DefinitelyDressage.com

Hi!
I'm going to look at a horse for sale in the Philadelphia area soon. If I'm lucky and it goes well, I'll need to find a vet for the PPE but it's out of my area. Can anyone help? I'd be interested in both a vet that could do a PPE at the owners barn (including xrays) OR a local clinic that had more extensive extensive capability if needed (horse has some mileage and I might want to look carefully).

Thank you for any help! Fingers crossed that I can post a 'new horse' message soon.
Snftrs2

Are you looking east or west of Philadelphia? Going west, you have New Bolton Vets and Unionville Vets. I think Scruffy just used someone from one of those places. My vet does the surrounding Phila area. https://www.blaunerassociates.com/ Keep in mind that there are several vets in each practice and not all equally competent. I've been using Dr. Peter Blauner for over 20 years. He's a true horseman that has evented Advanced. He has even gotten on my horses to feel things.

Wow musical comedy it does sound like you have a very good veterinarian. There are not many who will get on them. My mentor while I was in vet school (and after) was one of those kind and was not hesitant in any way to have me get on when we had ones come to the vet school for lameness or PPE exams but that was over 30 years ago. I have seen so many students head into vet school with the romantic idea that equine practice is for them. I personally only use those who are true riders/horsemen and can easily tell the difference between the two, despite what their bio's say. Hopefully he'll be in practice for many more years to come.

I used Mark Donaldson from Unionville Equine Associates. I thought he did a very thorough exam and a good writeup.

Thank you so much, Musical Comedy and KathyK. I'll double check the specific barn address. So far, I've just been in the figuring out flights/car stage. I'm hugely relieved to have a start on vet recommendations! Hope I'll get to use them :- )

Liz Arbittier from New Bolton or Ashley Taylor from Sports Medicine Associates- extremely thorough. Peter Blauner comes very highly recommended- he was the primary vet for one of the horses I offered for so I couldn't use him but it was clear he was very good. Liz Arbittier used to work for him before going to New Bolton.

I used Dr. Berkowitz from Unionville and he was very nice but not as thorough as Dr. Arbittier or Dr. Taylor. It was okay with me because Dr. Taylor had done a pre-PPE on the horse a month before and I have a previous professional relationship with her (she vetted my last horse).

PM me if you want any more info. I bought my last horse in Avondale and this horse in Malvern. Great area to buy horses- lots of choices and fabulous vets.

Good luck!

KathyK wrote:I used Mark Donaldson from Unionville Equine Associates. I thought he did a very thorough exam and a good writeup.

Wanted to add that a respected horseman recommended Dr. Donaldson to me as well.

Thanks Scruffy! I've never horse shopped 'out of the area' before .... the logistics are a little daunting. It's a huge help to see the vet recommendations.

No vet recommends, but good luck

snftrs2 wrote:Thanks Scruffy! I've never horse shopped 'out of the area' before .... the logistics are a little daunting. It's a huge help to see the vet recommendations.

Please feel free to PM if you want to chat about it. I've done it twice. I LOVE that area for buying horses. Tons to try, fabulous vets for PPEs. Lots of shippers go through there so not hard or all that expensive to get them shipped home.

Just a quick update! I've been in New England trying a couple of the horses and have just left a message to arrange a PPE with one of the vets suggested here. I swear there is nothing more humbling that hopping on sale horses?!

My real reason for posting, before I know if I've actually managed to buy a horse, is because I've been so heartened by the sellers I've met to. Really, they've been kind, honest and fair, I think. They've certainly gone out of their way to try and give me a good experience with their horse, providing information, etc. Take heart horse-shoppers ... I hope some of you have the same luck.

Please help me out with a collective crossing of DDBB fingers. I promise pictures if i'm successful!

What state did you find your prospect? New England has other PPE vets, some of whom I would recommend and many whom I would not!

If you really are in PA, PM me and let me know where you visited since I recently also did the rounds down there.