North Carolina’s equine industry significantly impacts the state, contributing $2.9 billion annually, but a growing shortage of equine veterinarians is causing concern. With reportedly only 4.1% of veterinarians nationwide working in equine practice, North Carolina faces increasing demand for services, staff shortages, and practitioner burnout. To address this, the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is launching the Equine Scholars Program. This initiative will recruit pre-veterinary undergraduates interested in horse health from partner universities across the state, helping to build a stronger pipeline of future equine veterinarians.