Morphettville Equine Clinic

22/09/2026

22/09/2026

Hi everyone one of our clients lost a two week old foal yesterday and has a good surrogate mare they would like to offer if someone’s needs her. Please contact us.
MEC Horsemed SA
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02/09/2026

We’re excited to announce our first FREE WEBINAR - Lameness in Horses: What Every Owner Should Know

📅 Tuesday 22 September, 7:30pm (ACST)

💻 Online via Zoom

🎟️ Free — but places are limited to 100

Your horse feels a bit “off.” Not obviously lame, just not quite right. Maybe it’s the surface. Maybe it’s the saddle. Maybe you’re imagining it?! Or could there be a lameness issue?!

Lameness is one of the most common reasons we see horses. Caught early, many causes are very manageable. Caught late, it’s a much longer road.

So we’re running a free evening session to help you catch it earlier, understand the diagnostic process and appreciate the variety of treatment options on offer.

Dr Ruth Taylor will cover:

🔹 Spotting it at home - the subtle signs owners miss: shortened stride, reluctance to pick up a canter lead, changes in behaviour that get put down to attitude rather than pain

🔹 What a workup actually involves - flexion tests, nerve blocks, x-rays and ultrasound explained in plain English, so you know what you’re paying for and why

🔹 Objective gait analysis - the technology that picks up asymmetry, and where it fits alongside a hands-on exam

🔹 The usual suspects - soft tissue injuries, osteoarthritis, and hoof pain: what they look like, how they’re diagnosed, and what the outlook is

🔹 Treatment and rehab - intra-articular therapies including PRP and Arthramid, the role of farriery, and how controlled exercise programmes actually work

🔹 Your questions - submit one when you register, and we’ll get through as many as we can

Suitable for every horse owner, whether you’re competing, trail riding, or looking after a retiree in the back paddock. No veterinary background needed.

Register here 👉 https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3JBATkuBQIGFUBGLr-jf8g

Can’t make it live? Register anyway - everyone who signs up gets access to the recording.

01/09/2026

🔎 Case Spotlight: Laparoscopic Cryptorchid Surgery at Morphettville Equine Clinic 🔎

A cryptorchid, commonly known as a rig, is a male horse with one or both testicles retained inside the abdomen or inguinal canal rather than descending into the sc***um. Retained testicles can’t be removed by routine castration, and left in place they usually lead to persistent stallion-like behaviour.

Our surgical team, Dr Booth and Dr Ash, routinely performs a laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy at our Morphettville clinic.

Laparoscopy (“keyhole” surgery) lets us pass a camera into the abdomen and locate the retained testicle under direct vision, rather than searching for it through a large open incision. The advantages for the horse are significant:

✅ Much smaller keyhole incisions

✅ Less tissue trauma, pain and post-operative swelling

✅ Lower risk of wound infection and hernia formation

✅ Excellent visualisation, so the retained testicle is found and removed quickly and with minimal tissue trauma

✅ Faster recovery and return to work

For part of the procedure, our purpose-built surgical table is used to tilt the horse into Trendelenburg position (head-down), which shifts the abdominal organs forward and gives the surgeons a clear view of the inguinal region. This position places short-term demands on the horse’s breathing and circulation, so it requires meticulous anaesthetic monitoring and positive pressure ventilation - expertly managed throughout by our experienced anaesthetist, Dr Jacinta.

We’re pleased to report our patient recovered well and returned to work quickly and successfully.

Think your horse might be a rig? Give the team at Morphettville Equine Clinic a call on 08 8294 8900 - we’re happy to talk you through the options.

31/08/2026

Our Hills crew are very excited to be making our first trip to Kangaroo Island! We’re grateful over the years to have worked for many valued clients from KI, and we’re looking forward to working in conjunction with the Kangaroo Island Veterinary Clinic to provide quality and continuing care to the horse population on the island.

From 30th September - 2nd October we’ll be on the island. We’re bringing advanced equine dentistry, lameness diagnostics, all our imaging equipment (X-rays, ultrasound and scope as required) and the ability to undertake those more complex work ups without having to travel to the mainland.

Touch base with the KI vet clinic crew or call us directly on 08 8391 9400 to make a booking!

26/08/2026

📚 📝 🧑‍🏫 Bain Fallon Conference 2026 📚 📝 🧑‍🏫

Well what a fantastic conference and program organised by the EVA and the Equine Chapter of the ANZCVS back in July. The conference had a great focus on sports medicine and rehabilitation with wonderful lectures from Emmanuelle van Erck and Rachel Murray throughout the week.

There was a fascinating discussion forum on laminitis and managing Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Our vets really enjoyed the wonderful focus on the horse as a whole and ensuring appropriate treatment and management of the whole horse, rather than separate conditions.

Drs Jacqui, Andrew and Holly were balancing learning, listening to some fantastic research abstracts, networking with old and new colleagues with the busy social program that the Bain Fallon Conference is so well known for! Dr Jacqui also had on her EVA South Australian state rep hat, helping ensure the conference was running smoothly.

All of the attendees are looking forward to putting some new knowledge into practice. Luckily for the Horsemed SA team, there was no COVID outbreak this year, unlike the last time Bain Fallon was in Melbourne!

25/08/2026

Lumps and bumps: why we don’t “wait and see”

This lovely patient presented to us with a rapidly growing mass in the throat latch region. This can be a tricky spot for mass removal with so many complex and vital structures in the area! Following a biopsy sample, a diagnosis of a mast cell tumour was made.

Mast cell tumours are one of the less common equine tumours. They’re usually benign in horses, but they don’t often resolve on their own, and they can grow, ulcerate and become irritated.

Dr Booth removed the mass surgically, with the horse standing under sedation and local anaesthetic - no general anaesthetic required. This means a lower anaesthetic risk, a quicker recovery, and the horse home to recuperate faster.

The best news of all: excellent surgical margins. That means the tumour was removed completely, with a healthy border of normal tissue all the way around which is the single most important factor in reducing the chance of it coming back.

This lovely patient was a superstar throughout and we’re grateful to their wonderful owner for allowing us to share this story and images on social media.

The takeaway: if your horse has a lump that’s new, growing, changing or in an awkward spot please get it checked early. Smaller lumps mean simpler surgery, better margins and better outcomes.

Give us a call on 08 8294 8900 if you would like to book an assessment or a surgery.

17/08/2026

Last week we had this interesting eye case in hospital. We’re very lucky to have Dr Tony Read, a specialist veterinary ophthalmologist, available for consultations and surgeries from our Morphettville clinic.

This lovely gelding had been referred in to us following diagnosis of a conjunctival papilloma , a benign but enlarging growth affecting the surface of the eye.

Under a general anaesthetic performed by Dr Jacinta, Dr Read was able to carefully dissect the growth and use cryosurgery to remove any remaining cells. The gelding has recovered well and is much more comfortable now!

We’re very grateful to have access to so many amazing specialists here at Morphettville, and the facilities to be able to perform these complex procedures. Don’t forget if you have a potential surgical patient please contact us for a surgical opinion or estimate. Our friendly staff will be happy to help!

09/08/2026

Congratulations to our very own Dr Andrew Hunt, some very well deserved recognition of his expertise and dedication!

🌟 EVA MEMBER OF THE MONTH – AUGUST 🌟

This month we celebrate Dr Andrew Hunt and his outstanding contribution to equine veterinary medicine and equestrian sport.

Andrew took a slightly different path into veterinary science, first completing an Honours degree in Rural Science at the University of New England before graduating in Veterinary Science from Murdoch University in 1996.

In 1997, Andrew joined Morphettville Equine Clinic – and he has never left! He has also been a partner in Horsemed SA since 2007.

Throughout his career, Andrew has been extensively involved in sport horse medicine at the highest level. He was part of the veterinary hospital team treating horses at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and has served on the Australian Equestrian Team Veterinary Panel, including at two World Equestrian Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 🐴🏅

Closer to home, Andrew has been a tremendous supporter of equestrian sport in South Australia. He has assisted with the organisation and logistics of the Adelaide 3 Day Event, worked as a swabbing veterinarian at numerous Equestrian Australia events and shared his knowledge with riders through educational seminars.

Away from veterinary practice, Andrew was once regularly in the saddle himself, with numerous wins at Royal Shows. These days, he is more likely to be found as support crew for his wife and daughter at shows, cheering on his son and daughter at weekend sport, or helping run a successful riding pony stud with his wife, Charlie.

And when clinical work and family commitments allow, you may also spot Andrew at Bain Fallon – where he is always a great person to catch up with at the bar and ask one of those tricky questions. Chances are, he’s been there, done that and has a story to tell! 🍻🐴

Thank you, Andrew, for your longstanding contribution to equine veterinary medicine, equestrian sport and the wider equine community. 👏

Have you got a suggestion for EVA member of the month ? Please contact Dr Paula Williams and the social media team.

04/08/2026

Come and help us celebrate the horses’ birthday this Friday at Morphettville Equine Clinic!

Our surgeons, Dr Booth and Dr Ash, are hosting a bbq on August 7th from 1-5pm at the clinic. Join us for a fun afternoon, meet our skilled surgeons, talented vets and wonderful support staff over a snag and a drink.

Open to all clients including our valued trainers and owners!

Happy birthday horses!