American Horse Council Internship Opportunities

American Horse Council
Internship Opportunities

The American Horse Council (AHC) is a Washington-based advocacy organization that represents individual members and over 130 equine organizations before Congress and the federal regulatory agencies. AHC member organizations include breed registries, national and state equine associations, state horse councils, recreational associations, and organizations representing racetracks, equestrians, horse shows, veterinarians, farriers, rodeos, and other equine-related stakeholders.

The AHC is currently seeking student interns for the Fall 2024 (October-December). All internships can be completed remotely, but opportunities are also available for students wishing to experience government affairs activities in person in Washington, D.C. All projects are supervised by AHC staff and are limited to 12-week terms. Students may choose to receive course credit or a financial stipend (up to $125 per week dependent on agreed-upon project commitment). Project commitments typically range from 10-20 hours per week. The AHC is also able to accommodate thesis projects and other student-led research academic credit needs.

Students in AHC internships gain experience in the larger equine industry through exposure to association involvement in active government affairs and regulatory issues at the Federal level and introduction to the immense range of industry stakeholders. Interns are invited to attend virtual staff meetings to understand active and future AHC initiatives outside of their direct project as well as general association operations. Students do not need horse experience to apply.

Projects listed for student involvement are not necessarily comprehensive in terms of all available opportunities. Students are encouraged to reach out to AHC if they have a related interest that is not specifically listed. This would include students interested in advocacy and political science, equine welfare, and other industry-related topics.

For more information and or to apply contact
Julie Broadway, AHC President, at jbroadway@horsecouncil.org

 Current projects available for student involvement:

The Horse Industry Directory

The AHC publishes the Horse Industry Directory annually. The directory is an essential tool to connect horse owners, enthusiasts, and industry businesses. Interns assisting with the Horse Industry Directory will work to maintain and update the integrity of all non-AHC member entries in the Horse Industry Directory. Skills acquired include database management, data integrity maintenance, data entry, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software usage, and back-end website management.

Equine Service Provider List Development

The AHC is working to research and compile a list of Equine Attorneys, Equine CPAs and Equine Insurance brokers in the US. The AHC gets many inquiries from horse owners and enthusiasts looking for referrals to service professionals. Interns would work to build and audit a national list of these service providers in each state that AHC can refer the public to. Skills acquired include industry research and exploration, data entry, and database management.

Matrix of All Horse Breed and Discipline Regulations

The AHC Show & Competition Committee is creating a repository of all horse breed and discipline competition regulations. Interns will work alongside the committee to research and build a matrix of all horse breed and discipline regulations that can be viewed online and updated as rules change. Skills acquired include diversity of industry breeds and competitions, research, report/database development, and association committee processes.

Breed/Discipline Association Welfare Programs

The AHC tracks work being accomplished in the industry to support horses at-risk and in transition. There currently is no central repository of actions/programs being offered by the variety of breed and discipline associations. Interns will work to identify all horse welfare actions/programs currently being offered by breed/discipline associations. Skills acquired include knowledge of industry welfare initiatives, research and reporting, and data management.