Equine Veterinary Surgeon

Job Description

Are you an experienced equine vet looking to join a practice with a rich history and a supportive, close-knit team?

About Us:

Founded by PJ McMahon in 1977, who began treating horses from his garage, the practice has grown into a well-regarded name in the equestrian world, particularly among competition riders. We are predominantly an ambulatory practice, covering Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, and Gloucestershire. We cover the full range of equines, from pleasure horses and amateur riders to international competition horses and professional riders, with a particular emphasis on the treatment and maintenance of competition horses.

PJ brings decades of experience and has worked with some of the world’s top horses and riders. His extensive background with competition horses includes 3 years serving as the Irish Show Jumping Team vet, and 15 years as the United States Equestrian Team vet. He even travelled with the US team to the Sydney Olympic Games. He is also on the welfare committee for the Hurlingham Polo Association, is the Veterinary Officer for Cowdray Park Polo Club, and is a member of the American Veterinary Acupuncture Association. He now specialises mainly in lameness in competition horses, focusing on diagnostic work-ups under saddle.

Our friendly and capable support team includes Jo, an experienced RVN and horsewoman, who serves as an invaluable link between the veterinary and office teams, and Rachel, our Practice Manager, who has over 30 years of experience managing the practice and PJ’s busy diary.

Our Facilities & Equipment:

Each company vehicle is fully equipped with a digital X-ray machine, ultrasound scanner, and endoscope. We also have shockwave machines, a gastroscope, an Artemis High Intensity Laser Therapy machine, and an FP4 laser system, along with a full range of dental and farriery equipment.

Our Kings Park Equine Clinic in Plaistow is fully equipped for comprehensive non-hospital procedures. It boasts excellent facilities, including a non-slip brick paving trot-up strip, a gravel trot-up strip, a small hard circle lunge arena, and a 50 x 30 metre floodlit ménage with an all-weather surface. We have stables for visiting horses and an in-house lab for routine blood tests, including the facility to prepare autologous PRP/Alpha-2 macroglobulin.

The Role:

We are looking for an experienced vet who can work independently but enjoys being part of a friendly and experienced team. You’ll need to be confident in your clinical judgement, and we’ll give you the space and tools to work cases up thoroughly and thoughtfully. This is a purely ambulatory role, and we refer patients to other practices for surgical cases as needed.

The standard working week is 5 days, Monday to Friday, generally from 9 am to 5 pm. The daily schedule is flexible and depends on phone calls, fitting in urgent cases as they arise alongside pre-booked appointments. We use Eclipse software, so diaries are managed on iPad or phone, meaning there is no need to congregate at the clinic before heading out. The duty rota is currently under review, but at present, our vets cover two weekday on-call shifts per week. Weekend duties are shared with another practice, meaning our team is on call just 1 in 4 weekends.

The Local Area

Plaistow is a peaceful and picturesque village on the West Sussex–Surrey border, surrounded by beautiful countryside. It’s ideal for those who enjoy rural living and outdoor pursuits, yet within easy reach of Guildford, Horsham and the South Downs. Additionally, it is well situated for access to both London and the South Coast.

We Offer:

• Salary package of £40,000 – £60,000, with accommodation if needed in a 2-bed barn conversion
• Company vehicle, iPad, and phone provided
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• CPD is actively encouraged, with certificates supported and funded
• LVI preferred, but training will be paid for