Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics

08/29/2025

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

We are available for emergencies, 24 / 7 / 365 ...

Be safe out there, and PLEASE CALL if your horse needs care!

Menlo Park Office: (650) 854-3162
Salinas Office: (831) 455-1808

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08/12/2025

Please welcome Dr. Andrea Frei back to Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics as the newest member of our highly qualified team of veterinarians!

Andrea (“Andee”) Frei grew up near Lake Don Pedro in the Yosemite Foothills. She began riding trails and learning horsemanship when she was 9 years old. Caring for her own dogs, poultry, goats, and geriatric horses sparked her curiosity for veterinary medicine and animal welfare.

She earned her BS in Animal Science with a minor in Equine Science from California Polytechnic State University “Cal Poly”) in San Louis Obispo, while shadowing at a local mixed practice during summers and holidays. She then attended the University of Glasgow, Scotland, where she achieved a BVMS (HONS). BVMS stands for Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. It's a degree typically awarded by veterinary schools in the UK, Australia, and some other countries, and is equivalent to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in the United States. Dr. Frei then completed an internship at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics which fueled her love of Internal Medicine. She continued her education at Oregon State University with a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine in order to achieve her DACVIM, while also earning a Master’s degree in Comparative Health Sciences.

Dr. Frei’s professional interests within the umbrella of Internal Medicine include client education, donkey- and mule-specific care, dermatology, endocrine and metabolic conditions, and small ruminants. She has published research investigating the associations between dairy cattle production and stress, and during her residency she studied the effects of hospitalization on equine resting behavior and stress.

Outside of work, Andee loves to run (especially trails) with her dog Kombucha, read, and travel. Her other beloved pets include a Siamese cat named Habi, as well as her collie mix named Walter Longmire and Toulouse goose named Loosey who live with her parents.

08/07/2025

These Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics Interns and Residents are “in the pink!”

… And that’s an apt phrase to use for this team, because it had origins in the English fox hunting tradition: A rider was not granted the right to don the scarlet colored jackets, called “pinks,” until she demonstrated superior horsemanship and service to the hunt. Being “in the pink” meant the rider had reached the pinnacle of achievement in the hunt. Today, the phrase “in the pink” means to be in good health, good circumstances, and feeling confident. [ Learn more at: https://sensationalcolor.com/in-the-pink ]

Pictured from left to right: Dr. Laura Willis, Dr. Taylor Veach, Dr. Sara Brown, Dr. Pricilla Brown, Dr. Tara Baiano

08/06/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUW9OGbT-EU

The complex genetic story behind horse's blue eyes. A deep dive into what causes them, what genes are involved and how heritable they are.To get the full lis...

07/30/2025

She’s back! Dr. Tara Baiano, one of our 2024-2025 Interns, is now doing her Residency at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics!

Dr. Baiano is an equine veterinarian with a lifelong passion for horse care and strong ties to California’s equine community. Growing up in Bishop, CA, she spent her early years riding horses and working alongside her father, a farrier — experiences that inspired her dedication to equine medicine.

Tara earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and completed her veterinary degree at Iowa State University. Following veterinary school, she completed a year-long Internship at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics (SPEC), gaining extensive experience in internal medicine, emergency care, anesthesia, and advanced diagnostics. After a short break, Dr. Baiano is now back at SPEC pursuing an American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) Residency in Equine Practice.

Dr. Baiano enjoys all aspects of equine general practice with particular interests in podiatry, dentistry, internal medicine, and reproduction. Grateful for the opportunity to work with horses every day, she strives to support both animals and their owners with compassion and care.

Outside of work, Tara enjoys hiking, skiing, surfing, and cooking for friends and family. She shares her life with her partner, Pricilla, and two Dobermans, Virgil and Paul.

07/15/2025

https://horsecouncil.org/project/join-us-in-celebrating-two-national-horse-events-in-july/

On July 15 and July 17, join the American Horse Council (AHC) in celebrating “National I Love Horses Day” and “National Meet a Horse Day”

07/09/2025

Please welcome 2025-2026 Intern Dr. Laura Willis to the Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics team!

Laura comes all the way from Oakville, Ontario, Canada. She earned her BS in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph and her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College.

Laura says that horses have always been a significant part of her life. Growing up, she loved watching the veterinarians who came out to the barn. She also came from a “healthcare family” (both of Laura’s parents are nurses), where dinner table conversations fostered her love for medicine. So it just made sense that she wanted to become a veterinarian. Laura is interested in pursuing a Residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine. In addition to horses, she hopes to work with a mix of species, from small ruminants to camelids.

While she has never owned her own horse, Laura has ridden since she was 8 years old. Her riding experienced encompassed a variety of disciplines: Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, and Western Horsemanship. While at the University of Guelph was a co-captain of the school’s IHSA Western Riding Team, which she reports was the highlight of her undergraduate experience!

On the very first day of her SPEC Internship, Laura adopted a kitten, which she named “Cali” (short for “California”). Cali should help Laura not be too homesick for her childhood pet, Jilly, a minature poodle she left back with her family in Canada.

When not working, Laura enjoys spending time outside and is eager to explore hiking in California, as well as cross-country skiing, golfing, and riding when she has the chance.

07/08/2025

Please welcome Dr. Taylor Veach to the Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics 2025-2026 Internship program!

Taylor hails from Gresham, Oregon, where she grew up with her mom, twin sister, and Charlie, the family’s Portuguese Water Dog. She first started riding at 5-years-old, when her mom signed her up for lessons. She rode Western Performance horses and competed in local, state, and regional shows. Her first horse was a 13-year-old paint mare named China, who was her inspiration to become a veterinarian. She has always wanted to give back to the community that helped raise her.

Taylor decided to pursue a career as an equine veterinarian because of the impact made by the veterinarians who worked on her horses when she was a kid: “I always felt that veterinarians cared so much about the animal I loved the most and it made me want to do the same thing for other people.”

Dr. Veach attended Washington State University, graduating Magna Cum Lauda with a BS in Animal Science and a minor in Spanish, then stayed on at WSU to earn her DVM, with honors in the Phi Zeta Honors Society.

One pivotal experience Taylor had during her training in the field included emergency wound management of a horse that had fallen in a cattle guard in the middle of winter in Montana. Repairing the wound and stabilizing the horse in -10°F was a very stressful but rewarding emergency call and spiked her interest in wound management. Taylor has become especially interested in Reproductive Medicine and Sports Medicine. After her internship at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, she hopes to work at a clinic on the West Coast that will allow her to explore those passions.

Taylor’s significant other, Aaron, who is a mechanical engineer, moved to Salinas with her to support her during her internship. When not working, Taylor enjoys spending time with her friends and family, working out at the gym, backpacking, playing frisbee golf, having movie nights ... and riding horses. While Taylor does not currently have her own horse, she looks forward to getting one to start training and showing again after she has completed her internship.

07/08/2025

Please welcome Eddy Heredia to our Salinas Barn Crew!

Eddy grew up in the small town of Santa Maria, California. flourished. After graduating from Santa Maria High School, he took classes at Allan Hancock College.

A third-generation rancher, Eddy’s grandfather trained racehorses in Mexico, and his father trains horses for Charro performances. Eddy spent his childhood and youth on his dad’s ranch, where his passion for horses and other farm animals flourished. By the time he was six, Eddy had naturally fallen in love with riding. He learned to respect and care for horses as a “bronco buster.”

Eddy does not currently own a horse, but does have two wonderful Border Collie mixes named Anakin and Leia. Eddy and his wife They love going on hikes with their dogs, traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with their families.

07/05/2025

Dr. Tim Eastman and the team at the Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinic in Menlo Park took time out to enjoy the fine weather and a holiday barbecue to welcome soon-to-be DVM, Brooke Spieker. Brooke is currently at the clinic as an extern until her doctoral credential becomes official, and then "Dr. Brooke" will begin as an intern in late August.

07/04/2025

07/03/2025

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/horses-domesticated-mobility-timing

Genetic evidence suggests that the ancestors of domestic horses were bred for mobility about 4,200 years ago.