- Darby Dan Farm is a full-service thoroughbred boarding operation. We board mares and yearlings for clients, stand stallions for both syndicates and primary owners and consign horses to the Keeneland and Fasig Tipton sales in Kentucky. Darby Dan also provides quarantine services for horses shipping internationally.
- The internship program with Darby Dan is designed to be a hands-on program where participants actively participate in horse care. Participants will be responsible for the daily care of horses on the farm including feeding, grooming, cleaning stalls, daily treatments, bandages, and additional tasks as asked. Interns will work a 6-day week and standard shifts are 7am to 4pm. There will be additional hours depending on the season and tasks required outside of the standard shifts that includes monitoring the foaling barn and yearling turnout. The position is physical and will require students to work outside regardless of the weather. The position requires being on your feet for the majority of the 8-hour shift, walking several miles per day leading horses and lifting 50+ pounds multiple times in a day. If you have concerns regarding physical capabilities, please reach out to Darby Dan to discuss.
- The thoroughbred industry has 2 significant seasons at Darby Dan Farm. The first half of the year is the breeding season. We typically start foaling mares in January and mares are bred from February through the month of June. During this time, students will be exposed to foaling mares, caring for young foals, reproductive veterinary rounds, and breeding mares. As breeding season starts to slow down, our focus shifts to our sale consignments. Yearling sales begin in Kentucky in July and go through October. In preparing yearlings for the market, we are physically exercising and grooming the horses on a daily basis. During this time, students will participate in the daily exercise regime, grooming and teaching horses to show. As we get later into the year, the sales then focus on mares and weanlings. These sales take place November through January.
- Interns will be asked to participate in all daily tasks essential to the care of horses and be exposed to veterinarians, farriers and additional professionals that provide services on the farm. Management at the farm will work to assist students to contact professionals to shadow outside of their regularly scheduled shifts. If interns are interested in a specific aspect of the farm, please reach out to farm management so we can try our best to find learning opportunities.
- Housing will be provided on-site in a multiple bedroom furnished apartment. The apartment can house up to 3 students at one time. Students may be starting and completing internships on different schedules.
- Darby Dan is willing to take interns for different lengths of time. Our preference is for interns to be on the farm for 3 months, however, we are willing to work with students to meet college semester scheduling needs. Interns may stay up to 12 months.
To apply for this job email your details to Crystal.Smith@mail.wvu.edu