Ali sedates and restrains an older gelding while the veterinarian files down his sharp enamel points. | Photo: Courtesy Christa Truax

Ali’s dream job involves clinic cases, farm calls, and foal watch

When I found out I would be writing an article about what a day is like in my profession, I wanted to start my story with a poignant childhood moment that determined my course in life. But there isn’t one; my story starts out like so many of yours. As a young girl, I would spend hours in my room daydreaming about owning a beautiful white horse I could decorate with daisy chains. And you can bet that any stray cat, dog—­anything—in the neighborhood ended up at my house. As soon as I found out that animal doctors were a real thing, I was determined to become one.

Throughout my teens, I was active in both my local 4-H and Future Farmers of America chapters and showed various animals at the county fair. At age 16, my dreams came true, and I got my first horse, a white and sorrel paint gelding named “Sport.” The more time I spent with him, the more I knew that horses weren’t just a phase—they were going to be a part of the rest of my life.

After graduating high school, I combined my love of education with my love of animals and attended the University of California, Davis, as an Animal Science Major with a focus on Equine Sciences. My four years there taught me much more than I could have imagined