A BALLARAT veterinarian says a skills shortage in horse clinicians has forced him to hire internationally.
Dr Ian Fulton, partner in the Ballarat Veterinary Practice at Miners Rest, said an increase in the amount of work the business was doing had led him to take on extra staff.
However after advertising throughout Europe, the UK and North America only eight responses were received.
Equine Veterinarians Australia agreed there was a shortage of horse clinicians but not veterinarians throughout Australia.
President Barry Smyth said the problem was not uncommon.
"It's an issue in every country in the world," he said.
"It's increasingly difficult to attract people to large animal practise."
Dr Fulton said the nature of the work often led graduates to work in small general veterinary clinics where hours and travel were regular.
"It's a-lot more comfortable doing small animal work because they are indoors and there is less risk involved of injury," he said.
"Up to 80 per cent of graduating veterinarians are female and the majority seem to flow into small animal work. Even with males its almost impossible to entice them to work in the area."
Dr Fulton's newest employees said they couldn't be happier with their new jobs.
Dr Kieran Finn moved to Ballarat from New Zealand five weeks ago after hearing about it.
"In this line of work you get to do the kind of surgery normal veterinarians don't do," he said.
"I love Ballarat. I do get lost wandering around here every day but it was worth moving for."
South Australian Dr Holly Lewis said working with horses was a natural choice after growing up around them.
"It can be difficult handling them," she said.
"But it's a lot more challenging than doing mixed practise which is what I was doing before I started here."
Dr Lewis said she understood why many graduates chose to work overseas, having herself lived in the UK for four years previously.
"The pay is better but I wanted to come home," she said.