Interns Get an Inside Look at Research - Kentucky Equine Research

KEntucKy EquinE REsEaRch
Interns
Get an Inside
Look at Research
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Interns are exposed to many facets of
equine nutrition and exercise physiology
research. Operating the high-speed
treadmill, including the use of heartrate
monitors, is a core competency
for interns, as so many of the studies
performed at Kentucky Equine Research
include an exercise component.
For any young person contemplating a career in equine research,
there’s no better way to spend a summer break or post-collegiate
year than being an intern at Kentucky Equine Research (KER).
Located in the center of Kentucky’s famed Bluegrass country, KER
is a private company that conducts a variety of studies related to
equine nutrition and exercise physiology. Under the guidance of expert staff
members, visiting researchers, and KER’s in-house veterinarian, interns participate
in every phase of the research protocol.
The KER internship program is offered as either a year-long opportunity
or a three-month summer term. Applicants must have completed several
years of a college program in equine science or a closely related field. They
also should be comfortable and confident in handling Thoroughbred horses.
Finally, interns need to understand the importance of following protocol for
data collection, as their duties encompass not just daily horse care but the
actual procedures involved in a treadmill exercise study or feeding trial.
After being selected as research interns, these young adults are swept into
a busy program of equine activities. They are the first staff members to arrive
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at the farm each morning, and they may need to make late-evening visits
to one of the barns for a feeding or to keep a precise schedule for blood
sampling. KER maintains about two dozen research horses that range
in age from yearlings (the subject of studies on factors affecting skeletal
maturation or the effect of exercise on bone density) to horses in their
20s that may be used in feeding trials to compare the bioavailability of
various dietary components. Care of these horses—feeding, grooming,
cleaning stalls, scheduling vaccinations and visits from farriers—is a
major part of an intern’s duties. If you ask the interns, however, it’s the
actual research that provides the most fascinating part of each day.
Ariane Wehrmaker traveled from Germany to spend a year as an
intern, learning skills that she’d never encountered during her years at a
university. She weighed horses on an equine scale before and after exercise
and monitored heart rate and performance intensity when the horses
worked on the treadmill. She commented, “Participating in research
has been interesting. I’ve learned to do hands-on techniques like taking
blood from a catheter, spinning it, and doing separations. Interpreting
x-rays for a bone density study is another thing I learned.”
KEntucKy EquinE REsEaRch
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Interns
Research
horses are often outfitted
in special muzzles. Diets are strictly
monitored during research trials,
and grazing would compromise study
results. The muzzles allow horses to
enjoy exercise while maintaining the
integrity of the research.
At home in England, Nicola Crowley
had developed an interest in equine
nutrition because her Arabian mare was
a picky eater with metabolic issues that
caused her to have severe muscle cramps
known as tying-up. Nicola applied to
the KER intern program because she
wanted to learn more about feeding
individual horses. After completing
her year of work in the barn, she spent
an additional year as a research fellow
with the company. In this capacity, she
helped to complete nutrition evaluations
for horses that had problems or
conditions related to feed management.
A number of metabolic abnormalities
in horses can be alleviated by making
simple changes in a feeding program,
and Nicola found satisfaction in advising
owners and trainers as to the best
plan for their specific horses.
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Interns
There is a balance between the physical and intellectual
parts of the position, and former intern Sharon Warner
was enthusiastic about this latter focus. Discussing research
ideas with her instructors at the university, Sharon was
frustrated time after time as she encountered a discouraging
“that can’t be done” attitude. Being at KER and participating
in all phases of a research project, from the design
through data collection and analysis, and on to the conclusion
and application, was an eye-opening opportunity. “My
experience at KER has given me a better understanding of
what’s feasible and how to structure it,” she said.
Of course, the interns don’t spend all their time in
the barn, and the internships offer unique opportunities
for exploration, learning, and fun. Taking advantage of
the resources in central Kentucky during their off-duty
hours, some interns have gone on tours of top breeding
farms, visited veterinary hospitals, attended lectures on
equine topics at the University of Kentucky, and enjoyed
recreational pursuits as diverse as sky-diving and cave exploration.
When their time at KER ends, they leave with
new skills and a better feel for the type of career they
want to pursue. Many have stayed in the field of animal
science: Rachel Moxon is a canine research associate
with Guide Dogs UK and has had a number of papers
published in professional journals; Sarah Acornley is a
veterinary nurse in Australia; and Abigail Scherer-Hoock
manages the breeding and genetics of laboratory mice for
the Division of Comparative Medicine at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
Tiffany Dobbs exemplifies the idea of using the internship
as a bridge between classroom learning and a career
in equine research. Having earned degrees in applied
animal science with special study in insulin resistance
from the University of Queensland, Tiffany had first
applied to work at KER’s Australian office, but when she
heard about the research intern program, she jumped at
the chance to spend a year in the U.S. “I really enjoyed
working with the KER team on insulin resistance research,”
she said.
She also was fortunate to be able to learn from Stephanie
Valberg, D.V.M., an expert on equine metabolic
disease, who visited KER to conduct muscle biopsies as
part of a cooperative research project with the University
of Minnesota. Tiffany made connections with a number
of other industry professionals who welcomed her skills
and enthusiasm. She spent some time assisting with studies
of genetics, reproduction, and nutrition at the Gluck
Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky.
Training, riding, and showing third-level dressage horses
at a nearby stable took up more hours. Returning to the
University of Queensland, she has spent the last several
years working toward a doctorate. Her studies focus on
insulin and glucose dynamics during pregnancy and
lactation of mares and growing foals. “This relates to the
occurrence of osteochondritis dissecans in Thoroughbred
yearlings,” she explained. “It’s a very large project. I have
some great and exciting results, and I’m now in the final
stages of completing my doctorate.”
Getting close to the end of their stay in Kentucky are
current interns Olivia Yates and Amanda Grev. Olivia is
from England, where she earned a degree in equine dental
science. She has a particular interest in the relation-
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“I am hoping that my summer
spent at Kentucky Equine Research
will give me the experience
needed for acceptance into a
graduate program. Experience in
the equine nutrition field is hard
to come by, and I feel especially
privileged to have interned at
Kentucky Equine Research.”
Kathleen Keough
ship between nutrition and digestive disorders and
would like to pursue an advanced degree in equine
nutrition after her internship is completed. Amanda
is from Minnesota and graduated with bachelor’s
degrees in equine science and animal science. She
would like to earn an advanced degree in the future.
She came to KER because she wanted to gain more
practical experience with horses and equine research
before continuing her education.
Being able to list this type of experience on a resume
is invaluable if an intern wants to pursue an advanced
degree. Kathleen Keough, who was a summer intern
in 2011, is now in her last year at Truman State
University. “I have applied to equine nutrition graduate
programs at the University of Kentucky and the
University of Florida,” she said. “I am hoping that my
summer spent at Kentucky Equine Research will give
me the experience needed for acceptance into a graduate
program. Experience in the equine nutrition field is
hard to come by, and I feel especially privileged to have
interned at Kentucky Equine Research.”
Any university student or recent graduate of an equine studies program who
wants to sample hands-on clinical equine research may apply to spend a summer
or a year as a research intern. In past years, young horse enthusiasts from almost
a dozen countries have come to KER to be part of the research team. Without
exception, interns have reported that they have gained knowledge and skills from
their time in Kentucky. To learn more about how to apply for this unique opportunity,
e-mail cwhitehouse@ker.com or go to www.ker.com, scroll to the bottom
of the page, and click on Career Opportunities.
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