Dr. Sam Eder’s desire to work with horses began to bloom at a very young age. She has loved horses since she was five, and even then, she knew that she would love to work with them someday.
“My parents were not thrilled,” Dr. Eder recalls. However, that was only because they had no interest in working with horses themselves. Her father works for the Army, and her mother owns a bridal shop, so they had a lot on their hands already. That did not stop them from supporting Sam, though, and that unwavering support is what helped get her to where she is today.
All The Way To Vet School
By the time Sam entered middle school, her path was evident. Looking back, she recalls clearly making the decision to become an equine vet at the age of 12.
Her family moved to Huntsville, Alabama, from her birthplace in Mansfield, Ohio when she was 13. There, she discovered she had a scientific mind, as she excelled in her science classes at school, which bolstered her determination to eventually attend vet school.
“I loved the science behind everything. That’s what led me here,” she explains.
Dr. Eder earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science at Mississippi State University, and she attended Auburn University for vet school. She was thrilled to get to attend one of the South’s most prestigious vet programs, which had been on her radar since she moved to Alabama.
“Getting into Auburn on my first try was honestly the best moment of my life,” she recalls.
Dr. Eder joined the Countryside staff in the summer of 2020 after an internship at Park Equine in Lexington, Kentucky. As one might expect, working at a practice in the Bluegrass State brought plenty of interaction with performance horses.
“We worked with a lot of Thoroughbreds,” she says, “but we also worked with a variety of other breeds, like Standardbreds, Saddlebreds, Arabians, and Quarterhorses.”
She brings with her to Countryside experience in several key areas of equine care, including neonatal and internal medicine. She hopes to expand her reach to areas like chiropractic care.
“I’m open to anything that sparks my interest,” she says.
In addition to the experience I have brought to Countryside in several key areas of equine care, including neonatal and internal medicine, I am interested in expanding my reach to alternative veterinary care methods such as chiropractic. Many practices would not be open to one of their veterinarians desire to learn and put into use alternative veterinary services. Countryside is always curious and open to new ideas. It is wonderful to be in an environment that is so supportive and willing to expand their mindset. They are not only dedicated to their patients and their owners, they are dedicated to their people.
When she’s not caring for her equine patients, Dr. Eder enjoys spending time with her cat, Cecil. She also loves to unwind with video games and books. Sci-fi and Romantic classics like “Pride and Prejudice” are of particular interest.
She also hikes regularly, citing destinations in the Rocky Mountains as favorite spots to exercise and enjoy nature.
“I love hiking out West,” she explains. “It’s so beautiful.”
Her love of horses is apparent in her hobbies as well. Even when she’s not working with them directly, Dr. Eder loves equine photography. She was a show vet at the American Eventing Championships, and when she wasn’t working with a patient, she was photographing contestants.
Dr. Eder’s love of Equine photography has even brought her to photograph Keeneland, an internationally renowned racecourse and the Thoroughbred industry's leading auction house.
Get to know Countryside’s veterinarians. Click on any face to learn more about them.
