A CHESHIRE horse hospital has ridden away with an award for the best equine vets in the UK.  Ashbrook Equine Hospital in Allostock, near Knutsford, which is part of Willows Veterinary Group, is the winner of the ‘Best Equine Vet in the UK’ category in the annual Best UK Vets awards. (Photo top left : From left to right; Sandra Bowles, Accounts Assistant, is pictured with vets Julia Shrubb  and Vicky Rowlands with Luz the horse at Ashbrook Equine Hospital).

The Best UK Vets awards are run by VetHelpDirect.com, an independent reviewing platform and directory website, which invites pet owners across the UK to leave starred reviews about their local surgery.

The practices with the most 4 or 5 star reviews, monitored from February to February each year, will find themselves with the top places in the awards.There are various category winners with one overall winner then announced.

Roger Dixon, Clinical Director at Ashbrook Equine Hospital, said: “Our biggest asset, without a doubt, is our team and no matter what role they play, we are all focused collectively on client care, both owner and their horses.

“I think we also excel in being a one-stop shop for all our clients’ needs with some of us travelling around the region helping horses and some of us staying put to look after the needs of the horses we are looking after at the hospital. We have great support staff who help make sure this can all happen with the upmost efficiency and professionalism.

“One of our biggest strengths and what we are always striving to be is caring, welcoming and empathetic with the people and horses who come to us. We are sometime dealing with very difficult circumstances for people and it is important to us that we never lose sight of what the client and horse might be facing.

“We treat and look after everything from much loved pets to top competition equine athletes and we make sure they are all treated with the same level of care and respect.”

One reviewer on the VetHelpDirect website, said of Ashbrook: “Just the most wonderful team who always look after my horse (and me!) with the utmost professionalism and kindness. They are simply brilliant.”

Roger added: “We can’t thank our clients enough for taking the time to leave such positive and kind reviews. It is rich reward for the hard work which goes on at Ashbrook.

“There are more than 300 equine practices across the UK and so we are extremely proud that Ashbrook has been given this award because it shows the scope of our services and the top professionalism and compassion which is engrained in everything we do.”

Willows Veterinary Group offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise through a network of 25 small animal practices, a referral veterinary hospital, two equine centres and a seven-office farm practice, located across Cheshire and into Greater Manchester, North Wales, the Wirral and Staffordshire.

It is a partner group of VetPartners, a York-based veterinary group which aims through all its surgeries to deliver outstanding care for its pet patients and clients. It has a strong focus on working in partnership with its teams to invest in its people and infrastructure and provide secure and happy environments for its employees to work in.

​For more information about Willows Veterinary Group, go to www.willowsvetgroup.co.uk

For more information about Ashbrook, go to www.ashbrookequinehospital.co.uk