Azrael Scarpelli (SEBS'25) had the honor of participating in the prestigious Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI). KEMI is a six-month program dedicated to improving the opportunities for college students wishing to pursue a career in the field of equine management.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
There are so many to choose from, but there is truly nothing more thrilling than getting called in at midnight for a foaling! There were some crazy ones and you never knew what to expect when you were on your way to the barn! Additionally, being there to witness a foal's first steps is one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever been a part of.
What did your day-to-day look like?
We start work at 7 a.m. and depending on what part of the season it is we either turn mares out from the barn to be out all day or bring them in after being turned out all night. Later in the season when we are assigned full foaling barns, we take temperatures, administer medications, and examine the overall foal health. We then muck stalls, refill waters, and do any standard barn maintenance as needed, until the vet arrives. We then go around assisting the vet with heat and pregnancy checks on the mares (I love seeing a pregnancy on the ultrasound). When we finish there, it's time for lunch! After lunch we finish up any barn chores, feed the horses, bring in the horses if they were out all day, or turn them out if they stay out at night. Once everybody is fed and where they are supposed to be, that is when our day is finished (usually at 4 p.m.).
On Mondays, interns have a lecture after work, and we go and hear from a different industry professional about their career or a particular area of equine science/current events! Every month we also shadow a professional in a career we are interested in pursuing or just want to learn more about, as well as volunteer at different equine non-profits (my personal favorites were BraveHearts Equine Center and The Secretariat Center).
What were some of the challenging aspects?
It was difficult at first getting used to the shift from being a full-time student to working full-time as an intern. A new routine, new location, and new people in my life after being at Rutgers for the past few years took some getting used to, but after a few weeks, I got my bearings in Lexington. The most important thing for me was establishing a schedule in order to stay on top of my assignments after work, but once I sorted that out it was smooth sailing.
Do you have any advice for Rutgers students?
I would encourage any animal science student trying to figure out what career they want in the equine industry to apply for this internship! It was designed to encourage students to explore their career interests as well as meet people and make connections that can help in obtaining that career. Say yes to every opportunity! There were certain things I wasn't expecting to strike my interest, only for me to do them and love it. I learned during my time in the foaling barns that I love inspecting placenta health and it inspired me to start looking into research opportunities focused on pregnant mare health.