Jackson Equine Independent Veterinary Practice

29/10/2026

𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹... 🎃

But has your horse taken that a little too literally? 👻

Perhaps the mounting block has suddenly become deeply suspicious. A wheelbarrow has appeared where no wheelbarrow should ever be. Or, heaven forbid, someone has moved a feed bucket to the wrong side of the yard. 😱

We all know horses have an impressive ability to spot something terrifying that the rest of us would struggle to identify...

So, in honour of Halloween, we want to know:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆? 👇

Bonus points for photographic evidence. 😂🎃

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

26/10/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗸𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸? 🎃

We probably will be too!

But once you’ve scooped out the middle, what happens to the leftovers? Soup? Pie? Or does the horse get a look in? 👀🐴

We’re often asked whether horses can eat pumpkin and the answer is yes, most horses can enjoy a little as a treat.

Pumpkin is mostly water, relatively low in calories and contains useful nutrients including vitamin A precursors and potassium.

But, as with any new food, little and gradually is the way to go. A horse’s digestive system relies on a finely balanced population of gut microbes, so suddenly feeding lots of something unfamiliar can cause digestive upset.

A few pumpkin pointers:

🎃 Feed small amounts rather than the whole pumpkin
🔪 Cut it into long slices to help reduce choke risk
🕯️ Avoid pumpkins that have held candles, been decorated or started to go mouldy
🐴 Keep treats as extras, not a replacement for forage

Pumpkin does contain potassium. That isn’t a problem for most horses, but if yours is on a low potassium diet for a medical reason, check with your vet first.

So, your horse might be able to help with the leftovers...

👇 Have you tried pumpkin with yours? Demolished, or deeply suspicious?

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

22/10/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻! 🙌

We’ve had so many new followers here recently, so we thought now was a good time to let you know that 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. 📢

If you’re new to the page, hello! We’re an independent ambulatory equine veterinary practice based in Farnham, Surrey, caring for horses across Waverley, Guildford, Woking, Cobham, Chobham and East Hampshire.

We believe good veterinary care is about more than simply turning up when something goes wrong. It’s about getting to know you and your horse, taking the time to explain what we’re seeing, being open about your options and costs, and helping you make informed decisions about their care.

From routine and preventative work to lameness investigations, diagnostics and treatment, we bring the practice to your horse’s own yard. And with our new vet, Indi, joining the team this winter, we’re delighted to be in a position to welcome more of you to the practice.

👇 𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeR5lNPw-BiAup3Q1YB00xGWxf0m8GbDoqXzHQOsSEQz2T8sw/viewform

And if you know someone locally who’s looking for an equine vet, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱.

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

21/10/2026

Do you like w**e? 🍷 Horsley, Bookham and Leatherhead RDA are having a w**e tasting fundraiser next month. Help a pony, drink w**e. 😉

Christmas w**e tasting, anyone? 🍷

For one night only, we’re swapping ponies for Pinot and would love you to join us! 🥰

On 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟰 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, w**e expert Liz Marett (DipWSET) will be guiding us through a selection of w**es chosen with the festive season in mind, from fizz through to something to go with Christmas dinner.

And if you find a new favourite, you’ll also have the option to order a mixed case for home in time for Christmas.

Tickets are £25, including the w**e tasting and light nibbles, and there’ll be a few w**e-related games and prizes along the way too.

📅 Saturday 14 November
🕢 7.30pm
📍 West Horsley Village Hall, 99 The Street, West Horsley, KT24 6DD

Come along for a sociable evening, discover something new for the Christmas table and help raise funds for HBL RDA at the same time. ❤️

🎟️ 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.hblrda.co.uk/events/hb-l-festive-w**e-tasting-social-event

19/10/2026

🎆 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿...

And remember that these days, the celebrations usually start a LOT earlier!

We’re not here to put a dampener on anyone’s fun, but if you have horses, now is the time to start thinking ahead. Fireworks can be unsettling for even the most sensible horse, and displays don’t always happen on the nights you expect.

A little preparation can go a long way.

🎆 Find out what’s happening locally. Check for organised displays and, if you can, have a chat with neighbours about any private fireworks they may be planning.

🐴 Keep things familiar. Some horses are happier stabled, others are more settled outside with their field mates. There isn’t one right answer, so think about what normally makes your horse feel safest rather than suddenly changing their routine for the night.

🔍 Have a quick safety check. Make sure fencing and gates are secure, and check stables for anything a frightened horse could catch themselves on if they panic.

🎵 Think about background noise. If your horse is used to having a radio or music on, it may help soften some of the sudden bangs.

And if you already know your horse becomes very distressed around fireworks, please don’t wait until the bangs have started to call us.

There may be veterinary options that can help some horses, but these need to be considered for the individual horse, so 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 and we can talk through what might be appropriate.

And over to you... 🎤

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻? 👇

Are they completely unfazed, or do you have a tried and tested routine that helps them feel more secure? Share your tips below. They might help another owner heading into the next few weeks. 🙏

🐎

15/10/2026

💦 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 = 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲?

Not necessarily.

Sweating is completely normal and one of the main ways horses lose heat during exercise. ✅

So a horse coming off a cross country course dripping in sweat? Probably no surprise.
But what about the horse who is soaked after very little work? Or the one who suddenly starts sweating in situations where they normally wouldn’t? 👀

How much a horse sweats depends on lots of things, including exercise, weather, fitness and the individual horse, and some are simply sweatier than others! But unexpected or excessive sweating can sometimes be a clue that something else is going on. 🤔

Pain, stress and some medical conditions can all cause increased sweating. A horse standing in the stable sweating for no obvious reason, particularly in cool conditions, or a fit horse frothing with sweat after a light schooling session, is something we’d want you to notice.

Equally, the opposite matters too. A horse working in warm weather who isn’t sweating as expected, particularly if they’re getting very hot or struggling to recover, also needs attention.

The key question here is: Is this normal for my horse, in these circumstances?

Look at the whole picture. Behaviour, breathing, movement, temperature and recovery all help tell the story. Sometimes a change in something as ordinary as sweating can be an early clue that something isn’t quite right.

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

12/10/2026

𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 🕷️

Following our post about Ruby at the end of August, we thought it might be useful to explain a little more about one of the diagnoses she was dealing with earlier this year: anaplasmosis.

Equine granulocytic anaplasmosis is caused by a bacterium called Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which is transmitted by ticks.

Although it isn’t one of the more commonly reported equine diseases in the UK, cases have been diagnosed here and the bacterium is known to be present in UK ticks.

Affected horses can show quite a range of signs, including:

• A high temperature
• Lethargy or seeming unusually dull
• Swelling of the lower limbs
• Stiffness or reluctance to move
• Changes to the white blood cells and platelets
• Small areas of bleeding or bruising in some cases

The tricky part is that none of these signs are specific to anaplasmosis. Lots of different conditions can leave a horse feverish, stiff or simply not quite themselves.

That’s where veterinary examination and appropriate testing come in.

Depending on the individual horse, blood tests may include a full blood count to look for characteristic changes, alongside blood smear examination and/or PCR testing to help reach a diagnosis.

And what about ticks?

Because anaplasmosis is tick borne, reducing exposure to ticks is an important part of prevention. Horses can encounter ticks while grazing, so regularly checking your horse and removing any ticks promptly is sensible.

It’s also reassuring to know that anaplasmosis isn’t considered to spread through normal horse to horse contact. Infection is associated with tick transmission rather than an affected horse simply passing it to their field or stable mates.

Thankfully, when recognised and treated appropriately, the prognosis for many affected horses is good. Ruby’s story was a lovely reminder that even after a pretty miserable illness, horses can come back fighting. ❤️

🐎

08/10/2026

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼. ❤️

Nobody likes hearing “no”. 🫣

Especially when you're worried about your horse and you're hoping your vet can fix the problem for you. But there are times when saying no is actually part of doing our job properly.

Sometimes that means:

❌ We can't prescribe something without the appropriate clinical information.

❌ We may recommend examining your horse rather than simply prescribing medication.

❌ We may tell you that a horse isn't fit to do what you had planned.

❌ We might recommend further investigation when you were hoping we'd say everything is fine and to carry on as you are.

❌ We might not be able to fit a non-urgent appointment into an already full diary.

❌ We may disagree with something you've read online or been told elsewhere.

And sometimes the answer is simply:

“I don't think that's the safest option for your horse.”

We know that's not always the answer people want. But veterinary medicine isn't about telling people what they want to hear.

Our responsibility is to the horse in front of us, and sometimes that means having an honest conversation, even when it isn't the easiest one.

You don't have to agree with us immediately.
You can ask questions.
You can ask why.
You can discuss alternatives.

That's all part of good veterinary care.

But our clinical decisions have to be based on what we believe is appropriate for your horse, not simply on what is most convenient at that moment.

So if you've ever heard us say no…

Please know it isn't because we don't want to help, sometimes “no” is exactly how we help. ❤️

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

05/10/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲? 👀

Some of you might recognise Indi from the time she spent out and about with Adam as a veterinary student.

She joined us on placement a couple of times and, well... you liked her, your horses liked her, and we rather liked her too. So guess what?

𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝘀!🐴🩺

We’ve been taking our time finding the right person to join our little team. We weren’t interested in adding another vet just for the sake of growing. We wanted someone who shares the way we work and cares about the horses and owners behind every call.

When Indi recently got in touch to ask for some advice about applying for a new position elsewhere, we realised we had to snap her up first! Adam already knew how she worked, we knew she fitted in with us, and we’re absolutely delighted that she’ll be joining the team full time in a few months' time.

Over the coming weeks we’ll be properly introducing Indi, sharing a little more about her background, her veterinary interests and what she gets up to when she isn’t surrounded by horses.

For now, we just wanted to share the exciting news, and to let you all know how very excited we are that Indi will be joining us later this Winter!

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.

01/10/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 🐴

Ben is a handsome Welsh Section D with some very accomplished relatives behind him. His father, grandfather and great grandfather all did clever things in the show ring. Ben, however, had other ideas. 😄

Dressage? Not really his thing.
Jumping? Also no.
Agility? Thanks, but he’ll pass.

These days, Ben is living his best life in retirement in Worplesdon, where his preferred activities include eating, playing, posing for photos and keeping a close eye on anyone who might be carrying treats.

At Jackson Equine, we’re very happy to play a small part in keeping this lovely gentleman enjoying his retirement, with owner Jan telling us that Adam provides the kind of “drama-free veterinary care” Ben approves of.

Thank you to Jan for sharing this gorgeous photo and a little bit of Ben’s story with us.

We’d love to feature more of the horses and ponies we’re lucky enough to look after, so if you have a favourite photo and a story to tell about your horse, send it our way. They might just be our next 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. 📸🐴

🐎

𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, based in 📍 Farnham, Surrey. Proudly delivering experienced, compassionate and ethical equine veterinary care to the Waverley, Woking, Cobham, Guildford, and East Hampshire areas.