Management.

“I took some college classes in high school my senior year and was still able to day work during college,” she says.

Whether she’s working or rodeoing, her best horse is Lippy, an 12-year-old sorrel Quarter Horse gelding. Her other mount is Indy, a 5-year-old Quarter Horse gelding. Because she always has one or two horses she’s taken in for training, they also get used for day work.

She usually brings along her two cattle dogs, Dez and Daya.

Higgs consistently day works with a group of four to six people, including her dad, brother, and boyfriend, Brenden Jantz.

“When you work with people so much, you can read each other’s minds,” she says. “We all work well together, and the job goes smoother.”

The day’s tasks vary according to season. For example, early fall work includes branding, vaccinating, castrating and deworming calves, then weaning and preg-checking cows.

Higgs learned to rope at a young age from her dad and brother, which comes in handy when doing her favorite chore: doctoring cattle.

“We head and heel them and lay them down in the pasture to doctor them,” she explains. “But if you have to rope more than 20, it’s a lot of work and you and the horses get tired. If we have a lot to doctor, then we’ll bring the whole group up to the pens and sort out the ones that need doctoring.”

Her roping skills aren’t just used for work. Higgs, who both heads and heels, loves competing and rodeos regularly.

“I’ve always really enjoyed roping, just the whole atmosphere,” she says.

As for the future, although she would be happy to continue day working in her area, she’s open to doing seasonal day work in another part of the country.

“I’d love to keep doing this, but I wouldn’t mind moving to manage a ranch.”

Freelance Cowboy in the Sunshine State

Fourth generation Florida cattleman Myron Albritton, 52, has been a freelance day-working cowboy since he was 15 years old.

Raised on a 1,000-acre family-owned commercial cattle ranch in the heart of the Sunshine State’s beef county, Albritton’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather all did day work. As a kid, he toyed with the idea of being a fireman, but says, “I stayed with the cowboy stuff.”

Albritton, who is married with three children, runs 500 to 600 head of his own commercial cows, mostly Braford and Brangus because the Brahman bloodlines can handle Florida heat and bugs.

He’s become a lead day worker in his area, so ranchers call Albritton and tell him what they need. He creates a schedule and coordinates a crew of day workers, including his 26-year-old son, Blaine.

“You build up a name over time, then it becomes a steady job—you can work seven days a week if you want to,” says Albritton, who typically day works for at least 100 different operations in a year, mostly within a 60-mile radius of his place in Venus.

In 1987, when he started day working, pay was $65 per day. Average pay in south Florida for a good worker today is $200 per day.

Depending on the season and what needs to be done, Albritton may spend a month working at one operation, or day work at different places every day.

He maintains a string of two to four horses that are registered Quarter Horses or grade. It’s common for many day workers to ride young horses and then sell them.

“Riding them every day, you develop a well-mannered, well-broke horse,” he says. “Wet saddle blankets are what get them broke.”

Albritton’s go-to horse is Fred, an 8-year-old grade gelding he says he’ll probably never sell.

When Albritton loads his horse for the day in his stock trailer, he always takes along two or three dogs, depending on the day’s chores. He uses Florida Cur dogs and finds them invaluable.

“Once the cows are ‘dog broke’ [used to dogs and respect them], they’ll walk to the pens nice and easy,” he says. “We’re typically working 200 head of cattle in a group and four dogs can handle that pretty easily.

If there are stragglers hiding in the palmettos and brush, you can send the dogs and they’ll bring them up. It simplifies things, keeps the cows from running, and saves a lot of riding.”

During the hottest months, he is mounted up and working by the time the sun rises to beat the heat. He aims to finish by lunch, if not before.

“When I go to work, I don’t consider it work because I love cows,” says Albritton. “My wife is a schoolteacher, and she envies me.”

Working the Flint Hills

Raised with cattle and horses, Ed McClintock of Soldier, Kansas, grew up in Jackson County.

McClintock, 59, was a farrier for 19 years. When painful knees began to make that career difficult, he still wanted to work with livestock.

“A friend offered me a job taking care of his feedlot and it went from there,” he says. “When I quit shoeing horses, my knees quit bothering me.”

Throughout the years he was a farrier, McClintock also day worked on ranches. He has his own place where he runs about 60 head of commercial cattle. His grown son, Tyrel, helps with their cattle operation and day working.

McClintock day works full time for six different operations in about a 40-mile radius of his ranch and stays busy seven days a week.

His four-legged work partners include several horses and trusty dogs.

McClintock typically owns four to six horses, usually 3- and 4-year-olds, which he sells once they’re well broke.

His oldest horse is Little Steve (named after the friend he bought him from). Although only 14.2 hands, the 9-year-old registered Quarter Horse gelding is stout and reliable.

“I really like him and probably won’t sell him,” says McClintock. “I’ve doctored a lot of cattle and ranch rodeoed on him. I’ve roped 1,800-pound bulls and 1,200-pound cows on him.” His working dogs include a Border Collie, a Border Collie/Australian Kelpie cross, and an Australian Kelpie.

He uses the dogs to gather cattle and to drive ornery cows out of the brush. He can also tell a dog to sit in a gate opening to keep cattle from going through.

McClintock takes pride in being able to “read” cattle and work them with little stress.

While many people use 35- to 40-foot ropes, he carries a 60-foot rope. That extra length buys a little more time, which is helpful when riding young horses.

If a cow requires doctoring but isn’t close to the pens and chute, McClintock has mastered a way to do this horseback. After roping a cow, he’ll circle her. This pulls the rope around her legs and pulls her head back to her flank.

“You can ease them down to the ground, tie their legs and doctor them,” he explains. “It’s easier on the cattle; you’re not tripping or jerking them, and you can lay them down really nice this way.”

In his area, day-working freelance cowboys get paid by the hour when working at feedlots, and by the day at ranches.

“I live the perfect life, taking care of cattle and making sure they’re healthy.”

This article about freelance cowboys appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Cowboying: Modern Day Freelance Cowboys appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Leah Kaufmann’s horse obsession developed at an early age. She grew up in Seattle, but her mother passed on a passion for horses, driving Kaufmann to her weekly Sunday riding lesson starting at age 6.

Kaufmann dabbled with dressage, but ultimately became hooked on eventing from her time spent in Pony Club. Those early experiences bonded Kaufmann to the equestrian lifestyle, carrying her admiration into adulthood.

The T-Shirt That Started Her Equestrian Brand

Like most new ideas, Dapplebay was launched when Kaufmann discovered a void in the market. She was on a quest to find cute horse shirts representing her favorite disciplines.

Creative by nature, she always loved to draw horses and make crafts, even before she received her degree in design at the University of Washington for visual communication design. She used her expert eye and whipped up a t-shirt that read “Live Free & Jump XC” with a horse jumping across the center.

Kaufmann casually posted the shirt on Facebook, which received an explosion of comments. The now-retired design was quickly featured online in Eventing Nation, giving Kaufmann exposure to like-minded customers. Based on the feedback, she began screen-printing more shirts, and Dapplebay was born in 2011.

A Hobby Turned Career

Professionally, Kaufmann had a successful career as a designer working with a marketing agency. She maintained her professional job in the beginning, while Dapplebay was on the side. She put energy into it as she felt like it over the years.

“It was a creative outlet that allowed me to have something that was my own outside of client work,” Kaufmann explains. Fast forward to the pandemic and the world changed, including Dapplebay. Kaufmann shifted her focus on becoming a profitable business instead of just a fun, creative venture.

With a change in mindset and sales, Dapplebay was thriving, allowing Kaufmann to leave her full-time job behind.

“2020 was a great year for e-commerce, and I grew a lot without intending to,” she says. “I took that momentum as an opportunity to decide that this could be my full-time thing.”

Community & Connection

While Kaufmann spends most of her time working solo, she enjoys having the opportunity to connect with customers whenever she sets up a booth at an event.

Having a booth at The Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover in 2021 was a career high and emotionally moving weekend for Kaufmann. She promotes retired racehorses with her apparel and owns two off-track Thoroughbreds, Pie and Ranger.

Dapplebay also made its first appearance at Land Rover Kentucky in 2022, which was another special moment of growth for the brand.

“I’ve met so many amazing women from having this little pop-up tent with cute shirts,” she says. “I quickly realized this wasn’t just about the t-shirts, it was about meeting people.”

In 2022 Kaufmann also launched The Barn Aisle, a Facebook group, with the intention of being a supportive online space for customers and fellow equestrians. The group celebrates a love for horses and creates a dialog online.

“People post when they have a great ride, when they have a question, when they’re struggling—the way the group responds is incredible,” she says.

The Brand’s Popular Equestrian Products

Dapplebay offers a unique selection of apparel, accessories and lifestyle products from stickers to journals. As a designer, coming up with ideas for new products is the exciting part of the job.

Kaufmann focuses on creating unique prints, patterns her customers can’t find anywhere else, and sizes for all equestrians. Recently, matching sets, including saddle pads and bonnets, have become popular.

“My goal is to create things that people love that they can take into their own lives and wear with their own style,” she explains.

When Kaufmann isn’t busy working, she spends time with the horses she keeps at home in a beautiful barn her husband built. Her dedication to the brand, her horses and a positive mindset has allowed her business to thrive.

“I think the hardest thing is remembering to enjoy it and enjoy the process,” she says. “I’ve been so caught up in working hard, I think it’s easy to miss the journey. Sometimes I wake up and I look around and realize we live on the property I dreamed of 10 years ago.”

Shop Dapplebay here.

This article about equestrian brand Dapplebay appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Rise of Equestrian Brand Dapplebay appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

DULUTH, Ga. – With a dwindling number of veterinarians entering equine practice and existing practitioners leaving the industry altogether or shifting to small animal practice, many are concerned about a looming shortage of equine veterinarians. To help identify the specific issues facing this group, Boehringer Ingelheim conducted an anonymous survey of more than 100 equine veterinarians. The pain points identified by respondents fell into the following categories:

Personal Wellness

By far the leading area of concern was personal wellness with nearly 50% citing it as a challenge. Dealing with owners, colleagues, running a business, performing euthanasias and being on call takes a toll on equine veterinarians. And with fewer entering the profession, the pressure is increasing on those that remain. The toll is both physical and mental exhaustion.

Work/Life Balance

“Being able to take time off” and “being able to find relief vets with equine knowledge” were both cited as contributors to an undesirable work/life balance. Working long days and then being on call is particularly challenging for the equine veterinary professional. “It’s hard to say no,” said one respondent.

Marginal Wages  

Upon graduation from veterinary school, the average amount of student debt is $183,000. Often, after earning their four-year degree, new veterinarians go on to internships or residencies, deferring debt repayment and thereby accruing even more interest. Once they do start earning wages, the average starting associate salary, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, is $89,000, making the debt-to-income ratio an uncomfortable range.

“The pay rate isn’t very desirable for the economy we are in,” noted one respondent.

Difficult Clients

While most respondents cited good client relationships as a plus to working in equine veterinary medicine, some indicated challenges related to their clientele, including collecting payments in a timely manner, unrealistic expectations and lack of respect. One respondent noted, “Some clients have very selfish attitudes and think they should dictate to the doctor what they want done.”

The Silver Lining

While the survey sought to better understand the challenges facing equine veterinarians, there were also some positive comments from respondents who remain upbeat about their career choice.

“I love feeling valued. Being able to go out and help people and their animals makes me feel like I do some good in the world.”

How Boehringer Ingelheim is Helping

Results of this survey are being used to help inform the development of a wellness initiative from Boehringer Ingelheim called The Stable Life, which is a wellness initiative dedicated to transforming the future of equine medicine and helping veterinarians thrive. Multiple Stable Life webinars and in-person presentations have already taken place, covering such topics as conflict management, practice growth and establishing boundaries. And more are on the way as well as financial and volunteer support of other groups and initiatives with a similar goal.

“We are doing a much better job as an industry of recognizing there is a problem in the equine veterinary profession,” says Sarah Reuss, VMD, DACVIM, technical manager, Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Health. “Part of the solution is to offer resources that will help veterinarians better manage their practices, their client relationships and their workload so their career is sustainable. While the survey results are certainly sobering, we plan to use them to better inform and guide the support we offer to veterinarians through The Stable Life.”

For more information about The Stable Life initiatives, talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim sales representative or professional services veterinarian.

— Edited Press Release

About Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is working on first-class innovation for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of diseases in animals. For veterinarians, pet owners, producers, and governments in more than 150 countries, they offer a large and innovative portfolio of products and services to improve the health and well-being of companion animals and livestock.

Learn more about Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA.

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