In Memory of G. Marvin Beeman, DVM

Our entire equine community is mourning the loss of G. Marvin Beeman, DVM. He dedicated his life to everything horse, and we were blessed to have him as a longtime board member of the of the Colorado Horse Development Authority in conjunction with the Colorado Horse Council. Andrea Raschke, current president of the Colorado Horse Council, was honored to attend one of his final speaking engagements.

On April 20, 2026, Dr. Beeman, “The Mane Man,” spoke at the senior living facility where he and his beloved wife had lived for just over a year. He shared how he was born in what is now Highlands Ranch in a house that had no electricity or running water until 1947. It was an exciting place to grow up with his father, mother, and sister because his father was the huntsman and responsible for the horses and hounds for Lawrence Phipps, Jr. who reactivated the Arapahoe Hunt Club in 1929. He said that his life had been wonderful, and he owed his entire career to horses starting at 3-years-old when he knocked heads with a Shetland pony. He was also asthmatic and allergic to everything in the barn (from the dust to the hay) except he was not allergic to the horses. He would ride to the two-room schoolhouse in Louviers with wonderful teachers who prepared him well for veterinary college. He learned to play polo and had the privilege of breeding and raising good horses (and hounds) along the way. Ironically, he acknowledged that he was an anomaly because he had fallen from a horse so many times (with lots of broken bones and twice in his neck) that he was fortunate to be alive and not paralyzed.

Dr. Beeman’s lifetime achievements are more numerous than any of us can ever fully appreciate. But what about his aspirations? When asked what advice he would give to those of us who want to protect and promote our horse industry, his answers were succinct and on point:

• Get horses out in front of the public in a positive light as often as possible and be proactive about anything potentially negative.
• Educate everyone about the many benefits of horses.
• It’s imperative to find ways to get and keep youth involved.
• University admission requirements must be changed (but not lowered) to allow for more graduating veterinarians who will stay working with large animals.
• Self-regulate the equine industry and try to avoid legislation.
• Horses must continue to be classified as livestock and not pets.
• Most importantly for horses to survive, they must have value:
  • with jobs while they are alive (entertainment, recreation, therapy).
  • as a commodity when they are no longer alive (every part of the horse can be repurposed).

Horses matter. Per Dr. Beeman, horses have learned how to adapt with humans throughout history, and the entire world relied on them before mechanization. Horses also continue to prove themselves to be the greatest athletes of all because not only can they do what they do, but they can do what they do while carrying a rider at a full gallop. Godspeed, Dr. Beeman. We will take the reins now and continue to advocate on behalf of the legacy you’ve set forth.