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position allowed her to continue to pursue her other love as it pertains to horse racing— photography. She puts her photography passion to work by taking images for her marketing firm.
“Being home with my family brings me the most satisfaction but within my work,
I love to evoke an emotion with the perfect photo,” she said. “It’s kind of like you are giving someone an inside look into the personality of a horse through a certain shot. I feel it when I’m around them ... it’s hard to put into words, but if I can make you feel it
with a good shot, then I have accomplished what I set out to do.”
Glidden downplayed her gender playing a factor in her career in the industry.
“I have never felt like my sex has held me back in anything I wanted to accomplish,” she said. “It simply isn’t an excuse.”
Going forward, she hopes that the success of her marketing firm leads to another long- term goal—increasing live attendance at tracks.
“I feel we have to get people to the races and offer more hands-on exposure,” she said. “Once you are there, the horses will make you
fall in love with the sport. You can’t stand along the rail, feel them blast past you, and not be moved.”
Glidden credited Milt Alderman, Bee Silva, and Dr. Brian Carroll DVM, as influences as she learned and evolved during her career. She strongly suggested that individuals aspiring to enter the industry find their own mentors to provide guidance.
“Shadow them,” she said. “Pick their brain and learn all you can. If you pour your heart into something and are willing to work hard, you’ll be successful.”
They will spread rumors, false or true. They will spread.”
Neron said she has built her reputation of esteem among the trainers at Delta Downs by showing a little extra care and explaining the procedures even while performing them.
“They like the fact I stop what I’m doing and I do a little client education,” she said. “I will explain all your options, your estimates, how we’re going to treat it, what I suggest. They like that you talk to them and educate them and give information.”
After completing her education with
a clinical year at Cornell that included externships in Florida, Neron returned to her native Puerto Rico to work at the racetrack
t h e r e b e f o r e c o m i n g t o D e l t a D o w n s , a
p o s i t i o n s h e h a s h e l d f o r a b o u t t h r e e y e a r s . Coming to Delta also signified her first time w o r k i n g w i t h Q u a r t e r H o r s e s .
“They were looking for a racetrack vet and I was looking for a job that would involve strictly equine work,” she recalled. “They took me for a day at Delta and the Quarter Horse meet was on and I totally loved it.”
That love is vital, according to Neron, for a ny a s pi r i n g r a c e t r a c k v e t e r i n a r i a n .
“You really have to love being around horses full time. You really have to love being around horses all the time and taking care of them,” she said, adding, “Besides all those long years and expense and what not, really the satisfaction that you get out of it is incredible. That’s really the bottom line. You’re really
w o r k i n g e v e r y d a y i n w h a t y o u r e a l l y l o v e .”
“. . . the satisfaction that you get out of it is incredible.”
Dr. Jaclyn Neron: A Labor Of Love
For many people in the Quarter Horse world, working in the industry is an all- consuming endeavor that leaves little time for outside interests.
Downs, and as an associate vet at the Delta Equine Center.
Growing up in Puerto Rico and frequently visiting the farm of her grandparents, who sold livestock, Neron said she always knew she wanted to work with horses.
Sometimes, as the race vet at Delta, she gets all of that she wants—and then some. “ “ Y Yo o u u ’ ’r r e e a a l l w w a a y y s s o o n n t t h h e e g g o o , ,” ” s s h h e e s s a a i i d d . . “ “ I I t t ’ ’s s
not like I’m in a clinic waiting for my clients to come in with an appointment. In the morning, it’s from one barn to the other, all until 6 in the afternoon. You have to be fast a a n n d d b b e e a a b b l l e e t t o o c c o o n n c c e e n n t t r r a a t t e e . .” ”
N Ne e r r o on n c c o om mp p a a r r e e d d t t h he e w w o or r k k f f l lo ow w a a t t t t h he e racetrack to playing Tetris—getting thrown o o n n e e t t a a s s k k a a f f t t e e r r a a n n o o t t h h e e r r, , a a n n d d h h a a v v i i n n g g t t o o f f i i t t t t h h e e m m i i n n t t o o t t h h e e e e x x i i s s t t i i n n g g s s t t r r u u c c t t u u r r e e o o f f y y o o u u r r d d a a y y. .
“You have to be so fast-paced and be able t t o o a a d d j j u u s s t t t t o o t t h h e e c c l l i i m m a a t t e e o o u u t t s s i i d d e e . . I I t t ’ ’s s n n o o t t i i n n the AC like in the clinic. You’re sweating, or wearing layers because it’s cold. It’s not the most comfortable job but it’s what I like to do,” she said.
Juggling that schedule is about to become even more challenging with Neron, who is
e e x x p p e e c c t t i i n n g g h he e r r f f i i r r s s t t c c h h i i l ld d s s o o o on n . .
“My goal will be to have a good balance, between being a vet because I still want to work with horses, and be at home when I need to be home with the family,” she said. “I know with a kid it’s going to be even more challenging.”
Like Perry, Neron noted some resistance t t o o h h e e r r p p r r e e s s e e n n c c e e o o n n t t h h e e b b a a c c k k s s i i d d e e — — i i n n i i t t i i a a l l l l y y, , at least.
“ “A A t t t t h h e e b b e e g g i i n n n n i i n n g g w w h h e e n n I I s s t t a a r r t t e e d d , , t t h h e e r r e e was that stereotype of, I prefer a male vet to a female vet. I could feel it. They would not tell me, but I could feel it,” she said. “It only took o o n n e e o o f f t t h h o o s s e e c c l l i i e e n nt t s s I I h h a a d d a a t t t t h h e e b b e e g g i i n n n n i i n n g g
to spread the word ... that’s the good thing about the back side. You know everything.
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SPEEDHORSE, June 2017