Horse Handler - Recovery Focus - Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Lexington, KY

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Equine

Full Time

PetVet Care Centers' Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is currently seeking a Horse Handler (Recovery Focus) to join their team!

At PetVet Care Centers, our mission is to improve the lives of animals and people — providing exceptional and compassionate care at every stage — for all the moments that matter.

Because life is better with pets.

We deliver the Ultimate Care Experience — every pet, every client, every time. That starts with a Culture of Care that supports our team members as much as the pets and clients we serve.

With more than 420 locally led hospitals and over 11,000 team members nationwide, we offer:

Local autonomy with national support
Career mobility and development opportunities
A collaborative, inclusive environment where your wellbeing comes first

You care for pets. We care for you.

Position Overview

Join our team as a Horse Handler who assists the patient with all aspects of medical care and barn tech duties.

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, is an internationally recognized leader in equine medicine, combining cutting-edge technology with a collaborative team dedicated to advancing equine health and performance.

Primary role and duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assist with induction and recovery of patients in preparation for and following surgery.
Hold/restrain horses for pre-operative and post-operative examinations (i.e. x-rays, treatments, bone scans, euthanasia, emergency surgeries, etc.)
Assist other personnel i.e., technicians as needed with patient handling.
Assist with Trailer Loading and unloading of patients.
Assist with some animal care, such as:
- Groom patients as needed and all horses prior to being discharged.
- Administer proper application of ice boots to patients.
- Maintain appropriate stock of feed, hay and straw.
Administer proper hygienic patient care such as:
- Follow disinfecting and all other infectious disease procedures as defined by the Hagyard Infectious Disease Protocol.
- Washing feed tubs/water buckets
- Cleaning/re-bedding stalls.
- Keep shed rows/parking lots swept and clear of debris.
- Running laundry as needed
Other projects and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications (Required)

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older to be considered for this position
Comfortability and previous experience holding and restraining horses

Preferred Skills (Nice to Have)

Veterinary medicine experience preferred, but not required
Experience with young, performance, and thoroughbred horses

Schedule

Day shift, likely Monday-Friday, approximately 7am-4pm
Overtime may be needed during busy days and may need weekend availability

What We Offer

We care deeply about supporting our team members — professionally and personally. Benefits include:

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Paid Parental Leave (birth, adoption, foster)
401(k) with discretionary contribution
Team Member Pet Discounts
Emotional wellbeing support — including Calm app access and 24/7 EAP
CE stipends and career development resources
Grant Circle — a relief fund for team members facing personal hardship
Local hospital culture backed by national resources

Pay Range

$16—$16 USD

At PetVet Care Centers, we’re committed to a Culture of Care — for pets, for the people who love them, and for the team members who make it all possible. With more than 400 hospitals across the U.S. and a team of over 11,000 dedicated professionals, including 1700+ veterinarians, we offer a unique blend of local leadership and national support that helps our hospitals thrive.

Our model is built on partnership, collaboration, and local medical autonomy, empowering each hospital to deliver high-quality care while benefiting from shared resources and a strong professional community. Whether you’re providing care in a hospital or supporting operations behind the scenes, PetVet is a place where you can grow your career, stay connected to your purpose, and make a meaningful impact.

You care for pets. We care for you.

PetVet is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, citizenship, national origin/ancestry, physical/mental disabilities, military status or any other basis prohibited by law. EOE, M/F/D/V

PetVet respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.  Please see our privacy notice for additional information about our data practices.

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone*

Resume/CV*

No file chosenChoose File

Accepted formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX (Max 10MB)

Cover Letter

No file chosenChoose File

Accepted formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX (Max 10MB)

Are you legally authorized to work in the U.S. for PetVet Care Centers and accept new employment in the U.S.? *

Do you now, or will you in the future, require sponsorship from PetVet Care Centers in order to obtain, extend, or renew authorization to work in the U.S.? *

To meet the requirements of this position, candidates must be at least 18 years old. Please confirm: Are you 18 or older? *

PetVet Privacy Policy

Do you agree to receive texts from PetVet Care Centers at the mobile number provided on your application? By providing a telephone number and submitting this form you are consenting to be contacted by SMS text message. Message & data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. Reply Help for more information. You can reply STOP to opt-out of further messaging. *

Type in full address: #, street name, apt/unit if applicable, City, State, Zip, and County (no PO boxes)

What is your current mailing address?*

Are you currently or have you ever been employed by PetVet Care Centers or one of its affiliated hospitals? *

Voluntary Self-Identification

The questions below are completely optional. You have already submitted everything required for your application. Answering these will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter, and any information you provide is kept confidential.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Veteran Status

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in PetVet Care Centers’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Race

Gender