Earning a Horse’s Trust Through Decades of Care

***This article first appeared in the Fall 2026 issue of Synergy magazine***

As early as he can remember, Gabe Gil has been around horses and had a passion for them. As a small child in Mexico, he would help his family working with equines as field and transport animals. At 15, Gil worked at a horse racing farm—breeding, training, and even racing the horses. That is when his passion for them truly began. However, obligations with his education and family would delay Gil’s ability to make the animals his career.

For the next 20 years, Gil worked as a mechanic and owned a landscaping business, but he longed to work with horses again someday. That day finally came when a friend and neighbor he met through landscaping told him there was a job opening where he worked at the UC Davis veterinary hospital. It came at a time when Gil’s growing family needed the job stability and benefits that UC Davis offered.  

Gil started at UC Davis working nights and weekends as support staff at the Large Animal Hospital’s ICU and neonatal ICU. After five years, his work ethic was finally recognized, and Gil was encouraged to apply for the coordinator position with the Equine Surgery and Lameness Service. This meant an opportunity to work a weekday shift and have more responsibility helping the service with daily appointments.

He now works as an animal health technician with the service, handling horses during lameness evaluations, facilitating imaging appointments, preparing patients for surgery, and assisting with just about any other role needed. When issues arise outside Gil’s service area, he is often asked to help, as his experience with horses is trusted throughout the hospital.  

“Gabe is an exceptional horse handler who consistently demonstrates confidence, skill, and sound judgment around horses,” said Sarah Blasczynski, manager of the Large Animal Hospital. “He is dependable, highly knowledgeable about his service and large animal clinical operations in general. Gabe can always be counted on to step up during emergency situations, providing calm, efficient support whenever it’s needed.”

According to Gil, the most rewarding part of his 19 years at UC Davis is working with such a diverse group of clients, students, faculty, residents, and staff. When it comes to the students, he enjoys his primary role with them—teaching safety around horses.

“Knowing where to position yourself near a horse is important,” said Gil. “But teaching students where not to be is even more important. Many of them have never been near a horse, so they let their guard down. I want them to be as safe as possible for their rewarding, long careers ahead of them.”

Gil’s relationship with clients has made a lasting impression on most of them. He may be the closest thing the hospital has to a “horse whisperer,” and the trust he builds with horses shines through.

“When I hand over my horses to Gabe, my faith and trust in him assures me they’re in great hands,” said Nancy Gamble, owner of Rancho Centurion in the Napa Valley and a long-time hospital client.

Gamble thinks so much of Gil that she personally thanked him in the credits to their movie “Centurion: The Dancing Stallion” for his years of caring for her late horse Centurion and so many other horses she continues to bring to UC Davis.

“Gabe was part of our team, part of our love connection with Centurion,” Gamble said. “Beyond his professionalism, the love, tenderness, passion, and heart that Gabe had for Centurion—and all my horses—told me I never had to worry when they’re with Gabe.”

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