Fran Jurga

Fran Jurga's career was probably preordained back when she was in the third grade: She won the American Humane Association’s annual "Be Kind to Animals Week" poster contest for US schoolchildren. A natural entrepreneur, Fran launched Hoofcare Publishing in 1985, and published a journal with a reputation for high quality, in-depth coverage of equine lameness. It continues today in the form of her award-winning "Hoof Blog" and two subscription-based databases of peer-reviewed equine research: "HoofSearch" (lameness and hoof problems) and a sister index on therapeutic riding research.

In the broader horse health and equine welfare spheres, Fran has penned more than 1400 freelance articles for EQUUS magazine and the AIM Equine Network, and more than 40 articles for The Horse; she offers freelance writing and research services to clients around the world.

She has been featured as a horse industry source in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Louisville Courier-Journal, Smithsonian and Money magazines and on The Today Show, the BBC and NPR, among others. Fran is the author of the award-winning book, Understanding the Equine Foot, as well as books on travel and food, including the popular Farmers Market Cookbook. She tempers her immersion in the horse world by indulging her personal love for old books, cooking, and living in a seaside town.

In her early career "day job", Fran worked for more than 20 years as a museum exhibit writer and researcher, subcontracting work from some of the world's leading architects and exhibit designers for new institutions or individual exhibits. These projects were primarily zoos, aquaria, and natural history museums, with a few important projects in sport history and American history.

Since earning a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and creative writing from Simmons College, Fran has pursued graduate studies in library/information science and science writing.

Personal statement: “I admire anyone who pursues the noble goal of moving equine health and welfare knowledge forward--and who can see that all the ways we treat, care for, and "use" horses are connected. I've been lucky to have had a front row seat to watch and help many hardworking, dedicated people do amazing and generous things for and with horses.

“What I have learned is this: Each of us has a unique opportunity to do our part for the horse. But there is no set formula, and no dream job title or degree that will guarantee success. My advice is to find your own way, help others find theirs, to recognize the value of problem solving skills, and to act as your own authentic self--because horses can always tell when you're not, and they are the ones we should all be truly working for.”