Sport Horse Services

We leave no stone unturned, utilising modern diagnostic and therapeutic tools, we provide accurate information and advice on the most appropriate treatment.

Lameness Evaluation

Our team of vets have a wealth of knowledge regarding lameness investigations and how subtle orthopaedic issues can often manifest as poor performance. A lame horse is not able to do his job and soundness, balance and freedom of movement is of paramount importance in all disciplines.

A lameness evaluation may require your horse to be trotted up on a hard, flat surface, lunged on a hard and soft surface and have flexion tests performed and can involve a ridden assessment if required.

We may then need to carry out diagnostic analgesia (nerve blocks) or imaging such as radiography or ultrasound.

Radiography

All of our vets are equipped with portable digital radiography equipment enabling us to immediately perform radiographs when indicated; either as part of a lameness investigation or when dealing with an emergency.

We have a close relationship with imaging specialists who are available to advise on image interpretation when needed.

We regularly perform foot balance radiographs as part of poor performance investigations, good foot balance is key especially for sports horses as loading an unbalanced limb can cause injuries. We are then able to discuss the radiographs with the farrier to allow them to rebalance the foot as needed.

Ultrasonography

Ultrasound is an incredibly useful tool for evaluating the musculoskeletal system, particularly for the diagnosis and monitoring of soft tissue injuries.

We are experienced at performing ultrasonography and carry top quality portable ultrasound machines with us to allow us to perform scans quickly and accurately at the visit.

Shockwave Therapy

An ever-popular therapy used to treat a range of orthopaedic injuries including suspensory ligament injuries and thoracolumbar back pain.

Shockwave is a non-invasive therapy that involves sending soundwaves through the skin and underlying tissues to increase blood flow, aid healing and provide pain relief.

We have portable machines that allow us to carry out the treatment at the yard and it is a quick and effective treatment that can be invaluable in the management of certain cases.

Laser

Our two multifrequency Class IV lasers provide a non-invasive method of treatment for a variety of injuries and wounds. The Class IV laser is the highest power laser available and penetrates the tissues effectively to increase cellular turnover (therefore healing), increase blood flow and provide pain relief.

It can be beneficial for almost any condition where there is an inflammatory component and is particularly useful when managing difficult to heal wounds.

Gastroscopy

Gastric ulcers are an important cause of poor performance in sport horses and the only way to know if they are is to perform a gastroscopy. We have two fully portable gastroscopes that allow us to efficiently perform gastroscopes at the yard with minimal stress to the horse.

Endoscopy

All horses need their airways to be in optimal condition for peak performance. There are multiple problems that affect both the upper and lower airways that can have a significant impact on the horse’s ability to breathe and therefore perform well.

We have two top quality video endoscopes that allow us to safely and efficiently assess the upper airway and are able record footage for us to send onto the specialist airway surgeons if we feel that surgery is indicated to help the horse breathe more easily.  

To assess the lower airways we carry out post exercise tracheal washes where we take a fluid sample from the airways and analyse it in the lab for the presence of mucus, blood, inflammatory cells and bacteria. This allows us to accurately advise on the best management to return the airways to optimal condition.

All of our vets are equipped with endoscopes to allow us to perform endoscopic exams at any routine visits if indicated. Any horse that is showing reduced performance, coughing or poor recovery rate could be suffering from inflammatory airway disease (equine asthma) or a respiratory infection, both common problems in equine athletes.

Pre-Purchase Examinations

A pre-purchase examination is an important step in the purchase of any horse and our massively experienced team of vets can help you through this stressful time. We are happy to carry out PPEs on behalf of new or existing clients and will travel wherever needed.
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A pre-purchase exam consists of 5 stages, first a thorough static  clinical examination followed by dynamic examination, an exercise test, recovery and a final dynamic assessment. In some cases we may need to perform a limited examination (2 stage), often in unbroken horses or those with lower sale value. In those horses with higher sale value or future career aspirations we may want to include imaging such as radiographs, ultrasound scans or endoscopy and this can be discussed prior to the PPE.
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No horse is perfect, the aim of a PPE is to assess the suitability of a horse for the job you want it to do and is often a requirement for insuring your horse. For more information please see our information sheet.

We leave no stone unturned, utilising modern diagnostic and therapeutic tools, we provide accurate information and advice on the most appropriate treatment.

We leave no stone unturned, utilising modern diagnostic and therapeutic tools, we provide accurate information and advice on the most appropriate treatment.