Background: The number of new veterinary graduates entering equine practice continues to decline, and more than half leave the field within five years. Understanding the perspectives of veterinary students is critical for developing interventions that promote retention and long-term career satisfaction in equine medicine. Objective: To explore what factors influence veterinary student interest in and commitment to equine practice using the Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory as a guiding framework. Study design: Qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured student focus groups. Methods: Eighteen veterinary students who have considered or are actively pursuing equine medicine were recruited via snowball and convenience sampling to participate in virtual focus groups. Discussions were transcribed and analyzed using Delve, where they were then coded in the context of the COR Theory. A card sorting activity was used to rank the four resource domains in the COR Theory (condition, object, energy, and personal resources). Results: Students emphasized the importance of structured mentorship, supportive work environments, and work-life balance. Barriers included concerns about gender bias, compensation, student debt, and unrealistic client expectations. Personal passion for equine medicine and positive early experiences with horses were key motivators for pursuing the field. Main limitations: The study sample may not represent the diversity of veterinary student experiences across regions or schools. Conclusions: Veterinary students interested in equine practice face challenges related to work-life balance, mentorship, financial viability, and inclusivity. Despite these barriers, many students remain motivated by a desire to contribute something meaningful to the field and by positive early experiences with horses. Creating structured mentorship, increasing inclusivity in equine medicine, and addressing workload and compensation concerns may improve student retention and career satisfaction in equine practice.

Background: Flysheet use is common without any published scientific evidence to justify their use. Objectives: To demonstrate the effectiveness of flysheets at reducing fly avoidance behaviors and measure changes in body temperature, heart rate, or cortisol levels. Study design: 10-week alternating crossover design Methods: 6 horses were divided into two groups. Flysheets were alternated between groups weekly for 10 weeks. Fly avoidance behaviors were recorded for 30-minutes once weekly. Cortisol samples were collected before flysheet application or removal, and again 10 minutes later. Star-Oddi data loggers recorded heartrate and temperature every 15 minutes throughout the study period. Results: Flysheet use significantly reduced fly avoidance behaviors. Mean head tosses decreased from 12.17 (95% CI: 17.58–6.76) to 2.33 (95% CI: 0.64–4.02) (p<0.0001), and tail swishing fell from 214.67 (95% CI: 131.06-298.28) to 52.54 (95% CI: 11.17-93.92) (p<0.0001). Mean baseline cortisol levels were lowest without flysheets (2.92, 95% CI: 2.35-3.48 μg/dL), though no time effect was detected (p>0.05). Body temperatures differed by group: Group A had higher mean temperature with flysheets ON (35.85°C, 95% CI: 35.77–35.93) vs. OFF (35.53°C, 95% CI: 35.44–35.62, p<0.0001), whereas Group B had lower mean temperature with flysheets ON (36.42°C, 95% CI: 36.34–36.51) vs. OFF (36.70°C, 95% CI: 36.61–36.79, p<0.0001). Heart rate was significantly higher with flysheets ON (+6.3 bpm, 95% CI: +4.9 to +7.7, p<0.0001). Main limitations: Sample size was small, and one horse was removed from the study due to an unrelated condition. Star-Oddi devices were rejected by two horses creating gaps in data collection. Conclusions: Flysheets effectively reduced insect avoidance behaviors but were associated with increased heart rate and group-dependent effects on body temperature, suggesting a potential thermal or physiologic cost. Flysheet use may improve horse comfort during insect season, but heat load and physiologic stress should be monitored.

Background: There is a shortage of equine veterinarians. Understanding what factors are associated with job satisfaction in equine veterinarians can inform interventions to increase retention in equine medicine. Objective: To explore the prominent factors causing work dissatisfaction and burnout in equine veterinarians. Study design: A qualitative research study was conducted that consisted of semi-structured focus groups. Methods: Thirty-seven current and former equine veterinarians across the United States were recruited via snowball and convenience sampling to answer questions on work history, work-life balance, and perceptions of equine practice. Transcripts were analyzed in Delve and coded in the context of the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. A card sorting activity was used to rank the four types of resources in the COR theory (condition, object, energy, personal). Results: Condition resources were the most frequently mentioned reasons for work dissatisfaction. These included issues with discrimination or bias due to age, race/ethnicity, and gender, unpredictable and long hours, and heavy workload. Object resources, such as equipment, were rarely mentioned. Energy resources, including pay and student loan debt, were influential, with most participants feeling that equine veterinarians are underpaid. Personal resources, such as problem-solving skills and enjoyment in helping others, improved job satisfaction. Main limitations: Although recruiting efforts prioritized perspectives of black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus (LGBTQ+) identities, and members with disabilities, demographic information was not directly collected. Conclusions: The main barriers to equine veterinary retention included lack of work-life balance, long hours, lower-than-expected pay, and issues with discrimination and bias. This study highlights areas for intervention to improve the equine veterinary field, such as higher pay, rural practice incentives, and effective diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts. A shift toward caseload-sharing between veterinarians could help alleviate excessive emergency on-call and burnout.