Career Opertunities with Horses

Veterinarian

Duties

Veterinarians provide animal health and welfare services, and are involved in food safety, public health and environmental management. In general, they: perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations diagnose diseases provide advice regarding preventative health care and herd health inoculate animals against infectious diseases treat a wide range of injuries and disease conditions perform dental procedures on various species perform surgery on animals provide obstetrical and embryo transfer services keep records of sick animals provide euthanasia services when necessary. Diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries and other conditions often involves: collecting, examining and analyzing body tissue, feces, blood, urine or other body fluids taking and interpreting x-rays administering anesthesia and performing exploratory surgery. Preventive medical services include: parasite control programs vaccination programs against common viral and bacterial diseases routine examinations consultations regarding hygiene, nutrition, and general care and breeding of animals quality assurance programs for food animal species. Some veterinarians operate mixed animal practices, providing services for a wide range of animals. Others restrict their practices to acquaculture or particular types of animals such as: food-producing animals (beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry or fish) domestic pets and small animals exotic birds and animals wildlife and alternative livestock horses. Some veterinarians specialize in a medical discipline such as reproduction, surgery, oncology, dentistry, anesthesiology, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, cardiology or pathology. In addition to the above duties, veterinarians who own private practices have all the responsibilities of small business owners (for example, human resources and financial management, inventory management, marketing). In salaried positions, veterinarians may provide wildlife conservation, public health, food safety, agriculture development, disease surveillance or animal welfare services.

Working Conditions

The work can be physically demanding when working with large animals. Depending on the work situation, veterinarians may be required to lift up to or over 20 kilograms. Some have mobile clinics for treating animals in barns or open fields. Occupational hazards include contact with potentially dangerous animals and exposure to diseases which may be transmissible to human beings. After-hours emergency work is required in many types of veterinary practice.

Educational Requirements

Prospective veterinarians must complete at least two years of university studies followed by a four year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. Most applicants for DVM programs have completed more than two years of university work in a related faculty such as science or agriculture. Suitable pre-veterinary medicine programs are offered by post-secondary institutions throughout Alberta. Entrance requirements vary from one instititution and program to another but, in general, include a competitive average in English Language Arts 30-1, Pure Math 30, Biology 30, Chemistry 30 and Physics 30. The University of Calgary offers a four year Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. Applicants must have completed at least two years of full-time post-secondary instruction at a recognized college or university, and complete an interview. The program is open to Alberta residents only. Elsewhere in Canada, four year DVM degree programs are offered at the: University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon University of Guelph University of Montreal (instruction in French) Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown. Students planning to apply for admission should consult institution websites or calendars for information about post-secondary course requirements and residency requirements. Post-secondary institutions throughout Alberta offer university transfer programs that allow students to apply up to two years of study toward university bachelor's degree programs. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the courses they choose to take will be accepted for credit at the institution to which they wish to transfer.

Other Requirements
Under Alberta's Veterinary Profession Act and General Regulation, only registered members of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) may call themselves or practice as Veterinarians. However, animal health technologists may provide veterinary services under the supervision of a Registered Veterinarian.

Employment and Advancement

Some veterinarians establish their own veterinary practices but most find employment as associates or partners in established veterinary practices. Veterinarians who do not choose private or clinical practice may be employed as: agricultural commodity inspectors food hygienists researchers in the field of animal disease pharmaceutical company representatives administrators of veterinary public health programs race horse inspectors at racetracks teachers at veterinary colleges animal health or public health researchers clinical veterinarians for laboratory or zoo animals. Veterinarians employed by government agencies may advance in grade and salary as they accumulate time and experience on the job. In Alberta, most veterinarians work in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry. The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including: trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry) location in Alberta employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions) occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before) size of the occupation. Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Salary
In 2005, Albertans in the Veterinarians occupational group working part-time or full-time earned from $35,600 to $171,500 a year. The average salary was $75,800 a year (2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey). More recent data is not available.

Other Sources of Information
Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above) EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website: www.avma.ab.ca Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) websites: www.canadianveterinarians.net and www.animalhealthcare.ca

Veterinary Technician

Duties

Animal health technologists provide a wide range of animal health services under the supervision of veterinarians. In general, their duties include: emergency first aid collecting and preparing laboratory specimens for testing performing blood, urine, fecal and other routine laboratory tests filling prescriptions and administering prescribed medications and treatments receiving and preparing animals for examination or surgery monitoring clinical symptoms assisting veterinarians in surgically-related operations administering and monitoring anesthetic producing and developing radiographs performing dental cleaning restraining animals calculating and administering medications and fluids providing rehabilitation therapy for animals implementing radiation safety and quality control procedures providing health care guidance to owners (for example, regarding behaviour problems in pets, animal nutrition) assisting in the euthanasia and aftercare of animals cleaning, maintaining and sterilizing surgical and medical instruments and equipment managing pharmaceutical and product inventory ensuring facility sanitation to control the spread of disease assisting in food animal monitoring programs maintaining medical records and log books. Animal health technologists may have additional responsibilities such as: writing reports recommending and selling products maintaining research information reception, accounting and invoicing duties.

Educational Requirements

Animal health technologists must have a two year Animal Health Technology/Veterinary Technology diploma accredited by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. In Alberta, the following institutions offer two year diploma programs in Animal Health Technology: Lakeland College in Vermilion. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma with English Language Arts 30-1, Chemistry 30 and at least 60 per cent in Biology 30 and Pure Math 20, or equivalent qualifications. Applicants must complete a career investigation report and have 40 hours of voluntary or paid work experience in a veterinary clinic within the past two years. the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton and Fairview. Entrance requirements include English Language Arts 30-1 (English 30) or 30-2 (English 33), Biology 30, Chemistry 30 and Pure or Applied Math 30, and 80 hours of volunteer or paid work experience in a veterinary clinic. A high school diploma is recommended. A career investigation report is required. Success in the program requires computer literacy. Olds College. This program includes 14 months at Olds College, two months of work experience and one month at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent with at least 60 per cent in English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Pure or Applied Math 30, Chemistry 30 and Biology 30. A minimum of 80 hours of volunteer or paid work experience in a veterinary clinic must be completed within two years prior to admission. This program has an on-line delivery option. For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites. Before enrolling in any program, prospective students should check with the Canadian Association of Animal Health Technologists and Technicians to make sure the program is recognized across Canada.

Other Requirements
In Alberta, membership in the Alberta Association of Animal Health Technologists (AAAHT) is required to work as an animal health technologist under the direction of a registered veterinarian. Graduation from an accredited Animal Health Technology diploma program and successful completion of an examination administered by the AAAHT are required for membership in the association.

Employment and Advancement

Animal health technologists may be employed by: private veterinary practices zoos, wildlife parks and rehabilitation centres biomedical research laboratories kennels, animal shelters and humane societies the Canadian Forces government departments and food inspection agencies (see the Agricultural Commodity Inspector occupational profile) pet shops companies that sell animal care or pharmaceutical supplies farms and feedlots post-secondary institutions. Advancement generally takes the form of being given more responsibility. Animal health technologists are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 3213: Veterinary and Animal Health Technologists and Technicians. In Alberta, 85 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry. The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including: trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above) location in Alberta employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions) occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before) size of the occupation. Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Salary
According to the 2007 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Veterinary and Animal Health Technologists and Technicians occupational group working part-time or full-time earned from $25,900 to $51,700 a year. The average salary was $32,800 a year.

Other Sources of Information
Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above) EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo Alberta Association of Animal Health Technologists (AAAHT) website: www.aaaht.com Canadian Association of Animal Health Technologists and Technicians (CAAHTT) website: www.caahtt-acttsa.com

Farrier

Duties

Farriers care for horses' hooves and may apply horseshoes for protection, traction or therapeutic gait correction. In general, farriers: trim and shape hooves look for any existing or developing foot problems, and work in co-operation with equine veterinarians remove old horseshoes or select the correct shoes, shoe size and type of shoe for the type of work done by the animal, the type of terrain and the condition of the hoof shape shoes (hot or cold) to fit a horse's hooves nail horseshoes to hooves or glue shoes on if hooves cannot accommodate nailing ensure that shoes fit properly educate horse owners about caring for horses' feet. Shoeing a horse usually takes about an hour. Farriers must work quickly and confidently and, at the same time, reassure nervous horses and deal with troublesome ones. Farriers also may fashion equipment such as hoof picks, fire pokes and fire shovels out of bars of steel.

Educational Requirements

Farriers need a working knowledge of: how to get along with horses gaits general horse husbandry practices horse anatomy and physiology as it applies to conformation and stance how to shoe a horse to compensate for or correct a deficiency in conformation how to handle a forge and the tools of the trade. Since most farriers are self-employed, they also must be self-motivated and have good marketing and business skills. In Alberta, Olds College offers a one year Farrier Science certificate program that runs from January to December. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, have English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2, Pure or Applied Math 20 and Biology 20, and demonstrate knowledge of the farrier profession, horse handling and tool use. A questionnaire, references and an interview are required. For current information about the program, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check the Olds College calendar or website. Continuing education programs may be offered on an as needed basis. Another method of learning the skills of the farrier trade is to arrange an informal apprenticeship with an experienced farrier. The length of such a training program would depend on the person's skills and desire to learn. However, informal apprenticeships are often difficult to set up because farriers are paid for the work done, not the time required, and it takes time to train someone.

Employment and Advancement

Most farriers are self-employed. Many start out by working part-time while employed in another job and go full-time when their practice has grown sufficiently. They may work in small shops or from mobile units and travel to: breeding farms riding stables acreages, farms and ranches racetracks feedlots. Farriers work year round with working and pleasure stock and with race horses but there tends to be less work in the winter months. Experienced farriers may specialize in a particular type of horse (for example, show horses, standardbred horses or pleasure horses). Advancement generally takes the form of building a larger clientele. Farriers are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 7266: Blacksmiths and Die Setters. In Alberta, 76 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the following industries: Agriculture Information, Culture and Recreation. The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including: trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above) location in Alberta employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions) occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before) size of the occupation. Very few Albertans are employed in the Blacksmiths and Die Setters occupational group. Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Salary
Farriers are self-employed and must pay operating expenses from their gross earnings. Their net earnings vary considerably depending on the geographic area and the farrier's reputation and business skills.

Other Sources of Information
Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above) EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

Horse Trainer

Other Horse Career Opportunities

Careers that have daily contact with horses:

Veterinarian	Rehabilitation therapist	Riding Instructor
Veterinary Technician	Artificial Inseminator	Bloodstock Agent
Identifier	Rodeo Professional	Stallion Manager
Manager	Show Secretary	Judge
Trainer	Farm Manager	Mounted Police Officer
Breeder	Hot Walker	Farrier
Pony Person	Groom	Steward
Driver	Jockey	Jockey Valet
Jockey Agent

IV. Careers that are related to horses:

Extension Horse Specialist	Actuary (insurance)
Association Executive	Feed Manufacturer
Lab Technician	Director of Public Relations
Financial Advisor	Architect
Engineer	Accountant
Sales Person	Clerical
Artist	Motion Picture Writer
Clothing Designer	Water Truck Operator
Tack Store Owner	Human Society Director
Illustrator	Reporter
Carpenter	Tour Guide
Trailer Salesperson