Developing Equine Professionals in the 21st Century

Abstract Text: Developing students for careers in the equine industry can be considered within the three themes of student background, industry need, and changing environment. Industry need has always been part of the equation but until recently there was limited focus on the idea that student background should be considered in this process. In addition, the work environment for equine professionals was much more static. Curriculums were designed on experiences and perceptions of faculty that had typically grown up around horses, and coursework was geared toward students arriving on campus with an agriculture background. Today this is dramatically different and data from NAEAA studies [1] indicate that many students enter with limited hands-on equine and/or agricultural background. Given this, approaches to developing equine professionals no longer start with the premise that students arrive at college with a developed understanding of equines and the equine industry. Coupled with this is the reality that the equine industry has entered a dramatically different time where even the notion of what it means to own and care for a horse is less clear. As society moves farther from agriculture and farther from viewing horses as farm animals, the concept of “equine professional” becomes both complex and ambiguous. While the equine industry continues with needs and expectations for hands-on and support work, it also calls for professionals with new and emerging knowledge, skill sets, and approaches. Whether a curriculum focuses on the science of horse care or the business components of the horse industry, successful preparation for the 21^stcentury hinges on preparing professionals to work in an environment filled with VUCA - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. This term, coined in the late 1990’s reflects the reality of a rapidly changing global environment that is both highly connected and largely disparate. Equine professionals will be best served by recognizing the critical importance of thinking beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of horse care and embracing the importance of advocacy and broad interconnectedness. As educators, it is our job to assess the backgrounds, interests and perceptions of our students and develop curriculums that address current and future industry needs; and to do so within an expanded view of the equine industry and the broader mindsets critical to growth and success.

[1] Bump, K.D. , Livermore, J, Williams, T.S. National Trends: The entering ‘equine’ student population. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 33 (2013) 386

Keywords: equine, education, career preparation