Starting School With No Horse Experience

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Pelagia

NCSU CVM c/o 2015!
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Despite having no horse or large animal experience, I got into a few different schools, including my top choice, yay! The lack of experience is not from a lack of desire, though, simply a lack of opportunity. I have lived in dense, highly populated metropolitan areas my whole life, and unfortunately, have had limited exposure to horses and large animals! The nearest horses and large animals are still about a 30-45 minute drive from where I am.

Even after getting into schools, though, I'm still trying to get experience in different areas of vet med, for my own edification (I'm working as a technician, and still shadowing vets at other hospitals and seeking out volunteer experiences). And trust me, I've been searching for large animal and equine experience, but it's really hard to come by when you live in the middle of the city! I hopefully will be getting some equine experience soon at therapeutic riding center for children with disabilities. It's about a 30 minute drive away, so not too bad, and I'm willing to make the drive (and spend the gas money) because I like volunteering with the kids and I can at least get some horse exposure. I'm still looking for equine and large animal vets, too (because I want diverse experience and I truly am interested in this area of veterinary medicine).

So, I will hopefully be starting school with a little bit of experience, but truth be told, I'm a little nervous to work around horses and large animals! It's a new (exciting), but unknown area for me. And I understand that things can be dangerous, especially when you're inexperienced. But we all have to start somewhere, right? What I'd like to know is how many of you started school with little or no horse and LA experience? What was it like working around these animals in school? What kinds of opportunities (extracurricular, wetlab, etc) are there in school if you would like to get more experience working with those animals? To broaden this question, I'll ask everyone what it was like to work around animals that you had little or no experience with going into vet school?

It seems like many of the SDNers have their own horses, or at least, extensive horse experience. I'm really envious of (and happy for) you guys. 🙂
 
It's no problem. I have 0 clinical experience in general...no clue how to restrain a dog/cat/have done nothing with a horse, cow, goat etc.

THey will teach you everything.

We had a few days out at the dairy farm before school started this year learning about cows for those of us who had no large animal experience. We were taught how to milk a cow, and we palpated multiple cows in pregnancy checks. it was awesome.

Also, like you mentioned, there are lots of people who are comfortable around the animals that you're not comfortable with. I am good friends with several people who have an equine focus and they've promised to take me out to their friends farms/barns etc and teach me how to just be around a horse or other livestock.

For some people it will be like 2nd nature and for others like yourself the school will provide you with your first experience. But don't worry, you won't be the only one who hasn't been around horses or any other animal for that matter
 
I had 0 equine experience when I got into school, and my LA experience was limited to ~3 days of facing a dairy cow's behind while she was headlocked in a...... stanchion(??)... ...Clearly, I'm going to be an amazing LA vet.

Considering the varying amounts of experience everyone has when they get in, it seems like veterinary schools assume you have 0 experience, so they can teach you the way they think is right.

Which includes horse and LA handling. I have classmates who've had no clinical experience, but got in because of an exorbitant amount of research experience. And I have classmates who've been trained the "wrong" way in the clinical setting and they now have to relearn everything from scratch.

[EDIT]
And to answer the rest of your questions:

So far, we've done physical exams on horses, and all I can say is that they are magnificent, stupid beasts that are too smart for their own good. Also they get testy and like to stamp their feet and bite. So when you're doing a PE, mind the hooves and head 🙁.

It was definitely intimidating to approach such a large animal for the first time ever, and I still feel like I'm clumsy around them, but ... I like them lol. The ones we use for school are usually tolerant of students poking and prodding them, and it's definitely a confidence booster to be able to handle such a large animal capable of sitting on me. I don't think I'll be focusing on equine medicine (mostly because I don't understand horse culture lol), but I don't think I'll be entirely uncomfortable when we have to do equine rounds.

The same goes for our bovine clinical skills sessions. We worked with angus beefies (<3), and seeing the massive muscle-bound bulls fight in front of you as you try to herd them into a shoot so you can do a PE definitely humbles you.

As for other animal experiences, our clubs often offer clinical skills labs and tours to various facilities. I think it depends on what's available, and I haven't been actively looking for LA experience. I do know that students part of the AABP and equine clubs were given a chance to do bovine and equine exams prior to our mandatory lab sessions.
 
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I'm in an interesting place. I have had a fair amount of equine experience... working at a riding stables, doing research with brood mares and foals, working at 2 vet offices that treat horses, and also working at my college's horse barn that houses both private and the equestrian team horses.

When I didn't get in last year, I called UT to do a file review. One of my negatives was that I didn't have enough equine experience. I have over 500 hours of equine experience. I also have no interest in practicing equine medicine. This really perplexed me, as I have about 100 hours of bovine experience, and expressed interest in treating cattle (but nothing was mentioned about my lack of hours there). 😕 85% of my experience is in small animal, the rest divided into 10% exotics, 5% large animal.

That beign said, I'm pretty uncomfortable around horses. I was kicked in the chest/face by a school horses and ever since then I'm super jumpy. I have been trying to slowly work my way into being comfortable, but teh horse people at school snicker because I get super jumpy every time a horse shifts its weight!
 
They'll probably appreciate the fact that you don't have any bad habits when it comes to horses. I know I have sooooooo many horridly bad and/or unsafe habits 😳 I'll have to unlearn them come time.
 
Thanks for all of your input!

It seems like I won't be at a total disadvantage with the (lack of) experience I have. Like y'all have mentioned, I'll be starting fresh, with no bad habits! And it's a little comforting to know that there are others that have been in my shoes, and survived (although, Jamr0ckin, ouch! That sounds painful! Being kicked is precisely what I'm scared of!). Good to know that there are clubs that will let me get some experience before labs, too. And hopefully I will have some LA and equine-inclined friends to show me the ropes! 😉
 
There are many people with a lot of horse experience that isn't worth crap. Many people (especially if they have only taken lessons at fancy show barns) tend to be very casual around the animals to the point of dangerous. (If I see another person leading a horse with the lead wrapped around their hand I will scream.) I learned the hard way that not all horses are going to be well mannered like mine are and that they can be very dangerous animals. This is especially true if you are dealing with them on a veterinary aspect. Animals in pain/discomfort are going to be very unpredictable.

Perfect example:
I did an internship this past summer at an equine sports medicine and athletic rehabilitation center (KESMARC). There were several interns there and many of us had years of horse experience. However, there were two interns who had never touched a horse before coming to Kesmarc. One was a vet student who was interested in learning about rehabilitation and another was a girl who was pre-vet and wanted the experience on her resume and she had connections to the owner.

Anywho... by the end of the internship those two girls were amazing. They learned incredibly quickly and were constantly aware of safety. On the other hand, there was another intern who loved to brag about her equestrian resume. She had a degree in equine science and just thought she was the bees knees. She was awful. Hands down she was terrible with horses and we all pretty much hated working with her.

So as long as you are willing to try (which you obviously are) you will be fine. Just a tip: keep an eye on the ears- pinned back means not happy.

Also, working at the therapeutic riding program may be a great start. All of those horses are usually dead broke and would be great for you to learn on.
 
(If I see another person leading a horse with the lead wrapped around their hand I will scream.)
And please for the love of pete, never ever put your hand in a halter, under a noseband, or anything of the sort.

An old timer I used to be aquainted with lost 3 fingers doing that with a yearling.

/scary story
 
Just a tip: keep an eye on the ears- pinned back means not happy.

Noted. 🙂 Safety is going to constantly be on the forefront of my mind since this is a new area for me!

I'm going to attend the volunteer orientation at the therapeutic riding center this Monday! I'm excited!
 
I loved, loved, LOVED my time in therapeutic riding. I had to stop unfortunately because the center I was volunteering at was 45 minutes one way from my home, and it just wasn't very possible with class load + a job. But it was such a great experience, not just for the horse experience, but for the PEOPLE experience. You will fall in love with those kids and adults. They are wonderful and strong people, it's such a great experience 🙂
 
And please for the love of pete, never ever put your hand in a halter, under a noseband, or anything of the sort.

An old timer I used to be aquainted with lost 3 fingers doing that with a yearling.

/scary story


My old trainer (75 year old classical dressage woman) never used lead ropes. There was a girl who learned to ride at her barn and she got all confused one day because she was watching TV and people were "walking horses around on leashes... like they were dogs!" I loled.

I can't speak for everyone, but I personally love teaching people about horses. They are usually so eager to learn and until they learn the terminology they can say some pretty amusing things. One of the interns without horse experience would always call a halter a "harness" and a stall a "cage." We needed to put a grazing muzzle on a yearling (prepping for sale and she was eating shavings) and she referred to it as the horse's "face-cage." Hopefully the OP will find someone who will enjoy teaching them. It may be intimidating because there seems to be SO much at first and most people speak it like a second language, but you will get there.

I'll never forget when my own vet had a 2nd or 3rd year vet student shadowing her. During the entire visit she was silent right until the end when she said very slowly and thoughtfully "now that... *points* That is the withers?" :laugh:
 
I too love teaching people about horses =) I love sharing anything I'm passionate about and getting people excited about those things as I am! I can't wait to do equine work in vet school. You've been given pretty good tips so far. Generally, just try to relax while always being aware of your surroundings. Horses are extremely sensitive creatures and they can sense when you're nervous. The really good ones will stay quiet and put you at ease, but some will either a.) take advantage of it or b.) become nervous and antsy themselves.

The thing is, most horses don't just haul off and kick or bite or do other naughty things. Generally they will give you some type of warning first, but it might take you a while around horses to develop that "feel" for their body language. That just comes with experience, which is why spending any time around horses at all will be helpful. Watch the ears-laid all the way back means angry, pricked way forward with the head held high means they are very attentive, can sometimes preceed a spook, ears held at half-mast with the head a bit lower means relaxed. Watch the nostrils, if they elongate and wrinkle their nostrils (this goes along with pinned ears) they are cranky. Sometimes you'll see the tail switching back and forth, which also indicates irritability (or flies lol).

Horses, for the most part, are good-natured animals, not the fire-breathing danger-bringing beasts some people make them out to be. As long as you use common sense and try to maintain some air of confidence, you'll be totally fine. 👍
 
Essentially, at least at our school, as long as you ADMIT you don't have a lot of horse experience you're fine... bc the horse people are happy to help out (what we dislike are the non horse people who pretend to know "everything" about horses and really don't). I love teaching and helping out and will pair up with the non horse people (in exchange for their help with SA stuff that I'm clueless about!)

I know that personally I have two old mares and I have classmates out to practice handling and PE skills on them to get comfortable and other classmates of mine have done the same as well ... you just have to find us and ask, most of us with horses are happy to help out!
 
I know that personally I have two old mares and I have classmates out to practice handling and PE skills on them to get comfortable and other classmates of mine have done the same as well ... you just have to find us and ask, most of us with horses are happy to help out!

I hope there are people like you at my school! At this point, just hanging around horses would be beneficial for me to get a "feel" for them like EllieGirl89 pointed out. Thanks for all the tips everyone!
 
I agree with everyone else. At my school they offer an equine science major and these students spend 4 years in school and thousands of dollars but all they have to show for it is a piece of paper, they lack real experience, handling of difficult animals, and simple first aid and treatment.

I don't think the amount of hours people have speaks for the quality of equine experience they have unfortunately.

What really matters now is that you got into school and are in the prime spot to now learn about the care and handling of horses so no worries, they don't always eat people. :laugh:
 
Hey, NCSU will have you working with horses for at least one lab every semester. If you really want to, you can even sign up for the equine elective first semester (I believe.) If you want more experience, all you need to to is talk to the staff in charge of the horses. One huge tip...do not squat next to a horse here; whatever exam you are taking you will lose the points for the equine part of the exam. Its a habit that lots of students have a hard time unlearning. Our horses are right outside the cafeteria (we are all enjoying loving on the new foals.) and the LA animal hospital is right behind the first year lockers (and students are welcome any time, just stay clear of the yellow safety zones.) Rounds each week as well, and second semester of anatomy includes palpations every week on horses and cows.
 
One huge tip...do not squat next to a horse here; whatever exam you are taking you will lose the points for the equine part of the exam. Its a habit that lots of students have a hard time unlearning.QUOTE]

That would be SUCH a hard habit for me to unlearn. What else are you supposed to do? Kneeling next to a horse is unsafe, and if you're doing something with a lower leg (especially wrapping), staying bent over for that amount of time could seriously hurt your back. Squatting is comfortable, gives you the ability to work on the leg (honestly, I don't understand HOW you'd even wrap a leg without squatting 😕) and still allows you to jump out of the way if the horse should spook or move suddenly.
 
That would be SUCH a hard habit for me to unlearn. What else are you supposed to do? Kneeling next to a horse is unsafe, and if you're doing something with a lower leg (especially wrapping), staying bent over for that amount of time could seriously hurt your back. Squatting is comfortable, gives you the ability to work on the leg (honestly, I don't understand HOW you'd even wrap a leg without squatting 😕) and still allows you to jump out of the way if the horse should spook or move suddenly.


Agreed, especially if it's a pony or something. I can wrap legs with the best of 'em, but I don't know if I could do it bending over. I think my angle would be too far off lol. Squatting here is perfectly okay. I've seen all the vets/techs/residents/students do it.

I just have to second everyone who has said that vet school provides lots and lots of opportunities to get some hands on experience. We have our share of wet labs, there's the neonate team where you are on call for critical babies that need constant supervision (foals, calves, goats/sheep/piggies/'pacas/etc), and they hire students to work in the LA ICU as overnight/weekend techs as well. First semester we have weekly hands on labs with different species to learn basic handling (and unlearn any thing you don't do the right away-- although I got major props for my leg-wrapping skills. Great ego-boost after a bad anatomy exam!). And as always, students are welcome to wander around the VTH. I spent 3 hours there early this morning with the overnight tech going thru all the cases/treatments/histories in the LA and Equine wards.
 
As you can see, you will have NO problem getting equine people to tell you 1,000,001 things about horses. You might, however, have a problem getting us to stop talking :laugh:.

I just wanted to add that one of my favorite equine vets had virtually no equine experience when he started vet school. At first, I (and many of his other clients) were a little dubious, but it actually worked to his advantage - no preconceived notions, no 'old wivestale' type remedies. He was very evidence-based in his treatments and a darn good vet. He wound up marrying someone who boarded at my barn and taking lessons there - very amusing to watch the vet learn how to post, canter for the first time, etc. 🙂
 
As you can see, you will have NO problem getting equine people to tell you 1,000,001 things about horses. You might, however, have a problem getting us to stop talking :laugh:.

:laugh: SO true.

If I get off the waitlists at one of the stateside schools, I'll be bringing my horse, and boy oh boy will he teach you about how to do equine first aid! 🙄 My horses have literally had everything, ever. If you've got no experience, there will be plenty of opportunities to learn, and befriending the equestrians with their own horses will be a great way to do it! Mine is super at this game. 😉
 
That would be SUCH a hard habit for me to unlearn. What else are you supposed to do? Kneeling next to a horse is unsafe, and if you're doing something with a lower leg (especially wrapping), staying bent over for that amount of time could seriously hurt your back. Squatting is comfortable, gives you the ability to work on the leg (honestly, I don't understand HOW you'd even wrap a leg without squatting 😕) and still allows you to jump out of the way if the horse should spook or move suddenly.

Kneeling isn't allowed either. bending, or kind of half squating (like how you do to work on hoofs) is allowed. You can wrap legs in those positions but you do have to retrain yourself.

The issue is that you won't always be working with horses that give much indication before action, and you won't always be working with horses that are use to anything being done with them and squatting does slow down your ability to move, particularly if a horse does something really stupid. As the profs say; horses you know are a different story, but were not teaching you to only work on your horses. I also was told that horses coming out of sedation and anesthesia tend to do stupid things, and if you have the habit in place, you'll just rely on habit at some point when you shouldn't have been down near legs at all.

It's not my rule, but it was drilled into us first year. You could lose all palpation points in anatomy for squatting (didn't matter if you knew the answer) and my understanding is it can cause you to be failed during 3rd year large animal practicals. Now, does that make it a good rule? I don't know, I'm not going into equine. All I know is that its good for an NCSU class of 2015 student without horse expeience to NOT develop the habit now and get pinged next year.
 
You can train yourself to not kneel pretty quickly. (sweat-wrapping 4 legs on a moving foal used to make my feet fall asleep and was incredibly painful for a while but I got used to it.) It is also easier to squat because if the horse steps to the side you can kind of squat-hobble after the leg. It may look incredibly silly but having them pull the wrap out of your hand to have it unroll all over the shavings is not a fun time.
 
I'm in the same boat as the OP and have begun asking around my area for equine experience because I want to get a bit more before vet school begins. I used to ride from 11-16 and did a little bit of volunteer work at a horse rescue but I have zero knowledge of equine veterinary medicine. I just have a basic idea of horse behavior and how to not get hurt when I'm around a horse but that's about it. I probably wouldn't even remember how to pick a hoof properly (sorry if that's the totally wrong lingo! 😳)

I got a name for an equine vet in the next county but the # I have is for his office. After reading all of the comments about how fruitless it typically is to cold call vets I'm discouraged! I know I need to just do it already.
 
you certainly aren't alone. I have zero large animal experience whatsoever. less than zero, if possible.
 
you certainly aren't alone. I have zero large animal experience whatsoever. less than zero, if possible.

You have -10 hours of LA experience. Cows see you coming and run away. :laugh:
 
You can train yourself to not kneel pretty quickly. (sweat-wrapping 4 legs on a moving foal used to make my feet fall asleep and was incredibly painful for a while but I got used to it.) It is also easier to squat because if the horse steps to the side you can kind of squat-hobble after the leg. It may look incredibly silly but having them pull the wrap out of your hand to have it unroll all over the shavings is not a fun time.


Yes, but Sum was saying that SQUATTING isn't allowed :laugh:
And agreed, about the shavings/bandages. I HATE HATE HATE using bandages that I haven't rolled myself for that reason. Nothing works that finding shavings halfway thru the bandage, or worse, finding that something was rolled and put away the wrong way.
 
Only bending over, ehh? Well I hope everyone is OK with seeing my underwear :laugh:

I can't even imagine not knowing how to be around horses, I've had a one track mind" PONY PONY PONY PONY!!!" since preschool. But if anyone in the wisconsin area wants to get horse experience PM me, I love teaching people and have two beginner-safe geldings.
 
Yes, but Sum was saying that SQUATTING isn't allowed :laugh:


😱

I have never been able to touch my toes in my life and am very inflexible in general. I don't think I would be able to reach the legs if I couldn't squat. 🙁
 
I have seen pretty much everyone from interns to senior clinicians with many decades of experience squat when needed to work on a horse, so I am intrigued by this iron-clad rule at NCSU. I agree that you shouldn't have your head down near a horse's hooves more than necessary, but I don't think the position of your butt, up or down, does much to protect you if a horse decides to kick. I'm not sure how you are expected to suture lower leg wounds if you have to look at and do everything from an extreme angle. Also, when you are leaning over far enough to work on a front fetlock, you have limited to no view of what the hind leg is doing; when you're squatting, you have a wider field of view in the plane that the horse's other legs are in. Maybe I'll try the bending over thing next time I have to wrap a leg, but I don't see it as being a realistic replacement for squatting when you have to spend a long time working on a lower leg. Do the vets there lean over for long periods of time when ultrasounding tendons?
 
Maybe I'll try the bending over thing next time I have to wrap a leg, but I don't see it as being a realistic replacement for squatting when you have to spend a long time working on a lower leg. Do the vets there lean over for long periods of time when ultrasounding tendons?

Again, I'm not an equestrian person, but it was what we were told again and again first year, throughout palpation and examination labs.

So, let me clarify on squating. you can squat to the point that your thighs are ~parallel to the ground, but you can't settle your weight into your hips and let your knees flex over. does that make sense? the position kills your thighs. As stated before, I don't know whether it makes sense or not. I got chewed out for it doing pregnancy ultrasounds over winter break. I've basicly learned to lean forward balancing weight over my thighs, but I admit its tough. Now, are they that tough in the hospital on it? I have no idea, the only time I'm in the hospital is during colic team duty.

Every ultrasound I have seen on tendons hasn't taken extremly long (no longer than a thorough pregnancy US) but again, I'm not with the horses all the time. my focus area is zoo med, so my time in the barns is limited. Give me two more years and I'll know what done in the hospital since I am required to do an equine surgery and an equine IM rotation. So sorry, I don't have a great explanation, and I dont' know if it is enforced beyond year 1-3 (year 3 we have large animal practicals that we must pass.)
 
Thanks for the explanation. I'll be interested to hear more in the future.
 
Everyone at our school's equine hospital squatted all the time, if it makes you feel any better. And more than half our patients were thoroughbreds. But we were schooled to stay very, very aware at all times.

Don't worry about a lack of equine experience, you'll get plenty in school 🙂
 
Don't worry about a lack of equine experience, you'll get plenty in school 🙂

Thank you everyone for your input! It's reassuring to hear the horse people telling me that I'll learn plenty in school.

Haha, that sounds funny..."horse people". You know what I mean.
 
And please for the love of pete, never ever put your hand in a halter, under a noseband, or anything of the sort.

An old timer I used to be aquainted with lost 3 fingers doing that with a yearling.

/scary story

😱

I think my prior excitement regarding impending equine exposure may have just gone down the toilet. :laugh:
 
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