Using Push-Ups to Shed Light on Mental Health Struggles in Equine Industry

By: Brittany Bevis

When equine veterinarian and farrier, Raul Bras DVM CJF, was tagged in the 25-day Push-Up Challenge, he didn’t think much of it. As a busy equine professional, husband, and father, he has little time to set aside for social media fun. However, when he noticed the name of the person who tagged him, and realized the reason behind the initiative, it took on an entirely new meaning.

Because May was Mental Health Awareness Month, there had been a challenge circulating social media channels asking participants to attempt 25 push-ups every day for 25 days. The idea was to raise awareness for mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression. A noble cause, indeed, but this challenge hit home particularly hard for Raul, because of his profession.

Studies have shown that veterinarians are four times as likely to take their own lives than the general public. The Australian Veterinary Association identified long working hours, high workload, poor work-life balance, the attitude of clients, and stress about performing euthanasia as some of the factors contributing to veterinarian suicide. (AVA, 2020)

“I’m very aware of the issues we face as equine professionals, not only veterinarians, but also farriers,” Raul says. “I wanted to include them as well. It’s such a stressful profession. Most of the people who decide to become a vet or farrier do it because they have a passion for it. It’s not a job. It’s a lifestyle. Therefore, we’re putting ourselves in a position where we’re dedicated, passionate, obsessed to the point of perfection, and so focused on doing the right thing for the animal that we get sucked in and it affects us internally.”

“Clients are very demanding, and we feel responsible to be available 24/7. So, there is decreased family time. A client may call you at night or on a weekend, and you feel obligated to go; because, otherwise, you aren’t practicing your profession. Horses don’t take days off. They don’t know about holidays. Then, there is the guilt. It’s not a high paying job, so there are the loans. Vets are actually taking their own lives because they’re so stressed out.”

Raul grew up in Puerto Rico where his father still breeds, raises, and shows Paso Finos, a breed that’s prone to having problems with laminitis. “For my entire life, I had been dealing with horses that looked uncomfortable, had abscesses, and, unfortunately, had to be put down. But, I never knew about laminitis, until I decided that I wanted to become a veterinarian. For my entire life, I have been around horses. It’s probably the most comfortable thing for me.”

Now, working for Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, and traveling to work at their location in Wellington, Florida, Raul has been a vet and farrier for close to fifteen years. During the time period when he was expanding his skill set, Raul apprenticed under Aaron Gygax, a farrier based out of Switzerland, and they traveled across Europe together shoeing sport horses. Aaron is the person who tagged Raul in the challenge.

“I’m not a social media savvy guy when it comes to my personal life; but, I thought if Aaron was reaching out to me then this must be something pretty important. Truthfully, it was something that had been bothering me for the past five years. I’ve seen practitioners who can’t put up with the stress so they switch to small animal or get out all together. Most equine professionals are going through it, but nobody is willing to speak up about it. I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve seen a lot. I have friends who have opted to use euthanasia on themselves.”

“The equine industry is getting smaller. Less than five percent of those who go to vet school choose the equine track. There is a very small number of people who go that route in the first place, and then the majority are getting burned out. I saw this as an opportunity to speak about something I’ve been living myself. I’ve asked myself the question of how long can I last? Will I still be doing this at 65?”

So, Raul embarked upon the 25-day challenge, doing 25 push-ups every day, in different locations, including the top of his truck, in a hay loft of a barn, atop a breeding dummy, alongside his kids, and, his personal favorite, on the back of a horse. The videos have gone viral, something Raul certainly did not expect. They’ve been viewed by people in Japan, New Zealand, China, and South America. “People have embraced this. I think because I was willing to open up and speak about this issue, it helped to make others aware that we’re all in this together. People have taken this idea on themselves, and it’s overwhelming.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Raul saw it as an opportunity to hit the refresh button and begin working out. He wanted to cultivate a fresh mindset, and that’s right when he was tagged in the challenge. “I think it was meant to be.”

“Doing push-ups is something that’s hard and painful, much like struggling with a mental health issue like anxiety, stress, or whatever you’re going through. The whole message is that your mind is stronger than your pain. So, while you’re working out and creating a healthy body, you create a healthy mind. With a healthy mind, you can allow your body to acclimate to the pattern you choose, not allowing external factors to affect you, but focusing on the internal.”

If you have a story to share with The Equine Chronicle, email B.Bevis@EquineChronicle.com.