I Love What I Do
7/8/2010

I just recently completed another round of interviews of technician students who would like to come to Littleton Equine for their internship. The decisions are often tough, how do you know who will be a good equine technician? In the course of these interviews, I am often asked why I chose to go into equine medicine and I always appreciate the question. It forces me to pause and reflect on exactly why I choose to be an equine veterinary technician. I love what I do, plain and simple as that. Unfortunately that answer does not satisfy the curious. Why do I love what I do? After a lot of thought, I’ve come up with three main reasons. One: I think horses are beautiful and amazing animals. It is my job to poke them with needles, feed them medications that taste bitter, administer drugs that cause them to become recumbent, ask them to trot on a limb that hurts or stand still while loud equipment works around them. They can kill or inflict serious injury at any moment, yet they choose more often than not to keep me safe. I can lose myself into hair warmed from the sun outside, big eyes framed in long lashes and a soft nicker. The smell of manure mixed with hay and dust is rarely offensive; it is rather a welcome reminder of an honest day’s work. When I enter a stall with a patient, there are a few brief moments of peace and calm that I wouldn’t trade in for anything. I could go on for days. Two: horses are incredibly intelligent and I am often challenged to match wits with them. Those of you who have had the opportunity of convincing a 1200 lb horse that it is a good idea to allow me to put a radiology cassette between their hind legs when they see no need for such nonsense; you understand what I’m talking about. Not convinced that horses are intelligent beings? Try leaving a stall door latch within reach with food or freedom on the other side. Third: horse people are crazy. Before you begin writing letters to the editor, allow me to finish my thought. Horse people may be a little different sometimes but in this day and age there are not many people who help each other as often as those bound together by horses. I see clients drop everything to trailer a friend’s horse, sit in vigil with them through colic surgery, lend a veterinarian their favorite boots for her first show, buy you a coffee because their horse tried to kick you and generally be there to laugh and cry, come what may. My words are in no way are meant to belittle the work that other technicians do on their species of choice, just my thoughts on why I love what I do. Interested in exploring the world of the equine veterinary technician? Visit the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technician website at www.aaevt.org.

Do you love what you do? If so, why?

Cheers!


Added Comments

Anonymous User WELL SAID. YOU ARE RIGHT, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOVE HORSES TO UNDERSTAND THE MADNESS WE SHARE.

Molly Cripe This is now my quote of the year. Of my life. Thank you for sharing.