With the equine veterinary industry facing a shortage of new veterinarians and the exit of existing veterinarians, Boehringer Ingelheim is launching a program to help transform the future of equine veterinary practice. 

“Equine health care as a whole is already feeling the pinch from having fewer veterinarians in the field, and we know even greater challenges are ahead if this trend continues,” says Amanda McAvoy, Executive Director, U.S. Equine Business. “To help address this issue, we’ve created The Stable Life, an initiative that provides tools and resources that practitioners can use to help their practices thrive, ultimately leading to more of them staying in the equine veterinary field.” 

According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), only a small percentage of new veterinary school graduates pursue an equine focus.  Of these new equine practitioners, 50% leave for small animal practice or leave the field entirely after just five years. 

“We know that these new graduates initially chose to pursue veterinary medicine because of their desire to improve the health of horses,” says McAvoy. “These practitioners have pointed to burnout, fatigue, lack of life/work balance and the challenges of running a business as some of the reasons for leaving the equine practice.” 

Boehringer Ingelheim has had a history of supporting practitioners that reaches beyond being partners in equine health care. On an ongoing basis, Boehringer Ingelheim sponsors working sessions throughout the country featuring industry experts on such topics as: 

• 12 Steps to Transforming Your Equine Practice 
   
• Rockstar Resilience for the Equine Veterinarian 
   
• Five Simple Ways to Increase Profitability 
   
• The Neuroscience of Difficult Conversations 
   
• Creating a Sustainable Life in Equine Practice 

During the 2022 AAEP convention, Jamie Pribyl, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim Professional Services Veterinarian, moderated the Lifestyle and Wellness Panel, with discussions centered around time management, boundaries, communication and professional guilt.  

“We will continue to support the AAEP sustainability efforts and provide ongoing webinars and working sessions on these topics,” says McAvoy. “But we are also looking for more ways to support equine practitioners through The Stable Life.” 

As an initial step, AAEP attendees were invited to complete a confidential survey covering such topics as personal, financial and career challenges. Content delivery preference was also addressed.  

“We think we know what veterinarians need in order to thrive in this business, but we want to be sure we are addressing as many needs as we can moving forward,” says McAvoy. “By having the veterinary community participate in the process of building The Stable Life, we think we will develop the most effective tools possible and be able to deliver them in a meaningful and impactful way.” 

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