Trading Terms

Last updated: 26 August 2026

Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your equine to The Sport Horse Vet Ltd (‘The Sport Horse Vet’).

These terms and conditions set out the basis upon which The Sport Horse Vet provides veterinary treatment for your equine. By registering with The Sport Horse Vet and/or requesting treatment from us, you will be deemed to have accepted these trading terms. Please read our trading terms carefully. We recommend you print a copy for your future use.

These trading terms apply to the person who registers with us, whether or not they are the owner of the equine. We reserve the right to terminate an account at any time, without explanation or obligation.

Paying The Sport Horse Vet

Invoices must be paid on receipt unless agreed otherwise in advance. We reserve the right to charge interest on late payments at the rate of 8%.

We accept payment by cash, bank transfer, debit card and most major credit cards, excluding American Express. Bank payments may be made directly to our account — contact us for details.

Inability to pay

If you are struggling to pay our invoices for any reason, please contact the clinical director without delay.

Clinical records

All clinical records, diagnostic images (x-rays, ultrasound scans) and related documents are owned and retained by The Sport Horse Vet. Fees may be charged for investigations and interpretation, but the resulting records remain practice property. On request, we will provide copies of relevant records and a summary of your horse’s history to another veterinary surgeon taking over their care.

Please note that the policy of The Sport Horse Vet is to ask to see the clinical history of all new equine patients. Naturally it is important that we know as much about your equine as possible. Accordingly, if you ask us to take over conduct of the care of your equine, we will ask you to obtain your equine’s history from your vet, or to provide us with your consent in order to do this on your behalf.

Insurance claims

You remain responsible for paying our fees in full and on time, even when making an insurance claim. As owner or keeper, you must notify your insurer, submit any required claim forms, and ensure your policy is valid, up to date, and provides cover for the treatment requested. You must also tell us about any exclusions or pre-existing conditions.

Before authorising treatment or investigations, especially non-emergency general anaesthesia, you should confirm with your insurer that the condition is covered and not within any cooling-off period.

Payment is due from you, not your insurer. The insurer’s role is to reimburse you for eligible fees paid to us. We may provide administrative assistance with claims, for which a £20 fee applies per claim. If the claim is declined, or payment is not received within 60 days of submission, the outstanding balance becomes payable immediately.

Fees and charges

A standard visit fee applies to most calls within our catchment area and may be reduced where visits are shared. Out-of-hours visits, including weekends and bank holidays, as well as daytime emergency visits, are charged at a higher rate.

Examination and procedure fees are fixed according to the type of work carried out and the usual time required. Additional professional fees may apply where work takes significantly longer than expected.

Charges for drugs, dressings and supplies are based on supplier costs and may change without notice. Laboratory work is charged at the laboratory’s fee, with an additional procedural fee for sampling, materials, postage and interpretation.

A full call-out fee may be charged if you miss an appointment or cancel with less than one hour’s notice.

Veterinary prescriptions

In order to comply with RCVS Medicine Regulations, we cannot supply medication or a prescription without first seeing your horse. Repeat prescriptions can only be given if the animal is under the actual care and attention of the attending veterinary surgeon.

Written prescriptions can be provided if you wish to purchase prescribed medication from a third party. A fee may apply for each prescription, which is valid for six months from the date issued.

For long-term medication, prescriptions must be reviewed at least every six months and may require a clinical examination before medication is prescribed or supplied. We may request more frequent examinations where clinically necessary.

Please allow at least 48 hours’ notice for written or repeat prescriptions.

Unlicensed medication

The range of medicines licensed for use in horses in the UK is limited. Where appropriate, we may use medicines that are not licensed in the UK but are recognised as standard clinical practice for horses. These medicines may not have been assessed under UK regulations for safety, quality or effectiveness. If an unlicensed medicine is recommended, you may be asked to sign an off-licence consent form.

Out of hours

We aim to provide an emergency service outside normal opening hours, 365 days a year. To contact the on-duty vet, call the practice number. Emergency visits incur an out-of-hours surcharge in addition to the usual visit fee.

Out-of-hours cover may be shared with Gillivervets, VetPartners Practices Ltd, Company No: 10084952. If they attend, you will be invoiced by The Sport Horse Vet Ltd in the usual way.

In the interests of your equine, your clinical records may be shared with Gillivervets, VetPartners Practices Ltd, Company No: 10084952.

We reserve the right to request part or full payment before attending an out-of-hours call.

Routine visits

We aim to provide a high standard of care to all clients and their horses. Emergencies may occasionally delay routine appointments, so we may need to rearrange or postpone routine visits at short notice.

Pre-purchase examinations

Information from a pre-purchase examination belongs to the prospective purchaser who instructs us, not the vendor. The full fee must be paid in advance by the purchaser. If the examination does not proceed, a full refund will be issued.

Social media

We welcome constructive engagement on our social media platforms. Please do not post content that is offensive, misleading, defamatory, or breaches confidentiality, and always obtain permission before filming or photographing our staff or their work.

We reserve the right to remove comments or block users who do not meet these standards. Information shared on social media is general guidance only and is not a substitute for direct veterinary advice.

Complaints

We aim to provide the highest standard of care for every client and equine patient. If you have any concerns or wish to make a complaint, please contact the director in the first instance. If you are unhappy with your horse’s treatment or progress, a second opinion can be arranged.

Feedback

We welcome feedback on the service we provide and value your comments.