Equerry

EQUERRY EQUINE SURGERY AND SPORTS MEDICINE is excited to announce the addition of Equerry Farrier now with Gea Van Boxtel from The Netherlands. With this addition, we look forward to further supporting the Saanich Peninsula horse industry.

Once again, Colin has found a talented farrier to fill the gap in the farrier service currently available on the island. Gea grew up with horses and, in 2012, started her farrier training at the NHB in Deurne. After receiving her diploma in 2014, she continued working with her internship supervisor for an additional year to gain more experience and training. Gea has worked independently as a Farrier since 2015 with a loyal customer base. She is passionate about her profession and looks at every horse as an individual working with the owners to find the best path to success regarding their hoof health and care. Gea has shod everything from hobby horses to international sport horses in both jumping and dressage and is continuing her education with the Mustad Academy now. She is proud to share that after spending years working with her; her two trainees passed their exam for the first time with an overall pass rate of just 23%.

Gea and Colin are eager to collaborate to enhance the shoeing of horses that require additional support. However, Gea's services are not limited to Colin's practice. She is open to working with and advising other vets and their clients needing assistance with their horses' hoof care. Gea's expertise in corrective and remedial shoeing equips her to tackle any hoof issues she encounters while she will also be developing a regular farrier practice for more routine cases. She looks forward to working with all the professionals in the industry, fostering a supportive environment for horses on the peninsula.

Contact the office to book today #778-587-4838 or [email protected]

Introducing William Brooks DipWCF, the man behind the new Equerry Farrier!

Colin has been working with William Brooks to fill a gap in the farrier service currently available on the island. William began his apprenticeship in Ayrshire, Scotland, at age 15 with Jim and Alan Ferrie, two of the world's most respected farriers. William's mentor, Jim, is the farrier for the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh, where he is involved in corrective shoeing. William spent his first years learning all aspects of remedial shoeing. After finishing his DipWCF qualification, William travelled to Australia, working and gaining more knowledge before returning to Scotland, setting up his practice and starting a family. He has competed on the Scottish farrier team and has 20 years of experience as a farrier.

William and Colin look forward to working together as a team to be able to improve the shoeing of horses that need additional help. William has extensive training in corrective and remedial shoeing. Colin brings experience from his training at WSU as an intern and CSU as a surgery resident. After his residency, Colin worked as a surgeon at the University of Glasgow, where Jim Ferrie was the University farrier. They can combine their experience and use radiographs to measure the horse's feet objectively. Both William and Colin look forward to working with all the professionals in the industry to support horses on the peninsula.

Contact us to book at [email protected] or #778-587-4838