Services We Provide
We provide a fully mobile service. We come to your yard, or stables, with our portable and battery operated diagnostic equipment. We have invested heavily in the latest mobile technology, including X-ray machine, ultrasound scanner, airway endoscope and dental equipment - so your horse never has to leave your yard to receive the best possible diagnostics and treatment. David and Suzi have both spent the last six years working with some of the top horses and owners in various equestrian disciplines in surrey in England.
Lameness
Suzi and David are highly experienced in lameness and musculoskeletal problems in the horse. They carry instant digital equine radiograph (X-ray) machines which can be used to take X-rays of problem areas in your horse, and give an instant diagnosis onsite at your yard. This specialist equipment saves the need to travel to a facility and the investigation can be performed where your horse is relaxed in its home environment. In addition, they have both been expertly trained to perform advanced regenerative treatments such as PRP, Tendoplus and IRAP therapies.
Ophthalmology
David has a special interest in ophthalmology and has completed several international courses in this area and has worked with specialist ophthalmologists in England.
Any eye condition should be seen as an emergency by a vet as soon as possible. Commonly seen conditions include conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, uveitis and cataracts. In most cases, these conditions can be treated and make a full recovery, however if left untreated could result in loss of vision, chronic pain or need enucleation (removal of the eye).
David is keen to see first opinion and referral ophthalmology cases.
Pre-purchase Examinations and Xrays
David has carried out hundreds of pre-purchase examinations in his career, ranging from six-figure racehorses, eventers and polo ponies to £600 children's ponies. In all cases, the outcome must be the same; an informed and reassured purchaser.
David will travel anywhere throughout Ireland, bringing his X-ray machine and scanner with him. He can perform a high level pre-purchase examination, X-ray or scan on request, and have a typed report and the digital images sent through to you that evening.
Poor Performance
Poor performance can affect a horse or pony competing in any discipline from racing to jumping to dressage horses. These can be challenging cases where there may appear to be “nothing wrong” with the horse, but it is just not doing as well as it used to or as well as it is expected to do.
The most common reasons for poor performance include:
- Lameness
- Neck, back and pelvic disease
- Dental disease
- Respiratory disease
- Gastric ulcers
- Other medical reason eg heart disease, viral disease
- Training/natural ability of the horse limitations.
Each of these conditions must be ruled in or out by various different tests so that we can get a diagnosis. Quite often the horse has a combination of these issues. It is only by diagnosis and appropriate treatment that we can get the best out of your horse.
Airway Disease
Performance horses especially racehorses frequently suffer from airway disease limiting their performance potential. At Kingsfield Equine we have a mobile endoscope that can be used to visualise the nasal passages, guttural pouches, larynx and trachea.
The procedure can be performed at your yard and the horse may or may not also require sedation. A tracheal wash can be taken which will aid in the full diagnosis of airway disease. An endoscope is also useful in diagnosis and treatment of strangles outbreaks on yards to ensure all horses are in the “clear”. Please contact us for further information or to book in an endoscope examination.
Diagnostic Imaging
At Kingsfield Equine we pride ourselves in having the latest, most modern diagnostic equipment, that is also fully portable, so we can come to you! We know that it is time consuming and can be difficult to transport your horse into a clinic so this is why we want to make the process as easy as possible for you.
Xray: We have a cuattro slate 6 digital xray machine from BCF Technology. This machine can be used to xray limbs, necks, backs and heads. The images are available to see immediately and allow for rapid diagnosis. The images can be easily transferred onto USB stick , CD or emailed for second opinion if required.
Ultrasound: We have a sonosite edge II ultrasound machine. This machine can be used for lameness diagnosis and monitoring – it is the best way to assess soft tissue such as tendons and ligaments. It can also be used to aid in specialist medication techniques such as neck, sacroiliac or tendon medications.
We also have a rectal probe, so the machine can be used for mare fertility checks and treatment as well.
Endoscope: Our endoscope allows visualisation of the nasal passages, guttural pouches, pharynx, larynx and trachea.
Castration
There are many reasons why you might want to get your colt or stallion castrated including behavioural, management and fertility reasons. It is recommended to castrate a young colt anytime from about 9 months onwards, and doing it at this age can prevent unwanted behaviour becoming “learned”, meaning it may not resolve post-castration. However we are happy to castrate a colt of any age.
Colts can be castrated at any time of year; however they should ideally be castrated either in the spring or autumn, in order to avoid the flies and heat of the summer and the deep mud of winter, both of which can increase the risk of post-operative complications. We like to organise castrations for the morning time if possible, so the horse can wake up and be monitored through the afternoon, and any required checks or follow-ups can be done by the vet during normal hours.
We perform castrations either under standing sedation or under general anaesthesia and there are reasons why one technique may suit your animal more than another. Please ring us to discuss what would be best as well as any other questions regarding the procedure or recovery that you may have.
Reproduction and Breeding
Kingsfield Equine is involved with the breeding of mares in a number of different stud farms in the area. Breeding from a mare is an intensive process involving multiple ultrasound scans to follow her cycle and pinpoint the best time to breed. Most studs will also require pre-breeding blood and swab samples to be taken. Post-breeding we can scan to monitor any infections/fluids and manage this as needed, as well as pregnancy scans of course.
We are on call 24/7 and available to assist with foaling at any time of day. It is recommended to have a newborn foal check the day following foaling to check for transfer of antibodies and the health of the foal.
Skin Conditions
Horses can suffer from a range of skin conditions ranging from parasitic disease, to allergies, to lumps and bumps. Symptoms range from itchy or flaky skin to weight loss and poor performance. Most skin conditions are easily and affordably treated, but some may require further diagnostics or sometimes surgical intervention.
Colic
Colic is a general term to mean abdominal pain. Colic can affect horses of any age and there are a huge number of causes. The majority of colic cases pass quickly with little intervention; however, a small number will require hospitalisation, fluids and surgery.
Signs of colic can include restlessness, loss of appetite, pawing at the ground or rolling on the ground, looking at or kicking the abdomen, lying flat out or stretching, grinding the teeth, sweating. Horses vary in how they demonstrate pain so may display one or several of these signs.
Initial assessment will include a general examination, rectal examination and possibly passing of a stomach tube. Further tests such as abdominal scans, blood samples or sampling abdominal fluid may also be required.
A decision is made whether your horse requires medical or surgical treatment. If they require surgical treatment they will be referred immediately to a specialist equine hospital capable of this. If medical treatment is required it may involve pain relief, anti-spasmodics and fluids (either oral or intravenous).
Export Of Horses
If you want to export your horse, whether to Europe or around the world, it must be accompanied by an export health certificate issued by DEFRA and completed by an Official Veterinarian (OV).
The requirements depend on the country that the horse is travelling to. They may include just a veterinary examination or may require vaccinations, blood tests and swabs as well. It is the responsibility of the owner in combination with their shipping agent to ensure all the requirements are met prior to export date.
David and Suzi are trained Official Veterinarians, licenced by Animal Health to approve quarantine facilities if required, perform export testing and complete the appropriate export health certificate.
We recommend you plan any export well in advance to allow enough time for all requirements to be met.
For more information regarding the exportation of horses, and to start the process, please see the DEFRA website.
Wounds
Horses can wound themselves in any scenario – being ridden, in the field, in the stable or when travelling. Wounds vary from minor grazes that will heal without veterinary attention to major wounds that require emergency surgery under general anaesthetic.
When to call the vet? We recommend you contact the vet in the following situations:
- The wound is close to a joint, tendon sheath, or eyelid
- The wound is full skin thickness and longer than 1cm
- The wound is bleeding profusely
- The horse is lame
- There is a discharge or smell from the wound
If in doubt about any of the above please contact us and we can at least discuss the case or view a photo to help you decide if the wound needs seen by a vet or not.
Microchip And Passporting
All horses, ponies, donkeys and mules must have a passport by law. The object of the legislation is to prevent animals treated with veterinary medicines entering the food chain. It is illegal to sell, export, transport or use them for breeding or competitions without a passport. The fine for non-compliance is up to £5000.
Since 2009 all foals must be microchipped and passported within 6 months of age or before 31 December of the year of birth, whichever is later. All horses which require new passports must also be microchipped first. If your horse has a passport from prior to 2009 and is not microchipped, it is not a requirement to do so, although we recommend it. Their passport will still be valid without a microchip.
Some breed associations have their own specific passporting forms, please contact them directly to obtain these. If the breeding of your horse is unknown then please contact us and we can provide a passport for them.
Racecourse, Point-to-Point and Polo Duty
David and Suzi have both completed a casualty management course and therefore are qualified to work at racecourses and point-to-points. To enquire about availability please contact us.
Insurance
We recommend that all horses are insured. On a daily basis we see owners who tell us they were planning to get their horses insured, but hadn’t and were then struggling with unexpected vet, physio and farrier's bills, attempting to get their horses back on the road again.
With insurance cover, owners get peace of mind from knowing that no matter what the emergency, the illness or injury, their insurance company provides a financial safety net, allowing them to insist on the gold standard of care for their horse or pony.
There are a huge number of different companies and policies available to you and whilst we can give some guidance, only registered brokers or agents can give specific advice to you. The main types of cover include veterinary fees, death and permanent loss of use.
Equine Dental Care
We have invested in the latest battery powered electrical dental tools to make teeth rasping as quick and efficient as possible, so your horse or pony is back munching its hay as soon as possible. A small amount of safe sedation can be used to make it a more pleasant experience for the horse and owner alike.
Unlike many vets, David really likes doing teeth. He has worked for many large polo teams in England, and has done thousands of sets of teeth over the years. He has a meticulous approach, and guarantees perfection when he is done, allowing peace of mind in knowing your horses teeth are in good shape.