Churchfield Equine Clinic

01/12/2025

🎄✨ Meet Comet — Our Christmas Reindeer on Call! ✨🎄

This year, Comet the Reindeer has trotted all the way from the North Pole to spend December with us at Churchfield Equine Clinic! He’ll be getting up to all sorts of festive mischief as he helps us count down to Christmas with his very own Advent Calendar.

To make things even more exciting, we’re giving YOU the chance to join in!
🌟 We have THREE fantastic Christmas prizes to give away 🌟

To enter, simply share your most Christmassy animal photo — horses, ponies, dogs, cats, or any festive furry friend — in the comments of Comet’s Advent Calendar posts throughout December.

Whether it’s tinsel, Santa hats, snowy hacks, or stable sparkle, we want to see your festive favourite's! 🎅🐴✨

Keep an eye out each day to see what Comet is up to… and good luck! 🎁🦌

T&Cs - 🎟️ Competition Terms & Conditions🎟️

This competition is run by Churchfield Equine, a trading name of Independent Vetcare Ltd. The competition is open to residents of United Kingdom aged 18 or over. Employees of the Promoter, their families, agents or anyone professionally connected with the competition are not eligible to enter. To enter, comment on any picture of Comet the reindeer posted on Churchfield Equine Clinic’s Facebook. The competition opens on [1/12/25] and closes on [1/1/26]. Entries submitted after this time will not be accepted. Three winners will be selected at random and receive a random gift bag of Churchfield Equine Clinic prizes. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available and the winner must be able to collect from the Equine Clinic S36 8AA. The winner will be announced on [5/1/26] and contacted via direct message on Facebook. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook

26/11/2025

🌿 Poisonous Plant of the Week: Cherry Trees (All Varieties) 🌿
⚠️ Pretty blossoms, potentially deadly leaves

This week’s focus is on all cherry tree species (Prunus spp.) — including wild cherry, sweet cherry, bird cherry, black cherry, and ornamental flowering cherries. While these trees are common in gardens and hedgerows, they can pose a serious risk to horses.

❗ Why are cherry trees dangerous?

All cherry species contain cyanogenic glycosides, particularly in their:

Leaves (highest risk when wilted)

Bark

Twigs

Pits/kernels

When chewed, these compounds release hydrogen cyanide, which prevents the body from using oxygen. Poisoning can occur rapidly and is often critical.

The highest-risk situations include:

Fallen or wilted leaves after storms

Pruned branches left in or near fields

Horses grazing near overhanging trees

Branches broken by wind or snow

🚨 Signs of cyanide poisoning

Symptoms can develop quickly and may include:

Rapid or laboured breathing

Bright red gums

Anxiety or agitation

Weakness or staggering

Collapse or sudden death in severe cases

Immediate veterinary attention is essential if ingestion is suspected.

🌳 Identifying cherry trees

All cherry species share similar features:

Serrated, glossy green leaves

Clusters of white or pink blossoms in spring

Smooth bark with horizontal lenticels

Red, black, or dark purple cherries in summer

🌱 How to protect your horses

Remove fallen branches or leaves promptly, especially after storms.

Fence off access to cherry trees that overhang grazing.

Avoid leaving prunings anywhere near paddocks.

Monitor fields closely in autumn when leaf fall increases.

Contact your vet immediately if you suspect ingestion.

A little vigilance around these common trees can make a big difference in keeping horses safe. 💚

25/11/2025

🐴 Cold Weather is Coming — Time to Adjust Your Horse Management! 🐴❄️​

With temperatures dropping, it’s important to make a few changes to keep our equine partners healthy, comfortable, and stress-free through the colder months. Here are some key winter tips for your herd:​

🔹 Water, Water, Water​
Horses naturally drink less in cold weather, but this can increase the risk of impaction colic. Less water means the gut can’t keep things moving as well, so making hydration easy is critical. Check often to prevent ice buildup. You can also encourage drinking by offering slightly warmed water or adding a splash of soaked forage or electrolytes (if appropriate).​

🔹 Shelter from Wind & Wet​
Ensure your horse has access to a dry, draft-free shelter to escape wind, rain, and snow. Protection from the elements reduces stress and helps them conserve energy.​

🔹 Blanketing Basics​
Not every horse needs a blanket—but some definitely benefit. Horses with Cushing’s (PPID) often grow abnormal or overly long coats that don’t insulate well, so they may require clipping and blanketing to stay comfortable and dry. Always check blankets daily to ensure they fit well, aren’t rubbing, and stay dry underneath.​

🔹 Skin Care & Mud Fever Awareness​
Cold, wet conditions can lead to mud fever (also called pastern dermatitis). Any horse kept in muddy conditions can be affected.​
To help prevent it:​
• Keep legs as dry as possible​
• Provide dry turnout areas where available​
• Gently clean and dry legs after muddy turnout​
• Use barrier creams if appropriate​
• Avoid harsh scrubbing, which can worsen irritation​

🔹 Body Condition Checks​
Winter coats and blankets can easily hide weight loss. Make a habit of checking under rugs daily—feel over ribs, shoulders, and the topline. Regular hands-on checks help you catch changes early, long before they’re visible.​

🐎❤️ Stay warm—and give your four-legged friends an extra scratch for us!

23/11/2025

23/11/2025

Zone Visits!​
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Why not take advantage of our zone visit scheme? ​
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For flat visit price of £30 you can have one of our Equine Vets come and visit your horse for around half the normal cost.​
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Zone visits happen every Tuesday to Friday depending on your location - please see the map for the day of your zone visit!​
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All you need to do to book your visit is call the clinic more than 24hrs in advance of your selected day. These days are extremely popular so we recommend booking as far in advance as possible!​
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Please call 01226 763542 to book on! ​
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Zone visits are provided for routine healthcare and minor ailments, examples of these include:​
Vaccination​
Routine dental care and floating​
Blood samples for wellness and medication checks​
General health concerns​
Sedation to clip ​
Sedation for paraprofessionals (timescales allowing) ​
Re-examinations of ongoing cases ​
Passport and Microchipping ​
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Only routine work may be booked in on yard visits, for more in-depth examinations and procedures an individual visit will be required, this is to ensure the treating vet has the time required to treat your horse effectively as well as ensuring we have the equipment to hand we may not normally carry or need an extra member of staff to assist.​
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Please also note, due to the nature of the workload on these days we are only able to offer AM and PM slots when bookings are taken but can give you a more precise one hour time slots on the day. You will ALWAYS get a phone call from the clinic or attending vet 30-60 minutes prior to arrival. We are also unable to stipulate which vet is available to attend your call.​
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Payment must be made at the time of booking or on the day with the vet, if you are not going to be present pre-payment is essential. Failure to do this will result in re-instatement of the full visit fee.

19/11/2025

🌿 Poisonous Plant of the Week: Alsike Clover 🌿​
⚠️ A lesser-known but serious risk for horses​

This week we’re highlighting Alsike Clover, a plant that often hides in plain sight among pasture mixes but can pose significant health risks to horses.​

❗ Why is Alsike Clover dangerous?​

Alsike Clover can cause two major conditions in horses:​
1️⃣ Photosensitisation – leading to sunburn-like lesions, especially on white or pink-skinned areas.​
2️⃣ “Big Liver Disease” – a chronic liver condition caused by long-term ingestion.​

Symptoms may include:​

Skin redness, crusting or blistering after sun exposure​

Lethargy​

Weight loss​

Jaundice​

Neurological signs in severe liver disease​

🍀 How to identify Alsike Clover​

Look for:​

A small pinkish-white flower (not the typical red or white clover look)​

Smooth, hairless stems​

Leaves without the pale V-shaped watermark seen on some other clovers​

Grows in moist or poorly drained soils​

Because it’s often mixed with other clover species, it can be easy to overlook!​

🌱 What should you do?​

Avoid grazing or cutting Alsike Clover for hay.​

Improve drainage in affected fields where possible.​

Restrict turnout if large amounts are present.​

Monitor white-faced or pink-skinned horses for photosensitivity.​

Contact your vet if you notice skin changes or signs of liver disease.​

Keeping pastures safe means knowing what’s growing — and Alsike Clover is definitely one to watch. 💚​

14/11/2025

🌟 Welcome Helena to the Team! 🌟

We’re delighted to welcome Helena to the Churchfield Equine Clinic team! 💚

Helena graduated from the University of Liverpool in July 2021 and has recently joined us as part of our equine veterinary team. Her main clinical interest is dentistry, but she enjoys all aspects of general practice.

Originally from the local area, Helena is excited to be working within the community she knows and loves — caring for the horses and clients she grew up around. 🤎

Outside of work, Helena enjoys spending her time outdoors — whether she’s walking, riding, or exploring the countryside. And, in true Churchfield Equine Clinic fashion, she’s also the proud owner of a spaniel! 🐶

You may spot her out and about over the next few weeks as she visits some of our wonderful clients and their horses. 🐴

Please join us in giving her a warm and friendly welcome! 💚