MAPP is about thinking critically, hands-on skills, developing policy, writing fact sheets and op-eds, being able to see other people’s perspectives, and learning to communicate with stakeholders in a way that maintains your own position while learning from theirs. Realizing that just one voice can still make a difference for horses, I learned that from MAPP.
The Horses’ Advocate: Tessa Archibald, A20, VG21
MAPP program graduate supports equine policy and rescues through her work at the Animal Welfare Institute and Homes for Horses Coalition
When Hurricane Helene tore through the east coast this fall, it left not only a wake of destruction, but many lost horses. One person horse owners reach out to for help is Tessa Archibald, A20, VG21, (she/her).
Archibald received a call from an owner in North Carolina still trying to locate her horses several weeks after the hurricane passed through. “I was able to provide support and some hope for her. Lots of people don’t know where to turn and being able to provide them with next steps and resources can hopefully help them find their horses.”
A graduate of both Tufts University and the Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP) program at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Archibald is in her third year as an equine policy associate at the Animal Welfare Institute and manager of Homes for Horses Coalition, working closely with equine rescue organizations nationwide.
“It’s always moving when I’m able to help someone who calls me with a horse in need or is looking to rehome a horse,” she says. “I’m grateful that I’m able to be a listening ear and provide people in a tough spot with resources.”
While Archibald grew up around horses in Massachusetts and started riding when she was young, her lifelong dedication to helping horses started at an equine rescue when she was in middle school. She volunteered at the rescue helping rehabilitate at-risk horses and transition them to new homes until she left for college.
“That was my life for a few years. I fell in love with the community and all the horses there,” she says.
Archibald became especially attached to a Haflinger pony named Jersey. The pony was in rough shape physically and wary of people. Her family took in the horse for a year, and Archibald earned her trust and returned the horse to health before finding her a forever home.
As an undergraduate at Tufts, Archibald stayed connected with horses competing on the equestrian team, enjoying being out in nature with the horses and her teammates. While she did forgo riding for one semester to study abroad in the Netherlands, she found volunteer work with rescue animals instead. She laughs that she could not communicate with her Dutch co-workers, but bonded with the dogs on walks around the city of Maastricht.
Archibald majored in biopsychology at Tufts, a field that combined her interests in neuroscience and psychology. As a research assistant in the Tufts Miczek Psychopharmacology Lab, she conducted neuroscientific research into addiction, and later at the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment, performed public health systems modeling on interventions for opioid addiction and also wrote grants.
Through all these experiences at Tufts, the most lasting impression came from a class her senior year called Animals in Society.
“I’ve been a huge animal person my whole life, and this course focused on the relationship between animals and people—I was so fascinated with how animals can help people,” she says. “It’s something I myself had experienced with horses in my life, and I was learning the science behind that.”
The course professor, Dr. Megan Mueller, associate professor in both the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School and Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts, put the MAPP program on Archibald’s radar. She was accepted for the following fall and took one stop along the way, interning for the summer at Strongwater Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, also recommended by Mueller. This experience allowed her to help horses and also children with autism and veterans with PTSD through therapeutic riding lessons.
“It was rewarding to give back to people through horses,” Archibald reflects. “At Strongwater, it’s essential to make sure that the horses are healthy and happy so they can help individuals. To see the transformations and joy everyone got working with horses and the impact that horses can have for people, that stuck with me.”
So much so that she continues therapeutic volunteer work with horses still today at the Temple Grandin Equine Center in Denver.
As a student in the MAPP program, Archibald gained the knowledge and skillset to turn her passion for helping horses into a successful and fulfilling career. Plus, she loved the MAPP experience.
“Honestly, I wish I could take those classes forever,” she says.
Archibald’s cohort hailing from a variety of backgrounds and the broad MAPP curriculum put into perspective the different avenues she could take in her career. Throughout the program, her professors highlighted various career options, bringing in guest speakers across sectors, from technology to public policy to law enforcement.
“Knowing where we could go from here and how our work could potentially make an impact is critical,” says Archibald. “It can be intimidating to make a career jump, or for me, an educational pivot. Expanding that awareness and exploring those options was really important.”
Archibald excelled in the MAPP program and was awarded the Tufts Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life Summer Fellowship for her externship with WildEarth Guardians in Denver, Colorado that next summer. As a wildlife research and policy intern, she advocated to limit animal trapping on public lands and educated the public on the dangers of trapping for wildlife through webinars and op-ed articles. She conducted an analysis of the wolf reintroduction program in Colorado and attended work group meetings as a representative of WildEarth Guardians.
Colorado was a fit for Archibald, and so were the career opportunities there. After the internship wrapped up, she spent the next several months back with horses as a wrangler at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa, teaching guests about horses and the ecology and wildlife of Colorado. She was also an educator at the Denver Zoo, speaking with visitors about the different species at the zoo and how to get involved in conservation efforts.
One year after graduating from the MAPP program, Archibald took on a role that integrated her passions and positioned her to advocate for horses nationwide as an equine policy associate at the nonprofit Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and manager of Homes for Horses Coalition (HHC), overseen by AWI and the American Wild Horse Conservation. AWI advocates for laws and policies to protect animals from abuse, extinction, and other threats. HHC was founded 14 years ago within AWI to help at-risk horses and push to end horse slaughter. HHC supports more than 500 member nonprofit organizations across the country, including equine rescues, sanctuaries, and advocacy groups.
“The original charge of HHC was advocacy, and it’s expanded from there,” says Archibald. “Rescues were excited to be connecting and have a lot of knowledge to share with each other. Homes for Horses now also provides educational opportunities to rescues to support them in their incredible efforts.”
Archibald takes the lead on these educational endeavors, including informational webinars and developing fact sheets and other materials related to best practices in helping abused and neglected horses and running a rescue nonprofit. She supports the rescues in their day to day work rehabilitating and rehoming horses and promotes connections within the equine rescue community. In her grassroots advocacy work, she hosts webinars and writes articles to educate the public about equine welfare.
“Ultimately if rescues can succeed, more horses can be helped,” says Archibald.
This past September, Archibald brought together the equine rescue and advocacy community by organizing the 2024 Homes for Horses Coalition Conference and lobby day. More than 100 attendees from 26 states traveled to Washington, DC for the first HCC conference held since the pandemic. Archibald arranged two days of educational seminars and an additional “lobby day,” where the advocates and representatives from rescues met with lawmakers about ending horse slaughter and other equine issues.
“We walked up to Capitol Hill with a huge line of people knowing everyone was there for the same reason, to make a difference for horses,” says Archibald. “Putting that together and giving everyone the opportunity to speak to their lawmakers was gratifying for me in the work I do. It was the biggest project I had ever done and was a real success.”
Archibald is also part of a working group in Colorado advocating for more humane treatment of wild horses. She finds herself leaning on the skills and expertise imparted in the MAPP program in her work for AWI, HCC, and the working group.
“MAPP is about thinking critically, hands-on skills, developing policy, writing fact sheets and op-eds, being able to see other people’s perspectives, and learning to communicate with stakeholders in a way that maintains your own position while learning from theirs. Realizing that just one voice can still make a difference for horses, I learned that from MAPP.”
To track down those lost horses, Archibald is writing grants to assist people with horses impacted by Hurricane Helene.
“I want to continue to improve and make changes for horses,” she says. “I want to expand, energize, and support equine rescues across the country, to empower them to do the most incredible work they can do for horses.”
Archibald landed in the right spot to do just that—and she brings all her passion, dedication, training, and expertise to the task. Through her work, Archibald is making a tremendous impact on the lives of horses, just as horses have done for her.
Advocate and Make a Difference in the World
Cummings School’s M.S. in Animals and Public Policy examines the changing roles of animals in our society. Students learn to effectively evaluate research and policy arguments preparing them for careers in animal protection agencies, conservation initiatives, and environmental advocacy organizations.
Department:
MS in Animals and Public Policy