American Horse Council Announces Spring 2026 Internship Opportunities
Contact: Julie Broadway
American Horse Council
Phone: 202-296-4031
Email: jbroadway@horsecouncil.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American Horse Council Announces Spring 2026 Internship Opportunities
Washington, D.C. December 22, 2025 — The American Horse Council (AHC) and United Horse Coalition (UHC) are pleased to open applications for its Spring 2026 Internship Program, offering motivated students and emerging professionals a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience in the national equine industry.
As the unified voice for the U.S. horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council represents a broad coalition of breed registries, national and state associations, equestrian groups, veterinarians, farriers, rodeos, and other equine-related stakeholders before Congress and federal regulatory agencies.
AHC internships run for a 12-16 week term (February through May), with flexible remote options and select opportunities to work in person in Washington, D.C. All projects are supervised by AHC and UHC staff, and interns can pursue academic credit or receive a weekly stipend of up to $125, based on project commitment. Typical project commitments range from 10–20 hours per week, and students do not need prior horse industry experience to apply.
Opportunities Across the Equine Industry
The program offers a variety of meaningful projects designed to provide professional skill development and industry exposure, including:
Equine Welfare Data Collective NADPRP Support
The Equine Welfare Data Collective has been awarded a collective agreement from USDA to investigate and support biosecurity practices at equine welfare organizations. Interns participating in this project will learn how to work with federal contracts and grants, participate in data collection and participant recruitment, social media communications, and data analysis and reporting. This project is only open to students participating for course credit.
Animal Control Officers Directory – two interns needed
Creation of a directory of animal control officers (worked with NACA – National Animal Control Association) to help horse owners in need of assistance.
Shelter Animal Counts & Equine Welfare Data Collective Collaboration – one intern needed
Working with staff members from both programs identify ways to collaborate effectively and develop strategies to implement those efforts. Conduct a data mapping of both programs to identify ways for each to translate data & findings that help compare small animal and equine data sets.
Equine Publications distribution list – two interns needed
Using the information collect by interns in summer 2025, categorize and tag publications based on their inclusion in the horse industry directory and by type in AHC member clicks data base.
Equine Euthanasia & Disposal – 1 intern needed
Building off research completed in summer 2025, collect more granular data regarding euthanasia and disposal options available at the county level
Trade Policy & Analysis – 1 intern needed
Working with the AHC Regulatory lead, identify trade/tariff impacts on the equine industry and outline possible mitigation strategies.
UHC Equine Resource Database Validating & Assessing Assistance Programs- 2 interns needed
The UHC maintains an online repository (UHCERD) that contains resources of all assistance programs available for horse owners. The contents of the database need to be validated and assessed regularly. Skills acquired include research and data management. Creating report of overall additions, changes and deletion such that the industry is aware of the level of change.
Learn From Industry Leaders
Interns are invited to participate in virtual staff meetings to gain insight into AHC initiatives beyond their assigned projects and to strengthen their understanding of association operations and equine policy advocacy at the federal level.
Application Details
Applications are due January 14, 2026. Students interested in advocacy, political science, equine welfare, communications, research, or related fields are encouraged to apply. AHC welcomes applicants with interests beyond listed projects, offering flexibility to tailor internship work to student goals.
Internship application can be found here: https://horsecouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AHC-Internship-Application-Form.pdf
Application or questions can be directed to jbroadway@horsecouncil.org
Julie Broadway, President, American Horse Council
About the American Horse Council: The American Horse Council is the trusted voice of the horse industry in Washington, D.C. It represents breed registries, state horse councils, and other stakeholders to promote and protect the interests of the equine industry.
About the United Horse Coalition
The United Horse Coalition is a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together under the American Horse Council to educate the horse industry about the issues facing horses At-Risk, or in transition. We seek to provide information for existing and prospective owners, breeders, sellers, and horse organizations regarding the long-term responsibilities of owning and caring for horses, as well as focusing on the opportunities available for these horses.