2025 Internship Information
Don’t be shy, don’t think you don’t have a chance! Fill out our internship application and see where it can take you!
Interns will gain experience with the following AND MORE!
- Bringing horses in and out to eat, to receive care/training, etc
- Feeding and medicating horses
- Assisting and observing the farrier, veterinarian, and other equine professionals
- Assisting with the care, management, and oversight of sick or injured horses
- Evaluating and assessing horses in hand and under saddle
- Taking photos/videos to market horses to prospective adopters, etc
- Preparing horses mentally and physically for adoption appointments
- Basic farm chores including mucking stalls and paddocks, cleaning/filling water tanks, farm maintenance, etc.
- In-hand training and tune-ups of horses currently in the program
- As intern skill set allows, under saddle training and tune-ups of horses currently in the program. Riding opportunities and training education are reserved for interns with previous horse experience only.
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 NOW!
FAQs
Who should apply for this internship?
You must be 18, must have horse experience, and must be open to learning new techniques and skills. You must have a sense of humor and be able to work hard while having a go-with-the-flow attitude.
What is the Bella Run Equine facility like?
We are situated on 22 acres in Athens, Ohio. We have multiple pastures and pens, a 15 stall barn, a small indoor riding arena and an outdoor round pen. We also have a dog facility on site. We are about 8 minutes from uptown Athens.
Do I need to bring a vehicle with me?
We do recommend that you bring a vehicle so you can go to town and have a life during your off-time. Of course, a vehicle is not a requirement… if you can hitch a ride here that’s fine by us!
Can I bring my own dog/horse?
We have so many dogs and horses here, we do not allow interns to add theirs to the mix.
Can I have visitors?
You can have visitors at the farm, but visits must be scheduled and approved by us in advance due to security/privacy of the facility. If you are a social butterfly who needs your friends around all of the time, this may not be the internship for you unless you have a vehicle and can satisfy those needs off-site.
What are the responsibilities/schedule for unpaid interns?
Unpaid interns will be required to work a minimum of 20 hours a week, possibly more if they are seeking college credits that require it. Responsibilities can include what is formerly listed in this document, though cleaning stalls is generally not a requirement. Bi-weekly raking of paddocks and scrubbing of water tanks are among the responsibilities of the unpaid interns. Training opportunities (groundwork and under saddle) are available after the work is done each day. Most of the daily feeding/mucking will be the responsibility of the paid intern, but staff/volunteers/interns all chip in and do the work until it is done. Nobody works horses, goes to auctions, etc until the chores are done.
What are the responsibilities/schedule for paid interns?
Paid interns will generally work a 40 hour work week. They will have the responsibility of the daily feeding and stall cleaning, though staff, volunteers, and unpaid interns all chip in and do the work until it is done. The training will be more intense for paid interns, as will the work load and opportunities. Paid interns will haul with us when we go to events, trail riding, shows, and auctions in addition to working horses on-site.
How often will I be training/riding horses?
Ideally, every day you are here. Some days are a circus, however, and new intakes, sick horses, vet/farrier, or events may suck up the hours occasionally. Nobody works horses, goes to auctions, etc until the chores are done.
Are interns involved in law enforcement seizures that we assist with?
If an intern demonstrates the composure necessary to assist with a law enforcement seizure, we may include them depending on the individual situation. Be aware that there may not be a legal seizure during your internship.
Do interns go to auctions with the BR team?
If an intern demonstrates the safety skills and composure necessary to assist us at an auction, we will bring them along as a team member. You will not be going to auction your first week with us, you will learn the ways that we handle horses safely first.
What happens if I start my internship and it is not a good fit for me?
Understandably, it’s nearly impossible to see if you will be a good fit before you actually jump in! Chances are, if we aren’t a good fit for you then you probably aren’t a good fit for us either. Instead of hating the arrangement for the entirety of your planned time here, we ask that you communicate this to us so we can either make adjustments to address your concerns or release you from the internship completely.
More questions? Just ask!
Text Rachel at 740-707-0793 or email bellarunequine@yahoo.com