02/16/2022
Thanks Equidae!
Have you been keeping up with our foal care videos this month, featuring Equine Veterinarian, Dr. Ashley Craig Hymer? Because of her dedication to equine reproduction, we thought this would be a great time of year to share how her passion for horses has driven her to her profession in our new "Passions to Professions" series. Here is a bit from our Q&A with Dr. Ashley Craig Hymer.
Q) How did you first become involved with horses?
A) Like most young girls, I grew up loving horses. For the first ten years of my life, we lived in rural southwestern Virginia. There was a horse across the street that I named Wallace that would nicker at me when I would get off the school bus and anytime I walked out of my house. His nickers helped fuel my love of horses. A friend of the family that had twin girls close to my age, started taking riding lessons and offered for me to go along. At the age of 7, I took my first lesson and was hooked. Luckily, it was at a Saddlebred barn! After taking lessons and showing at a small county fair, I was hooked on Saddlebreds. When we moved to Kentucky when I was 10, I continued my lessons at a Saddlebred barn. Eventually, I owned a gaited Saddlebred that I competed with on the county fair circuit in Kentucky. When he was sold, I was finishing high school and my parents felt I needed to focus on studies instead of horses (we see how that worked out!). Even though I didn’t have a show horse, I continued taking riding lessons for years, and attending every show within reasonable (or unreasonable) distance.
Q) What is your current career and how is it related to horses?
A) I am an equine veterinarian that focuses on reproduction.
Q) Was this always your career path or did it change to help you follow your equine passion?
A) I have always known since a young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian. As my love for horses and riding developed, I knew I wanted to be a horse vet. When I was 19 and in college, I started a part time job at Willowbank Farm in Simpsonville, Kentucky working in the broodmare division. It was my time at Willowbank that made me realize my passion was equine reproduction. Willowbank will always hold a special place in my heart! And while many say that it is easy to love the foals (hahahaha sometimes they can be the hardest to love), I adore mares. I love their wisdom, patience, and kind eyes. There is nothing quite like the bond you can have with a mare. One mare in particular at Willowbank, CH Utopian Melody, would help me on rainy mornings by walking along with me in the mud, lending me her halter to help keep me from falling in the mud. She showed such intelligence and compassion; I’m not sure people always show that!
Q) In what ways does your career allow you to stay involved with the equine industry and/or support your equine endeavors?
A) I love being involved in the Saddlebred industry by helping create the next generation of show horses. While I haven’t made my way back into the show ring (and at times I wonder if I ever will!), I feel like I am still playing a part in the Saddlebred industry. One of my all time favorite mares (see I love mares), Brookhill's Glam Slam, was one of the first Saddlebred mares that helped me feel like I was part of the Saddlebred business as a veterinarian. I had the privilege of working on Lady for all of her embryos but one, and played a role in early years (birth to yearling) of her offsprings' lives. Watching her show, produce amazing foals, and knowing I got to play a small role in that really helped me feel like I was a part of the Saddlebred world. It was also helpful to work at several different Saddlebred barns and occasionally have a trainer throw me on a horse to ride or drive. I have a variety of horse breeds in my practice and it's always fun to see “kids” grow from a black dot on my ultrasound screen (early pregnancy ultrasound), to standing for the first time, to selling in the sales ring (Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds), to then racing!
Q) What are your future career and/or horse aspirations?
A) I recently left Hagyards in 2020 and started my own practice- Homeplace Veterinary Services. It has always been part of my dream to own my own practice and I'm grateful to my clients, friends and family for the support they have given me as I follow my dream. I look forward to continuing to grow my practice including expanding services and adding other practitioners,
Ashley Craig Hymer American Saddlebred Horse & Breeders Association Homeplace Veterinary Services
