Our Services

Preventive healthcare is the cornerstone of good equine management. Regular health checks and vaccinations protect your horse against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases and help identify emerging health issues before they become serious problems. We recommend an annual health check for all horses and ponies, which includes a full clinical examination alongside vaccination where due.

We vaccinate against equine influenza and tetanus as standard, with combination vaccines available. We can advise on the correct vaccination schedule for your horse's age, history and competitive requirements, ensuring compliance with British Horseracing Authority and British Equestrian Federation rules where relevant.

Equine herpesvirus (EHV) vaccination is also available and recommended for horses in regular contact with others, particularly those attending competitions, travelling or stabled alongside visiting horses. We can discuss the pros, cons and correct timing with you during your appointment.

Equine dental health has a direct impact on a horse's comfort, performance and general wellbeing. Sharp enamel points, wolf teeth, retained caps, hooks and a host of other dental problems can cause pain and affect the horse's ability to eat and respond to the bit. Yet many dental problems go unrecognised until they become quite advanced.

We recommend routine dental examinations at least once a year for adult horses and every six months for young horses and those with known dental issues. Each examination involves a full inspection of the mouth under appropriate sedation (where required), using a good light source and dental mirror, followed by motorised rasping to remove sharp points and correct abnormal wear patterns.

Where necessary, we can perform more advanced procedures including wolf tooth extraction, removal of loose or fractured teeth and treatment of periodontal disease. In complex cases, we work with specialist equine dental referral centres.

Lameness is the most common reason we are called to horses, and diagnosing its cause requires a combination of clinical skill, systematic methodology and appropriate diagnostic technology. At R.D. Owen Equine Clinic, we take a thorough and structured approach to every lameness case — however subtle or complex.

Our lameness examinations include detailed history-taking, a full clinical assessment at rest, dynamic evaluation in hand and on the lunge, flexion tests and — crucially — diagnostic analgesia (nerve and joint blocks) to precisely localise the source of pain. Once localised, we use digital radiography and/or portable ultrasound to image the affected structures and reach a diagnosis.

For cases requiring advanced imaging such as MRI, CT or scintigraphy, we work closely with specialist referral centres and can help coordinate rapid access to these services where necessary.

We perform a range of standing and field surgical procedures, including castrations, laceration repair, sinus surgery and minor orthopaedic interventions. Our surgical capability is enhanced by video arthroscopy — a minimally invasive technique that allows us to examine and treat joint problems with precision and significantly reduced recovery times.

We maintain excellent working relationships with several specialist equine surgical centres for cases requiring general anaesthesia or highly specialised procedures. Where referral is needed, we will coordinate this swiftly and remain involved in your horse's care throughout.

Please note: we do not perform colic surgery at this practice. If your horse is suspected to require surgical colic intervention, we will assess, stabilise and refer as rapidly as possible to ensure the best possible outcome.

Reproductive services have been a cornerstone of our practice since the earliest years. Richard Owen has decades of hands-on experience in equine reproduction, from breeding soundness examinations through to pregnancy diagnosis and foaling care, and our team supports breeders throughout the region with reliable, expert reproductive management.

We offer a comprehensive stud service including: pre-breeding examination of mares and stallions, oestrus detection and ovulation monitoring using portable ultrasound, natural covering supervision, and pregnancy diagnosis from 14 days post-ovulation. We provide thorough pre-purchase reproductive examinations for mares entering stud and are experienced in managing reproductive problems including endometritis, uterine cysts and abnormal cycles.

Foaling support is available for straightforward foalings, and we are always on call for foaling emergencies. We can also advise on the management of the mare and foal in the immediate post-partum period.

Artificial insemination is an increasingly popular option for breeders wishing to use stallions not available locally, or to reduce the stress and disease risk associated with transporting mares to stud. We are experienced in AI using both chilled and frozen semen and can guide you through the process from start to finish.

Successful AI requires careful timing. We use real-time portable ultrasound to monitor follicular development and predict the time of ovulation, ensuring insemination occurs at the optimum moment. We work with both UK and European semen suppliers and are familiar with the regulatory requirements governing the importation of semen from approved stallions.

We have the stocks and equipment necessary for AI procedures to be performed safely and effectively at your premises. Post-insemination pregnancy scanning from 14 days ensures early confirmation of success.

It is a legal requirement in Great Britain for all horses, ponies, donkeys and mules to have an equine passport and to be microchipped. Passports must be applied for within six months of birth (or by 31 December of the year of birth, whichever is sooner), and microchipping must be carried out by a veterinary surgeon.

We provide a full passport and microchipping service, working with the relevant passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) to ensure correct registration. We can also assist with passport updates following vaccination, recording of SIRE status and the administrative requirements for horses entering or leaving the UK.

If you have acquired a horse without a passport, or if a passport has been lost, we can advise you on the steps required to obtain a replacement and ensure your horse is legally compliant.

Purchasing a horse is a significant investment and a pre-purchase examination is one of the most important steps you can take to protect it. We regularly carry out both 2-stage and 5-stage vettings throughout North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire, as well as at the clinic.

A 5-stage vetting is the most comprehensive assessment, incorporating a full clinical examination at rest, trotting up on hard and soft ground, flexion tests, an exercise phase and a period of rest before a final trot-up to reveal any stiffness emerging after exertion. Diagnostic imaging is available on-site if required. We will provide you with a clear and honest written report and are always happy to discuss findings with you in plain language.

We perform routine castrations on horses of all ages. For colts and youngsters under three years old, castration can generally be carried out at your own yard, provided suitable facilities and safe conditions are available. Horses aged three and over are typically castrated at the clinic, where full surgical and monitoring facilities are on hand.

Any horse that may have a retained testicle — a cryptorchid — will need to be castrated at the clinic regardless of age, as this requires a more involved surgical procedure. We will discuss this with you during a pre-operative consultation to ensure all parties are fully prepared.

Gastric ulcers are far more common in horses than many owners realise, particularly in competition horses, racehorses and animals under any form of physical or psychological stress. Symptoms can be subtle: a change in temperament, reluctance to work, poor performance, intermittent colic signs, or simply a horse that is not quite right.

We run regular gastric ulcer clinics at the surgery, using video-linked gastroscopy to visualise the stomach lining directly. This is the only definitive way to diagnose gastric ulcers and assess their severity. We will discuss the findings with you and recommend an appropriate treatment and management plan.

We offer comprehensive investigation of all medical conditions, including weight loss, lethargy and dullness, exercise intolerance, laminitis and metabolic conditions, and ophthalmic conditions. Our diagnostic capabilities — including laboratory testing, digital imaging and endoscopy — allow us to investigate complex cases thoroughly and reach evidence-based conclusions.

Where a case requires specialist input beyond our own facilities, we have established referral relationships with leading equine hospitals and specialists and will coordinate the handover carefully to ensure continuity of care.

When a horse stops performing to its usual standard — whether that is a racehorse failing to finish, a showjumper backing off fences, or a dressage horse losing impulsion and rhythm — the underlying cause is rarely obvious. Poor performance investigation draws on multiple disciplines: cardiology, respiratory assessment, lameness evaluation, gastroscopy and metabolic testing.

Our vets specialise in sports medicine including regenerative and cutting-edge therapies for athletic horses. We will work systematically through possible causes, discussing our findings and options at every stage, and recommend targeted treatment once a diagnosis is established.

Sarcoids are the most common skin tumour in horses and can cause significant problems depending on their location and size. Laser treatment is currently the preferred method of sarcoid removal, offering high precision and a reduced risk of recurrence compared to older surgical techniques.

Laser removal can be carried out under standing sedation in most cases, avoiding the risks and recovery time associated with general anaesthesia. For larger or more complex sarcoids, general anaesthesia may be recommended and can be performed at the clinic.

Our vets provide emergency and routine veterinary cover at both national and international FEI events. This experience at the highest level of equine sport — working under the pressures of competition — informs how we approach clinical work at every level.

Richard Owen also serves as an ambulatory vet at Bangor-on-Dee and Haydock Park Racecourses, bringing a deep understanding of the racehorse to his clinical practice and continuing a connection to racing that stretches back to his early career in Newmarket.

We have two Official Veterinarians (OVs) registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), enabling us to issue export health certificates for horses travelling internationally. This covers a wide range of destinations and purposes, from competition travel to permanent export.

Export health certificate requirements vary significantly depending on the destination country, the purpose of travel and the horse's individual health and vaccination status. We will guide you through the process, ensure all pre-travel health checks are carried out correctly, and complete the documentation accurately and on time.

Genuine, round-the-clock emergency cover is something we have provided from the very beginning of the practice, and something we remain absolutely committed to. Horses can become seriously ill at any hour of the day or night, and when they do, swift veterinary attention can make the difference between a good outcome and a catastrophic one.

Our emergency service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — including bank holidays and Christmas. Call our main number at any time and you will be connected to a vet on call who can triage your horse over the phone and, where necessary, attend promptly.

Common emergency presentations we attend include colic (non-surgical), lacerations and wounds, acute lameness and foot pain, eye injuries, respiratory distress, suspected choke, foaling emergencies and casting.