Equitarian Initiative

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Equitarian Initiative

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To sustainably improve the health and welfare of working horses, donkeys, mules and their families

We offer hands-on learning and discussion at the Equitarian Workshops and Equitarian projects. Veterinarians are empowered and mentored to join and start health care delivery projects in partnership with local veterinarians, veterinary colleges and charities that share our vision. We strive to increase public awareness of the vital role working equids play in developing economies and the critical support they provide for the livelihood of the families that depend on them.

11/02/2026

When organizations sit together, the conversation gets interesting fast. Everyone brought different strategies, ideas and challenges with one goal, everyone wanted the same thing: better lives for working equids. 🌎🐴🙌🏻

11/01/2026

👨🏼‍🌾🌽🐴Yunteros, vets, students and technicians, all around the animals, all learning from each other. Turn the sound on in your imagination: lots of questions, lots of laughing, and a few hats being tipped.

This is what working equid care looks like when it starts with the people who live it. OneHealth

10/31/2026

🌽👨🏼‍🌾We left the conference room and went to Xochimilco, and the roles flipped. 🌱

On the last day: We listened. Groups were mixed on purpose: Yunteros, government staff, local and international vets, and students, all rotating through five zones: welfare assessment, handling and training, harnessing, nutrition, and disease and lesions.

The goal was to ask the people who work with these animals every day how they spot a problem and how they solve it. They know their equids, their land, and their traditions far better than any visiting specialist. A lot of what we came to “share” ended up being what we learned.

That’s what a colloquium should be: a conversation to share knowdelge 🙌🏻🫏

EquitarianInitiative

10/31/2026

🫏The most popular thing at the colloquium wasn’t a slide. It was a donkey. 🫏

The Yunteros association brought a life-size donkey sculpture and put a real harness on it, so we could all see how it works instead of just hearing about it. The farmers also brought little samples of their different corn varieties. Science and tradition, side by side on the same table.

That was the spirit of days 2 and 3. We heard about restoring animal traction in Mexico City’s conservation land, harness research that went high-tech and came back to the field, community mule breeding programs, and what working equids can teach us about One Health. We also talked about education: how we train the next generation of vets and the community members who care for these animals every day.

We closed the day at the Centro Cultural Universitario, listening to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería play Hans Zimmer’s film music. Goosebumps. 🎻

10/30/2026

🇲🇽🫏Old books, big ideas, and a room full of people who care about the same animals at FMVZ UNAM.

We started the International Colloquium on Education and Extension with Working Equids on with a walk through the UNAM Central Campus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, then spent time in the historic library at the veterinary faculty.

That afternoon we sat down for a round table on ethical and sustainable veterinary outreach with people from all over the world, all focused on working equids. 🌎🐴

EquitarianInitiative

10/15/2026

CALLING ALL EQUITARIANS!!

As our programs continue to grow, so does our need for essential supplies and resources to support the working equids and communities we serve!
Just in time for the giving season, EI has developed a master wishlist of supplies needed across our global programs, making it easier than ever to support our work in a meaningful way.

Whether you make a financial contribution or give the gift of essential supplies through an in-kind donation, your generosity helps us provide veterinary care, hands-on education, and lasting support to working equids and the communities that depend on them.

76 cents of each dollar goes directly to programs and 24% of our revenue goes into overhead expenses (staff, marketing, insurance, software, etc.) This means that even the smallest amount can make a lasting impact on our programs and capacity building!

HOW DO I DONATE?

1. Go to Slide 3: scan either QR code!
2. Click the link in our bio for all donation options!
3. Want to donate supplies?
Click the link in our bio for our master supply donation list and Amazon wishlist!
4. Navigate to: equitarianinitiative.org/donate
5. Finances tight this year? That's okay! Share our posts, donation pages, and ask your friends/family/local clinics to support us!

10/12/2026

In honor of Indigenous People's Day, we are proud to celebrate and support our partners in the Navajo, Hopi, Lakota and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes. Through a long standing collaborative effort, we have been able to host bi-annual clinics on reservation lands in Utah, South Dakota, New Mexico and Arizona.

At these clinics we provide dental care, basic triage/surgery and preventative wellness for the local horse populations. More than that, our clinics provide a chance for veterinary students, technicians, community members, and practitioners alike to learn from each other and how we can better serve the horses and their people.

It is a privilege to work with the incredible horsemen and women of these indigenous nations to not only provide care for their horses, but to help preserve a way of life. Click the link in our bio or scan the QR code to learn how you can support these programs!

"The horse symbolizes personal drive, passion, and appetite for freedom. Among all the spirit animals, the horse — šúŋkawakȟaŋ is one that shows a strong motivation that carries one through life." - Akta Lakota Cultural Center

10/11/2026

New World Screwworm isn’t a fly we’re trying to manage. We’re trying to eradicate it.

And there’s a reason why.

🎧 Learn more about New World Screwworm with leading experts Dr. Phillip Kaufman, Professor and Department Head at and Chair of the New World Screwworm Task Force, and Dr. Neil Gray, Equine Veterinarian, on episode 121 of the Beyond the Barn podcast - https://www.standleeforage.com/podcast/episodes/ep-121-new-world-screwworm-how-it-spreads-what-to-watch-for-how-to-protect-your-horse-and-other-livestock

09/23/2026

When we talk about the mission of the Equitarian Initiative -- finding a sustainable way to provide veterinary care to working equids-- Peru is the program that comes to mind. After over a decade of trips to remote communities in the Andes, we are able to appreciate the lasting impact of this work. Not just in the volume of horses, donkeys and mules treated--but in the fact that most of the faces we see running the show now are local. Veterinarians who have grown up in our programs, who have taken on leadership roles, and who have leaned on EI for support to provide consistent care to these areas.

As we have taken a small step back with boots on the ground work in Peru we are able to recognize what a sustainable non profit looks like--teaching, sharing, and providing so that one day the people we help are able to help themselves.

Scan the QR code in the final photo to watch a documentary on our 2018 trip to Peru, highlighting the beauty and complexity of working animals and their welfare. You can also see the film highlighted on the 'About" page of our website (equitarianinitiative.org)

09/21/2026

Rural Equine Medicine does not often include cuddling cute puppies (although sometimes we get lucky!)

The Equitarian Initiative is incredibly proud to showcase our newest program in Colombia. What started as a seminar on working equid health and welfare in 2024, has since grown into a fully fledged field service in the indigenous regions of Northern Colombia. Our field clinics now include pre-departure Canvas coursework, hands-on clinical training for local veterinary students and direct owner education sessions covering vaccination, dental care, and disease awareness. As of 2026, our program has trained 30 students across 4 different Colombian universities.

We are so proud of our hard working team (both in country and international) who are slowly but surely changing the four-legged lives in these communities by providing sustainable access to veterinary care. Sometimes all you need are a few dedicated people, some pocket puppies and a dream!

Address

PO Box 773481
Steamboat Springs, CO
80477

Telephone

+19709464142

Website

http://www.equitarianinitiative.org/donate

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