Berkshire Vet Recommendations

[Spangles]

Considering changes vets so looking for recommendations please, especially for lameness, arthritis etc
Areas: Newbury, Hungerford, Lambourn, Marlborough would all be considered fairly local .

Experiences & reasons please.
Many thanks

 

[Michen]

Chris tuffnel coach house vets. Ex RCVS president. There is no one better, more honest and more on the side of the horse.

 

[Abacus]

Not exactly in area but they do cover it. Bourton Vale are wonderful (esp Jeremy Swan). He treated my horse for hock arthritis some years ago and was fabulous. Very pragmatic.

 

[ihatework]

As a good first opinion vet I always liked Andrew McGonnell - lovely practical guy and always happy to work with me to refer on if needing investigative work.

I have to say though now I have moved out of area, it’s much easier with B&W where you get good first opinions with all the back up of the breadstone specialists.

 

[mavandkaz]

Berkshire Equine - can't rate them highly enough.
All the vets are experienced, and although not a huge practice have good coverage (will pair up with coach house for emergency call outs)
They are based just outside Newbury, so slightly east of your area but presume they would cover. I switched to them as needed a second opinion after Donnington were at a loss with my boy after a lameness workup, showing suspensory issues and arthritis.

They are under the Newmarket umbrella, but run independently.
First time I've had a vet message me at 7am in the morning to see how my horse was after a mild colic scare the night before - he had never met the horse before, and didn't even see him at the time as only needed advice on the phone.
They are happy to think outside the box, but very honest and put the horses welfare first.

 

[Cowpony]

Second McGonnell and Gillatt, they are based near Newbury

 

[nikicb]

I have used Donnington Grove for a number of years and have always been very happy with them as a practice. I do pick which vets I use for non emergencies (happy to message with the ones I use for routine and more investigative work, and the ones I am less keen to use). For me it's a bit of a no brainer as they are three miles away and I have never once had an issue where they couldn't send someone in a emergency, even at 1 am in the morning. I also like the fact that they are a referral centre with all the equipment that goes with it, plus the fact there are a large group of vets who can discuss issues together. So I feel I get a very personal service, but there is a team to fall back on if required.