In 2007, the equine business unit of Cambridge Veterinary Services moved to a custom built Cambridge Equine Hospital built on a hectare of land opposite the Cambridge Jockey Club training track.  This 1000 square meter building is comprised of three main areas; retail/administration , clinical and horse housing areas.

It was our aim, in constructing this facility, to provide the highest quality of service in a well appointed and tasteful manner in a building which, in keeping with the New Zealand, was practical but not “over the top”.  We felt that the clinical area should be designed as a series of work bays which would enable several horses to be seen at any one time.  The radiology bay was situated adjacent to a dark room, X-ray reading facilities and benches fitted out for digital radiography.  A well designed stock is situated in another area intended for ultrasonography, laparoscopy and dental work.  In a more remote area, a safe reproduction mare and foal crush has been located.  Keeping this area out of the way in a quiet area allows horses to be more settled while minimizing contamination from this potentially “dirty” area.

The surgery is the jewel in the crown of our equine hospital.  It is comprised of two identical, well padded “knock-down/recovery” rooms opening into a spacious and well ventilated surgery. Adjacent to the surgery is a nurses’ station and a surgeons’ scrub.  Anaesthetised horses are moved in and out of the surgery along a monorail after being suspended by an electric hoist.  Patients are lowered onto a beautifully designed American “Shanks” operating table for surgery.  In order to keep hygiene within the surgery to a maximum, but enable people to satisfy their curiosity regarding equine surgery, we have built a viewing room above the surgery with a large plate glass window looking down from above for interested onlookers.

The horse housing area contains seven oversized and very safe loose boxes in a well ventilated, spacious area at the rear of the hospital.  Boxes used for day stay patients have rubberised floors which are easily washed out, while those used for longer admissions or pre- and post-surgical stays, have conventional shaving bedding.  Two “colt” boxes exist in isolation from the other boxes.

The reception/administration area at the front of the building is attractively appointed and houses a well stocked retail display area. 

The grounds of the hospital have excellent access off the road with trucks able to drive completely around the building.  The unloading bay caters for both side loading and back loading trucks while all areas in which horses are handled are enclosed with no access to the front of the building or the road.