Emergency

Horse emergency? Here's what to do.

During office hours, call the main line. Outside office hours, call the emergency line. If you're not sure it's urgent, call anyway.

Who to call

Which number to ring, and when

There are two numbers. Which one you use depends on the time of day.

Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm

Call the main practice line. Tell us straight away that it's an emergency and we'll put it ahead of routine calls.

Placeholder number

Evenings, nights, weekends

Call the emergency line. Have your horse's location and a description of the problem ready when you ring.

Is it an emergency?

If you're unsure, call. We'd much rather hear from you early.

Guidance is draft — vet to confirm

Signs of colic: rolling, pawing, looking at the flank, not eating or passing droppings
Sudden severe lameness or refusing to bear weight on a leg
Deep wounds, heavy bleeding, or any wound near a joint or the eye
Choke: saliva or food coming from the nostrils, repeated stretching of the neck
Difficulty foaling, or a mare straining with no progress
Collapse, staggering, high fever or trouble breathing

1Keep yourself safe first. A horse in pain can be unpredictable.
2Move the horse somewhere quiet and safe if it can walk comfortably.
3Don't give any medication unless the vet tells you to on the phone.
4Note what you've seen and when it started, and the temperature if you can take it safely.
5Have clear directions to the horse ready, and turn on outside lights after dark.

Registering ahead of time means we already have your details and your horse's history on file when every minute counts.