Hook Norton Equine Vets

24/08/2026

National Racehorse Week: Behind the scenes with our Equine Vets

Keeping racehorses healthy starts with good preventative care, and vaccinations are an important part of that.

Here, our equine team are vaccinating horses against equine influenza and equine herpesvirus (EHV). With horses regularly travelling to and from training yards, racecourses and other events, maintaining good vaccination protocols helps protect individual horses as well as the wider equine population.

Vaccination is just one part of a racehorse's routine healthcare, alongside regular veterinary examinations, dental care, parasite control, farriery and monitoring of their overall health and wellbeing.

This National Racehorse Week, we're sharing a little glimpse into some of the veterinary work that goes on behind the scenes to help keep racehorses happy, healthy and performing at their best.

22/08/2026

Over the next week, we're going behind the scenes with our Equine team to share a little more about the veterinary care that goes into keeping racehorses healthy, comfortable and performing at their best.

From routine preventative care and vaccinations to soundness assessments, diagnostic imaging and reproductive work, there is a huge amount that happens behind the scenes to support these incredible athletes.

We'll be sharing some of the horses we've recently seen and taking you through some of the veterinary work our team carries out, with a little more detail on each case throughout the week.

Big thanks to Alex Hales Racing for letting us film our recent visit to the yard!

20/08/2026

Beautiful Bonnie is looking for a new home 🐴

Bonnie is a very sweet mare who came into Blue Cross care in July 2026 after a change in her owner’s circumstances. She is a rare Hungarian Nonius, and is now looking for a kind companion home where she can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle alongside other horses.

Bonnie is happy living out 24/7 in a mixed herd, or part-stabled, as long as she has equine company. She is generally good to handle and loves being around people and enjoying a cuddle. She would benefit from some continued basic training to improve her responsiveness when leading.

With her gentle nature, easy-going attitude and love of companionship, Bonnie could make a wonderful friend for another horse and a lovely addition to the right caring home.

Bonnie is currently looking for her forever home through Blue Cross Burford.

Could you offer this lovely mare the companion home she deserves?

Blue Cross rehoming centre Burford

Blue Cross UK Horses

13/08/2026

Goodnight from us after another warm day here at Hook Norton. ☀️

We hope you and your animals have managed to keep cool today. As always, our vets are available 24/7 should you need us, day or night.

Take care and stay cool.

12/08/2026

Moreton Show is nearly here, and we’re getting very excited to see you all!

Our Equine team will be there ready to chat all things horses, catch up with familiar faces and enjoy a fantastic day of all things equestrian.

And the best bit? Our stand overlooks the main ring, so we’ll have a great view of all the action!

Will you be joining us at Moreton Show? Come and find us and say hello - we’d love to see you!


Moreton Show

11/08/2026

During recent heatwaves, we’ve seen an increase in respiratory problems in horses - including flare-ups in horses whose asthma is normally well controlled.

So, what’s going on?

Hot, sunny weather can contribute to poorer air quality. High-pressure conditions often mean less wind and reduced air movement, allowing irritants such as pollen, dust and ground-level ozone to build up.

Warmer weather can also increase pollen production and extend the length of the pollen season, which can be particularly challenging for horses with respiratory sensitivities.

So, what can you do to help protect your horse?

• Improve ventilation in stables and consider using fans to increase air movement
• Provide plenty of shade if your horse is outside during hot weather
• Avoid mucking out, sweeping or creating dust while horses are nearby
• Groom outside where possible
• Keep fuels, paints and other chemical products away from stable areas
• Avoid running vehicle engines inside buildings where horses are kept
• Control weeds before they flower
• Try to minimise bare, dusty areas in paddocks

For horses with equine asthma, managing their environment is an important part of keeping their respiratory system healthy.

If your horse is coughing, breathing harder than usual or showing signs of respiratory discomfort during hot weather, speak to your vet. Early management of flare-ups can help prevent the condition from becoming more difficult to control.

10/08/2026

Hook Norton began providing Equine Veterinary services to the Blue Cross Burford Rehoming site in February 2018. Over the past eight years we have built a strong working relationship between the two organisations.

Each week the Blue Cross have a routine visit - this is the day that all the planned veterinary work is done. Sally is the regular Blue Cross vet, but all members of the team enjoy a trip to Burford! The work is very varied. Each horse is checked over on arrival, to identify any veterinary problems they might have, and to carefully assess their needs. All horses have dental checks and vaccinations, and are tested for strangles before moving from the isolation yard on to the main site.

Once the team are sure that each horse is healthy and pain free, they are advertised for re-homing and carefully matched up with prospective new homes to make sure they have the best future possible.

Blue Cross rehoming centre Burford
Blue Cross UK Horses

07/08/2026

When there's a foal in the paddock, it's impossible not to stop and say hello on the way into the office.

This little cutie came to visit while his mum was being treated, and it's safe to say he made everyone's morning.

07/08/2026

05/08/2026

Vet bills aren't always avoidable, but there are ways to keep costs down.

From making the most of our Zone Visits to investing in preventative healthcare, a few simple choices can help reduce unexpected expenses while keeping your horse happy and healthy.

Swipe through for our top tips, and if you'd like to find out more about Equiplan or our Zone Visits, get in touch with the team.