Chomping at the Bit - by Matt Evans (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The story of how a young man who knows nothing about horses stumbles through becoming a horse veterinarian.

Matt Evans, thanks to reading too much James Herriot as a child, had a dream--to become a veterinarian. That dream changed along the way to specifically becoming a horse vet. The only problem with his new dream was that Matt was not raised around horses. And, if you are not raised around horses, that makes for an uphill battle of overcoming ineptitude, imposter syndrome, and a load of doubters.

Thankfully for Matt, it also comes with a lot of laughs.

Chomping at the Bit follows Matt into and out of veterinary school and through his first job as an equine veterinarian. With the amusing acuity of David Sedaris, he faces every new challenge with humility and humor. We meet memorable horses, clients he loves, clients he wishes he could forget, and a cast of colleagues both supportive and--shall we say, less so--as Matt struggles to find his way in the dream job that he is uniquely unqualified for.

Review Quotes

"Chomping at the Bit is a great story for animal lovers! But animals aside, Matt's journey in becoming a vet is one of the best and most humorous books I've ever read."--T. J. MaGregor, author of Out of Sight

"Sometimes clever is the motif... Sometimes clever is the plot.... Sometimes clever is unexpected....but sometimes the person that wrote the book is brilliantly clever and this makes the entire experience a joy.
Read this book. It will make you smile and make you wonder 'what was that guy thinking!!'
Perspective is the master of the narrative, and Dr. Matt has the most unique perspective I have known and he has a way of putting it into words."--Bo Brock, author of Crowded in the Middle of Nowhere

"This book should be required reading for every veterinary student, medical student--or any front row sitting, gold star seeking, high achiever who's ever experienced imposter syndrome. Matt's comical and self-deprecating journey through his early veterinary career will not only make you laugh--it will leave you thinking 'If he can do it--so can I!'"--Paul Osincup, keynote speaker and author of The Humor Habit

About the Author

Matt Evans, DVM, is an equine veterinarian who graduated from Texas A&M University and now practices outside of Austin, Texas. In addition to being a horse doctor, Matt is also a stand-up comedian who performs shows all around Austin and beyond. He is married to his wife of over twenty-five years (!) and they have two daughters (all of them better than Matt deserves). Matt also paints oil landscapes and horse portraits, but he is a way better writer and comic than a painter, so read this book or catch a comedy show before you look into his art.