"I've got a large amount of horse experience, the majority of it around draft horses," said Rutherford, who has been an assistant trainer at Rutherford Farms Percherons for six years. "There aren't many animals that can intimidate me."
During the next four years, Rutherford will put her animal experience to good use at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine where she's a first-year student in the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.
Rutherford and her classmates received an official welcome to the WCVM and to the veterinary profession on September 28 during a white coat ceremony in Saskatoon, Sask. All 80 first-year students received personalized white lab coats and stethoscopes from representatives of national and provincial veterinary medical associations during the evening ceremony.
The new students, who will graduate from the WCVM in 2016, come from communities across Western Canada and the northern territories. The regional veterinary college accepts 15 Manitoba-based students each year.
Rutherford and her mother Janice are well known in the heavy horse world. Together they spend the summers showing a six-horse hitch of Percherons – a daunting enterprise that requires hours of preparation.
"This is my summer job," said Rutherford. "My mother and I work together every spring to drive and fit the show geldings. Driving the horses in the show ring is just the great reward we get for the miles of driving and the work we have to do to prepare."
For Rutherford, another plus is the pure enjoyment that she gets from working with animals. Since training her first draft horse for a 4-H project, she's taken an active role in training and preparing Percherons for the show ring.
She also likes being able to meet and talk to the general public at the shows — a chance to use the communication skills she's developed through her experiences playing on sports teams and participating in 4-H.
"Most people don't know anything about draft horses and are very curious. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and educating the public," said Rutherford, who finished three years of a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) degree at the University of Manitoba before coming to the WCVM.
While Rutherford hasn't brought a horse with her to Saskatoon, she's hoping to have the opportunity to continue her involvement with horses during her time as a student. She's also confident that she'll be showing draft horses again next summer.
Equine medicine is the most interesting veterinary career to Rutherford at this point, but she's keeping an open mind to other possibilities and is enthusiastic about the large number of options that are open to veterinarians.
In the meantime, Rutherford is enjoying her classes at the WCVM with her favourite experience so far being the opportunity to handle different types of animals. "I've enjoyed learning handling techniques for cattle, poultry and swine – species I haven't had a lot of previous experience working with."
Whether Rutherford is focusing on becoming a veterinarian or on showing Percherons, the most important aspect of life is having a goal and working towards it. "It's the idea of having something to work towards. Just having a goal adds more purpose."
During the next four years, Rutherford will put her animal experience to good use at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine where she's a first-year student in the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.
Rutherford and her classmates received an official welcome to the WCVM and to the veterinary profession on September 28 during a white coat ceremony in Saskatoon, Sask. All 80 first-year students received personalized white lab coats and stethoscopes from representatives of national and provincial veterinary medical associations during the evening ceremony.
The new students, who will graduate from the WCVM in 2016, come from communities across Western Canada and the northern territories. The regional veterinary college accepts 15 Manitoba-based students each year.
"Driving the horses in the show ring is just the great reward we get for the miles of driving and the work we have to do to prepare."
Rutherford and her mother Janice are well known in the heavy horse world. Together they spend the summers showing a six-horse hitch of Percherons – a daunting enterprise that requires hours of preparation.
"This is my summer job," said Rutherford. "My mother and I work together every spring to drive and fit the show geldings. Driving the horses in the show ring is just the great reward we get for the miles of driving and the work we have to do to prepare."
For Rutherford, another plus is the pure enjoyment that she gets from working with animals. Since training her first draft horse for a 4-H project, she's taken an active role in training and preparing Percherons for the show ring.
She also likes being able to meet and talk to the general public at the shows — a chance to use the communication skills she's developed through her experiences playing on sports teams and participating in 4-H.
"Most people don't know anything about draft horses and are very curious. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and educating the public," said Rutherford, who finished three years of a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) degree at the University of Manitoba before coming to the WCVM.
While Rutherford hasn't brought a horse with her to Saskatoon, she's hoping to have the opportunity to continue her involvement with horses during her time as a student. She's also confident that she'll be showing draft horses again next summer.
Equine medicine is the most interesting veterinary career to Rutherford at this point, but she's keeping an open mind to other possibilities and is enthusiastic about the large number of options that are open to veterinarians.
In the meantime, Rutherford is enjoying her classes at the WCVM with her favourite experience so far being the opportunity to handle different types of animals. "I've enjoyed learning handling techniques for cattle, poultry and swine – species I haven't had a lot of previous experience working with."
Whether Rutherford is focusing on becoming a veterinarian or on showing Percherons, the most important aspect of life is having a goal and working towards it. "It's the idea of having something to work towards. Just having a goal adds more purpose."
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