025: An Unfiltered Look At The World Of Equine Veterinary Care w/ Erin Crawford

Today we’re diving deep into the ins and outs of equestrian care with Dr. Erin Crawford. Erin’s journey has taken her from rancher to fellow 2006 Colorado State Alumni to owner of her own veterinary practice. Focusing on horses and other large animals, Dr. Crawford has found her calling in the challenge of equestrian care and shares her passion and no-nonsense attitude with us today.

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Show Notes:

Dr. Crawford has a reputation for being an open book with no filter, and her direct communication is a breath of fresh air surrounding the trials, tribulations, and achievements in veterinarian care. Being grateful for your team and knowing what you are passionate about are just a few of Dr. Crawford’s tips for us all. Reflecting on joy, life, career and the unexpected paths we all take, listen in for our reunion and some tips on how to survive the world of equine practice.

In this episode:

Erin’s proudest ‘MacGyver Moment’
A detailed look into Erin’s non-traditional career path
What life is like working on a ranch
How it feels to go from working at a clinic to owning one
The role acupuncture and chiropractic have in equine veterinary

Quotes:

“I had never worked a day in a clinic before I applied to veterinary school… So I applied thinking perfect, I’ll apply a few times, maybe go back and get my Masters, and then apply again later. [I thought] I have a lot of time to screw off… and then I got in.” (17:22)

“In whatever you do moving forward you have to plan for succession of your practice, that’s the reality, whether you’re on the first year or the fiftieth year, every step you make you want to improve it so that someone else will buy it from you, because it’s a big investment.” (40:59)

“You want to make sure that your patients get the best possible care. And like most veterinarians, you lie awake at night worrying if you did the right thing or what else could you have done or what did you miss. And if you can’t turn your brain off sometimes it consumes you.” (45:50)

“I don’t hire my techs based on if they are certified, I hire them for their horse handling skills. I want somebody who can read that horse and decide if it’s going to paw me in the face, if it’s going to rear or if it’s going to let me inject its hawks or whatever, I need someone who is a horseman more than a technician” (52:38)