Racetrack Veterinary Services

10/03/2025

We are thrilled to announce that Racetrack Veterinary Services has been named as a finalist in the Veterinary category of the 2025 Australian Small Business Champion Awards! 🏆

This recognition is a testament to our dedicated team and the trust you’ve placed in us to care for your horses. Thank you to our amazing clients and equine community for your unwavering support. We couldn’t have done it without you!

06/03/2025

Grooming is a fundamental aspect of horse care that goes beyond just making your horse look good. Here’s why grooming is so important:

Skin Health: Regular grooming helps remove dirt, sweat, and dead skin cells. This reduces the risk of skin conditions like rain rot or dermatitis by keeping the coat clean and allowing the skin to breathe.

Parasite Detection: Grooming provides an opportunity to check for signs of parasites, such as lice or ticks. Early detection can prevent more serious infestations and health issues.

Improves Circulation: Brushing stimulates blood flow to the skin and underlying muscles. This can enhance overall circulation and contribute to muscle health.

Muscle Relaxation: Grooming, especially with a good curry comb, can help relax muscles and relieve tension, making it an excellent complement to your horse's exercise routine.

Strengthens Bond: Regular grooming sessions help build and reinforce the bond between you and your horse. It’s a time for positive interaction, which can improve your horse’s trust and cooperation.

Identify potential health issues: During grooming, you can spot potential health issues such as lumps, swelling, cuts, or unusual heat. Early detection of these problems can lead to quicker intervention and treatment.

Shiny Coat: Regular brushing helps distribute natural oils throughout the coat, giving it a healthy shine and improving its overall appearance.

Grooming is not just a cosmetic practice; it’s a critical aspect of maintaining your horse’s health, comfort, and well-being. It fosters a positive relationship between you and your horse while ensuring they remain in top condition.

02/03/2025

We are delighted for Mandy and all the team Motree Thoroughbreds 🥂

02/03/2025

Do you use any of the following products?

28/02/2025

Fun Fact Friday! 🔬🐴

Did you know that a horse’s whiskers (vibrissae) are actually sensory organs? Unlike regular hair, these specialized whiskers are deeply connected to nerve endings, helping horses detect objects even in complete darkness.
Since horses have a blind spot right in front of their nose, they rely on their whiskers to feel what’s around them—whether it’s finding food, exploring new objects, or avoiding obstacles.

It's now illegal to trim horse whiskers in competitions under Equestrian Australia rules, so next time you go to give your horse a shave - it’s time to leave them on!

21/02/2025

Fun Fact Friday! 🐴🔬

Ever noticed how your horse’s ears are always on the move?

That’s because horses have 10 different muscles in their ears, allowing them to rotate each ear 180 degrees independently.

20/02/2025

We are there when you need us!

Contact us on 03 5975 6586 any time.

Please note: If you are not a regular client of our practice, you may be asked to pay for services upfront.

16/02/2025

Well done to all the team behind the GDP Classic Showjumping Weekend at Boneo Park this weekend.

Great to see so many clients out and about competing in their different classes. Well done to everyone braving the every changing weather conditions the weekend brought. The sun shone just long enough for Rob Palm and Jaybee Vibrant to win the Grand Prix Class.

Nice to see Charlie Magnier and the Irish flag 🇮🇪 flying in the 4Cyte Junior Classic.




Coolmore Australia
Boneo Park

12/02/2025

What is a pre-purchase exam?

While we can't always predict the future, doing a pre purchase exam (PPE) or having a horse 'vetted' is a way to take a snapshot of the present, to evaluate the past and weigh up or identify any risks for the future.

No horse is perfect and this is not a “pass/fail” exam but it can help you identify pre-existing conditions and decide whether or not it’s something you can live with. A PPE is not a guarantee of future soundness, ability or temperament; it provides just one set of data points for buyers.

A PPE will help provide a potential purchaser with the data they need in order to make an informed decision on whether or not the horse will suit its intended purchase purpose.

Our Vets will customise the exam to meet your needs and can include x-rays, endoscope, ultrasound, blood analysis as required.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch or if you would like a PPE carried out on a horse you are considering purchasing, please call our office on 03 5975 6586 to book an appointment.

10/02/2025

Eoin and the RVS team are delighted to partner with Southside Racing to support the Track Sausage Sizzle at the Pakenham Jump Outs this morning.

Most of the staff having been up and working long before the sun has even come up, making sure the horses are well looked after so it’s great to have the opportunity to do something for them.

For more information about Racetrack Veterinary Services and the services we provide check out our website: www.racetrackvetservices.com

07/02/2025

Fun Fact Friday! 🐴🔬

A horse’s heart is massive, averaging around 3.6-4.5 kg—about 1% of their body weight! But what’s even more fascinating is the "skeletal muscle pump" system. Unlike humans, horses rely on movement to help circulate blood.

Their frog (the soft, triangular part of the hoof) acts like a pump, compressing with each step to push blood back up the leg. This natural system improves circulation, reduces fatigue, and even helps prevent swelling. No wonder movement is so important for equine health!

06/02/2025

Why would your horse benefit from a pair of ice-vibe boots?

When your horse exercises, a force is applied to their leg each step. Repetitive loads applied during exercise can contribute to stress of the leg structures. It's no secret our horses have slim lined, fragile legs with not much to protect their tendons and ligaments from their knee down often resulting in injury.

Whilst exercising your horse, tendons and ligaments will heat up significantly paired with exercise boots and bandages this will often increase heat within the leg. An important step to ensure your horse can recover to its full potential post exercise is crucial to remove heat and metabolic byproducts from within their leg. After exercise, circulation can be seen as beneficial enabling oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissue to recover and repair.

Post exercise care for your horse is extremely important. Should we not look after our horses legs correctly, they are unable to recover correctly their muscles, tendon and ligament fibres the following day when commencing exercise will not be repaired and or strengthened. This is when we see injuries.
Prevention is better than cure, Racetrack Veterinary Services are proud stockists of the Ice-Vibe Boot.

The Ice-Vibe Boot is extremely beneficial pre and post exercise. Enabling your horses legs to correctly warm up with the vibration panels – increasing blood flow to the areas of your horses legs which are susceptible to high levels of force. Post exercise the Ice-Vibe Boots enable heat to be withdrawn from your horse's legs through the use once again of the vibration panels increasing blood flow enabling oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissue to recover and repair.

In addition you are able to pair the Cold Packs for optimum use.

See our website for more information.

03/02/2025

Introducing the newest Member of the RVS team
Dr. Brittany Armstrong BAgr BVBiol BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian

Britt graduated from Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga NSW in 2024 with a degree in Veterinary science. She grew up in Melbourne, and is now living on her family farm in Balnarring Beach.

Britt has previous experience working in the racing industry and has her own OTTB competition horses. She has a special interest in the racing industry, as well as ambulatory veterinarian work for performance horses.

Her favourite things to do are riding and competing her own horses, going to the gym and doing laps at the pool. She loves travelling, having completed spey clinics in India and Thailand, and recently building a house in Cambodia.

Many of our clients have already met Britt, but for those who haven’t, we are delighted to have her on the RVS team and we are excited to show her the ropes of the world of equine medicine on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.

26/01/2025

24/01/2025

Wishing everyone good luck at Boneo Park this weekend at Brown's Sawdust World Wetlands Day Jumping Championship! 🏆️🌟

24/01/2025

Fun Fact Friday! 🔬🐴

Horses can nap standing up thanks to 'stay apparatus' —a system of tendons and ligaments that "lock" their legs in place. This lets them rest without tiring their muscles and stay ready to flee if danger arises.

23/01/2025

Keeping your horse's vaccinations current is a responsible and proactive approach to equine healthcare.

It helps protect your horse, contributes to the overall well-being of the equine community, and can prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Vaccination protocols vary from State to State and also Country to Country. Our Vets have many years of experience in the preparation and transportation of horses both domestically and also internationally.

We work closely with transport companies to ensure all horses are appropriately vaccinated prior to their departure. Whether you are transporting a horse by road, sea or air we are up to date on the vaccination requirements.

Consult with our veterinarians to develop a vaccination schedule tailored to your horse's specific needs
Our office can be contacted on 03 5975 6586 should you wish to book an appointment.

20/01/2025