Equine practice draws new grads, but retention pressures remain

EquiManagement’s new report, “Perspectives on Entering Equine Practice,” offers a more nuanced picture of the equine workforce pipeline than the specialty has had in years. Drawing on recent industry data and student and new-graduate perspectives, Amy L. Grice reports that some conditions are improving: in 2025, 7.8% of new veterinary graduates entered equine work as associates or interns, up nearly 2 percentage points from 2023 and 2024, and starting salaries for new equine associates averaged $95,611. But the article also underscores that familiar pressure points remain, including long hours, emergency duty, internship quality, and whether new doctors are truly mentored rather than used as labor. (equimanagement.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway isn’t simply that equine practice is attracting more interest. It’s that retention still appears fragile, especially early in a career. In a 2025 survey summarized by EquiManagement, 36.8% of respondents within five years of graduation said they were either currently considering leaving equine practice or had definitely decided to leave. Recent AAEP reporting points in the same direction: supportive mentorship, shared on-call duty, flexible schedules, and healthier practice culture were linked to career longevity, while toxic workplaces, excessive hours, financial stress, and poor work-life balance were seen as threats. (equimanagement.com)

What to watch: Expect continued scrutiny of internship standards, mentorship models, compensation, and emergency-coverage redesign as AAEP’s sustainability work moves from resources into practice-level adoption. (aaep.org)