REC Equine Specialists

01/06/2026

👏 A big congratulations to our intern Josh for being awarded one of the 2026 Bain Fallon Young Member Scholarships! His hard work and commitment are paying off & we’re so proud to see him recognised.

29/05/2026

Did you know the average horse drinks around 20-55 litres of water per day (roughly 5-10% of their body weight). This can vary depending on diet, workload, and environmental temperatures. Horses often drink less in cooler months, so keeping an eye on their hydration is especially important for overall health, digestion, and gut function.

Water plays a vital role in every system of the equine body. Make it part of your routine to check your horse’s water intake, whether you’re using buckets or automatic waterers.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
💧 Keep water troughs and buckets clean and fresh
💧 Dampen or soak feed
💧 Ensure adequate salt intake - some horses may benefit from a salt lick or added salt
💧 When travelling, bring water from home to reduce refusal due to unfamiliar taste or smell
💧 Offer a second bucket with lightly flavoured water (e.g. a small amount of molasses) to encourage drinking. ⚠️ Taking care with sweetened water if your horse has metabolic conditions (e.g. EMS)

14/05/2026

🫁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆? Dynamic respiratory endoscopy (DRS) also known as overground or exercising endoscopy is one of the most exciting and valuable advances in equine practice in the last 15 years. This equipment allows veterinarians to assess your horses upper airway while it is exercising under competitive conditions and speeds.

➜ This examination at exercise allows us to detect and quantify any abnormalities that impact breathing and performance, many of which only manifest themselves during competitive exercise.

➜ This is key, because many breathing issues are not readily apparent or their significance is unknown when the upper airway is examined endoscopically at rest.

➜ This diagnostic DRS equipment is not just for racehorses; it is also a valuable tool for sport and pleasure horses alike.

➜ DRS can be performed in an arena, on the track, or on a treadmill, allowing us to closely simulate your horse’s normal working environment.

▶️ The dynamic respiratory endoscope is securely fitted to the bridle or saddle and is well tolerated by horses.

▶️The video recording is viewed real time and the recording of the horses airway function is then later reviewed frame by frame by our experienced clinicians and specialist surgeons for accurate diagnosis.

▶️From the exercising recording a comprehensive assessment of one or multiple airway problems can be ascertained, ensuring the most appropriate and optimum husbandry, medical and surgical options for your horse.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗗𝗥𝗦?
🔹Inconsistent performance or fitness
🔹Making abnormal breathing noise during exercise (roaring, gurgling, whistling)
🔹 “Stopping” or dropping out under pressure
🔹Suspected airway issues not seen on a resting scope

24/04/2026

🗓️ 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🌎 🩺 While we appreciate our incredible team every single day, this day gives us a special opportunity to celebrate all of our amazing equine clinicians—including our interns, residents, surgeons, specialists and our ambulatory & racetrack teams.

Established in 2000 and celebrated on the last Saturday of April, World Veterinary Day recognises the vital role veterinary professionals play in improving animal welfare and advancing scientific research.

To our team: Thank you for the late nights, the early mornings and the dedicated care you provide to every patient. 💙

21/04/2026

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸! A perfect time to offer a massive thank you to Hayley and Hannah, our wonderful receptionists. Receptionists are the backbone of a busy equine practice; supporting clients, juggling calls, and keeping everything so seamlessly organised that it often looks effortless. 👏 💙

10/04/2026

🚨 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 🚨

Colic is a serious condition—recognising the early signs helps ensure your horse gets the care it needs.

Watch for these signs:
❗Kicking or biting at the belly
❗Pawing or restlessness
❗Attempting to roll or lying down repeatedly
❗Getting up and down frequently
❗Not eating or leaving food behind
❗Sweating without exertion
❗High heart rate or rapid breathing
❗General discomfort or agitation

What to do: If you notice any of these signs, remove feed and call us to talk to a veterinarian. Early intervention is key!

𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘈𝘌𝘗 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴.

If you suspect your horse has colic contact us (02) 9399 7722

02/04/2026

27/03/2026

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 🐴💙
We understand how important it is to be close to your horse during their hospital stay. To help ensure their comfort and wellbeing, we welcome visits arranged directly with the clinician overseeing your horses care to ensure they are appropriate for your horses needs at the time. We ask visitors to report to reception on arrival.

Call our reception team on 02 9399 7722 to discuss your horses visiting hours.

26/03/2026

A group of our REC veterinarians and equine nurses had a fantastic time at the EVA Autumn State Meeting! Our team is always eager to grow their knowledge, and we loved learning from the brilliant Dr Alex Gillen.
🎤 A special shout‑out to our very own Dr Leanne Begg, NSW State Representative, who did a wonderful job as MC for the evening.

16/03/2026

🌟𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝗴𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗖𝗩𝗜𝗠 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝘀 & becoming eligible for registration as a Medicine Specialist! As the first of our Medicine Residents to progress through our combined training program with The University of Queensland , we couldn’t be prouder of all her hard work and dedication. Well done Evie! 👏