Louise Jolliffe
My first young experience of being around horses was in 1986/87 in Cairo, Egypt where we lived as a family for 18 months. Riding in the desert in those days I realised I was destined to be involved with horses.

After graduating from Glasgow vet school in 2002, I had my first job in Wolverhampton. After a year of mixed work, I decided to join the equine team within the practice. The work was busy and varied so I gained a wealth of experience from treating gypsy ponies and trotters in the Black Country to pleasure horses, competition horses and racehorse in the Shropshire - Staffordshire countryside. On weekends and evenings I would regularly work at local horse trials, endurance rides and at Wolverhampton racecourse either professionally or riding my trusty ‘Uncle Neil’ Irish Sportshorse.

Five years later I moved to Kessock Equine Vets where I am thoroughly enjoying the variety of the work involved. Currently I do not have time for riding but my little companion Betty, a Jack Russell Border Terrier cross, manages to take up most of my spare time. I also enjoy keeping fit and in the past have completed the Three Peaks Challenge in 24hours and cycled from John O Groats to Lands End. Last year a team of us completed the First Monster Challenge which involved a relay run/cycle around Loch Ness and Inverness.

Last year I had the opportunity to join the BEVA Council where I can bring a true general practitioners’ perspective to discussions and topics. I have also been personally involved with BEVA Trust when they awarded me a grant in 2009 to travel to Australia where I spent a month at Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital and gain valuable experience.

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