Glasgow Equine Hospital and Practice, University of Glasgow
A state of the art Veterinary Hospital and First Opinion Practice
The Glasgow Equine Hospital is situated in the scenic Garscube Estate in Bearsden, on the north-western fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately 6 miles from the city centre. An equine hospital has been at this site for many years but the current hospital was opened in 1995, with subsequent expansions made to increase patient capacity and provide entirely separate isolation facilities. The Glasgow Equine Hospital works closely with veterinary surgeons throughout Scotland and northern England to provide support and referral services for horses in need of specific procedures or further diagnostics, treatment and hospitalisation. Referral is open to all cases and should be discussed first with your own vet, who will then liaise with the vets at the Hospital. Staff are dedicated to providing a professional, reliable and cost effective service whilst maintaining the highest standards of patient care. The Glasgow Equine Practice is the ambulatory side of the Equine Hospital, and offers high quality veterinary care to the horses in its local catchment area, with stable-side diagnostics and 24-hour emergency provision. Horses, ponies and donkeys registered with the Practice also have the option of being cared for at the Hospital when in need of further intensive treatment or nursing. The hospital’s team of on-site staff, extensive facilities and diagnostic laboratory offers the advantage of 24-hour nursing with continuous professional care. Patients are stabled in large, well ventilated modern stables with additional facilities for intensive care patients, mares and foals and a sand-floored stable for laminitic cases. Our vets have postgraduate specialist training in different aspects of horse medicine and surgery, between them holding four Diplomas from European Specialist Colleges, two American Diplomas and seven RCVS post-graduate Certificates. Four of the vets are recognised by the RCVS as specialists (similar to hospital consultants) in either Equine Medicine or Equine Surgery, and we work closely with in-house specialists in anaesthesia and diagnostic imaging. The team ethos remains practical, with the aim at all times of achieving the best possible outcome for both you and your horse. The Hospital is registered with the European Board of Veterinary Specialists as a training centre in both medicine and surgery for veterinary surgeons wishing to develop further skills in these areas. There are currently five resident veterinary surgeons working at the Weipers Centre whilst completing a 4-year further training period in specialist medicine or surgery. Our nursing team includes four Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) who bring combined experience from different equine veterinary hospitals and practices. The equine nursing team is assisted by animal technicians and year 5 veterinary students, enabling us to give effective and economic 24-hour nursing to our inpatients.
21/01/2026
Sweet itch varies hugely between horses — in severity, timing, response to management, and impact on welfare. That’s why decisions about ongoing management and possible medical support don’t lend themselves to general advice.
📞To support owners earlier in the season, we’re trialling Sweet Itch Planning telephone consultations on Thursday afternoons.
These are short, individual veterinary calls to:
🩺 Review what happened last season
🐴 Discuss current management strategies
💉Consider whether additional veterinary support may be appropriate for that horse
🐴 Plan ahead before the midge season escalates
Some treatment options for sweet itch are prescription-only.
These are not suitable for every horse and can only be discussed appropriately as part of an individual veterinary consultation.
If your horse struggled with sweet itch last year and you’d like to plan ahead, contact the practice to book a Sweet Itch Planning Call.
18/01/2026
This short video introduces Glasgow Equine Practice — the vets you’ll actually see, the area we cover, and how we look after horses day to day.
We focus on experienced first-opinion care, clear communication, and a direct route into hospital care when it’s needed.
If this would be useful for someone on your yard, feel free to share 🤍
Questions welcome in the comments
07/01/2026
Why a Normal Resting Insulin Often Isn’t Enough
A single resting insulin result can look “normal”… even when a horse has hidden metabolic instability.
The ECEIM EMS guidelines recommend dynamic testing (e.g. oral sugar challenge) for many at-risk horses, because:
🧪 Early EMS often shows normal resting insulin
🧪 The metabolic issue only becomes visible under sugar stimulation (Karo Syrup)
🧪The response pattern — insulin and glucose — is what reflects real risk
Our Karo Syrup Insulin & Glucose Test measures:
1️⃣ Insulin and glucose before Karo
2️⃣ Insulin and glucose after Karo
This reveals the true metabolic response — the one relevant to laminitis risk.
This is one of the most clinically useful add-ons of our Winter MOT.
31/12/2025
Happy Hogmanay — here’s tae strong horses and a good year ahead 💙🎉
This Hogmanaywe’re sharing a story.
The Kelpies’ Gift is a short fable about Ben, a Clydesdale who’s had a hard year — and who remembers what he’s made of. It’s inspired by the heavy horses we care for and the quiet resilience we see in them every day.
Most of us know a horse like Ben.
🩺 The one who had everyone worried.
🩺 The one who took their time.
🩺 The one who found their feet again.
💬 Which horse does this story make you think of?
Tell us their name in the comments — or tag someone who knows them as well as you do.
And if you know someone dreaming of a life with horses or veterinary medicine, share this with them. Stories like this are often where those journeys begin.
From all of us at Glasgow Equine Hospital,
Happy Hogmanay — here’s tae strong horses and a good year ahead 💙🎉
🥕 Extra carrots all round.
24/12/2025
While Christmas is a time for rest and family, care here continues as usual.
The horses are settled, the hospital is running, and our equine team is here throughout the festive period.
Wishing all our clients and colleagues a very Merry Christmas 🎄🐴
— Glasgow Equine Hospital & Practice
22/12/2025
🌟Christmas Opening hours 🌟
While our offices are running on reduced hours over the festive period, we still have teams in the hospital and on the road 24/7 for emergency care.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Glasgow Equine team.
UofG School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
21/12/2025
Why Dental Checks Matter More in Winter
Winter forage changes how horses chew.
According to BEVA dentistry guidance, hay-only diets increase:
• sharp enamel points
• painful diastema packing
• gingivitis
• difficulty chewing long fibre
• reduced fibre digestion → weight or gut changes
Horses often show very subtle signs:
slow eating
dropping balls of hay
slightly smelly breath
mild head-shaking
Our Winter MOT dental add-on includes:
✔ Full dental exam
✔ Routine rasping
✔ Sedation included for safety and comfort
This is a key time of year to check dental comfort.
14/12/2025
We’d like to mark an important moment for the equestrian community in Scotland as the British Horse Society hands over the role of National Manager for Scotland from Helene Mauchlen to Georgina Charlton.
Helene has made an extraordinary contribution to the equine world. Her work has reached from individual riders and local yards right through to government and parliament, helping to shape policy and legislation that genuinely improves life for horses and the people who care for them. Alongside this, she has raised significant funds for equine causes and has been a tireless, credible voice for welfare, access, and education across Scotland and beyond. Her impact will be felt for many years to come.
We’re equally excited to see Georgina Charlton take on the role. Georgina brings a wealth of experience from the charity sector, combined with a lifelong love of horses and a deep understanding of the people behind them. As a horse owner herself, she understands both the practical and emotional sides of equestrian life, and she is exceptionally well placed to lead the BHS through its next chapter.
With almost 10,000 BHS members in Scotland, the organisation plays a huge role in supporting horse welfare, rider education, and the future of equestrianism — not just nationally, but at grassroots level too. We look forward to seeing the British Horse Society continue to thrive under Georgina’s leadership, building on the strong foundations laid by Helene.
Thank you, Helene, for everything you’ve given to the equine community — and welcome, Georgina. 🐴
07/12/2025
Laminitis Starts Inside the Horse, Not in the Feet
Laminitis often begins long before a horse shows pain.
The ECEIM Equine Metabolic Syndrome Consensus Statement confirms that most laminitis in the UK is endocrinopathic — meaning driven by hormonal and metabolic change, not grass alone.
Insulin dysregulation can include:
• high insulin at rest
• a large spike in insulin after sugar
• reduced tissue response to insulin
All of these place strain on the lamellae — the tiny structures that suspend the pedal bone within the hoof. Over time these structures stretch and weaken before lameness appears.
Key message: A horse can look completely normal in winter while laminitis risk is quietly increasing.
Our Winter MOT is designed to detect those early changes that owners cannot see.
02/12/2025
Winter MOT bookings are now open — running from 1 December to 29 February.
This year’s MOT was designed following discussions with Professor David Sutton, one of our equine medicine specialists. We focused on the most important parts of preventative winter care:
🩺 detecting hidden laminitis risk
🩺 understanding insulin and glucose response
🩺 assessing internal hoof changes
🩺 reviewing dental comfort on winter forage
🩺 checking internal health through a full blood profile
🩺 making worming decisions based on structured risk, not guesswork
The Winter MOT includes:
• Full clinical exam
• Trot-up
• Ophthalmic exam
• Free blood sample + full haematology/biochemistry profile
• Worming risk assessment
Add-ons at reduced fees (same visit):
• Dental exam + rasping (sedation included)
• Foot balance X-rays
• Karo syrup insulin & glucose test
• PPID test (where indicated)
28/11/2025
Thank you to Jo's dedicated owner for sharing an update on his progress! We love hearing how our patients are getting on.
Following investigations and surgery, they are going from strength to strength. His owner has been instrumental in his rehab and their success is a testament to the team work between her and the team within the hospital and practice. Well done Shalena and Jo 🥳🥳
'Nearly two years on from his surgery, and as one of your longest-running patients. I thought you’d like to know that he’s just been crowned the Senior Intro Dressage Champion of 2025. What a journey, that couldn’t have been done without all your amazing staff.
Thank you all so much for
Shalena and Jo'
27/11/2025
Improve your decision-making, sharpen your skills, and enjoy catching up with colleagues at our Vet Winter Equine CPD.
Colic, airway disease, reproduction and dentistry — all delivered by specialists and grounded in everyday practice.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Glasgow Equine Hospital and Practice, University of Glasgow:
The Glasgow Equine Hospital is situated in the scenic Garscube Estate in Bearsden, on the north-western fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately 6 miles from the city centre. An equine hospital has been at this site for many years but the current hospital was opened in 1995, with subsequent expansions made to increase patient capacity and provide entirely separate isolation facilities.
The Glasgow Equine Hospital works closely with veterinary surgeons throughout Scotland and northern England to provide support and referral services for horses in need of specific procedures or further diagnostics, treatment and hospitalisation. Referral is open to all cases and should be discussed first with your own vet, who will then liaise with the vets at the Hospital. Staff are dedicated to providing a professional, reliable and cost effective service whilst maintaining the highest standards of patient care.
The Glasgow Equine Practice is the ambulatory side of the Equine Hospital, and offers high quality veterinary care to the horses in its local catchment area, with stable-side diagnostics and 24-hour emergency provision. Horses, ponies and donkeys registered with the Practice also have the option of being cared for at the Hospital when in need of further intensive treatment or nursing.
The hospital’s team of on-site staff, extensive facilities and diagnostic laboratory offers the advantage of 24-hour nursing with continuous professional care. Patients are stabled in large, well ventilated modern stables with additional facilities for intensive care patients, mares and foals and a sand-floored stable for laminitic cases.
Our vets have postgraduate specialist training in different aspects of horse medicine and surgery, between them holding four Diplomas from European Specialist Colleges, two American Diplomas and seven RCVS post-graduate Certificates. Four of the vets are recognised by the RCVS as specialists (similar to hospital consultants) in either Equine Medicine or Equine Surgery, and we work closely with in-house specialists in anaesthesia and diagnostic imaging.
The team ethos remains practical, with the aim at all times of achieving the best possible outcome for both you and your horse. The Hospital is registered with the European Board of Veterinary Specialists as a training centre in both medicine and surgery for veterinary surgeons wishing to develop further skills in these areas. There are currently five resident veterinary surgeons working at the Weipers Centre whilst completing a 4-year further training period in specialist medicine or surgery.
Our nursing team includes four Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) who bring combined experience from different equine veterinary hospitals and practices. The equine nursing team is assisted by animal technicians and year 5 veterinary students, enabling us to give effective and economic 24-hour nursing to our inpatients.
