The Equine Team

Linda Belton BVSc MRCVS

I qualified from the University of Bristol Vet School in 1991 and started working in Hampshire. I joined the George Veterinary Group in October 1992, becoming a partner in 2001. The George Veterinary Group Equine Clinic has continued to expand, providing high quality veterinary care to horses throughout Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

I write an equine veterinary column for Horse Magazine and also write for our local equestrian newspaper Saddle Up. We also produce a quarterly magazine aimed at younger riders offering advice and information about horse health. This is distributed for free through local equestrian outlets and via our surgeries.

I have been a keen rider for a number of years, competing in various disciplines and having a lot of fun! As well as my own two horses, I now have children with ponies. Looking after and competing ponies is possibly more work than the horses!

I enjoy all aspects of my veterinary work, with a special interest in equine lameness and poor performance, two areas which often go hand in hand. I also do a lot of equine dentistry as correct dental care is vital to a horse’s digestion and performance.

As a practice, we also enjoy hosting lectures and demonstrations for horse owners on veterinary health care and have extended this service to various summer riding and pony club camps.

Gayle Capps

Gayle qualified from Bristol in 1999. She worked in Bedfordshire for 3 years before joining The George in 2003. Gayle is involved in all areas of equine care and her special interests are equine lameness and respiratory disease.

Bethan Cook MA VetMB MRCVS

Having decided very early on that I would follow a career in veterinary medicine, I graduated from Cambridge Vet School in 2003, and started work in South Wales.

Prior to going to university, I took a year out to work in a point-to-point yard and a riding school. This gave me a widely varied, but entertaining experience with many different types of horses and ponies! I have always been involved in racing, owning a number of thoroughbreds for point-to-pointing; some not very fast! I now attend many meets throughout the season as the on-course vet.

During my university career I spent a year working in Newmarket focusing on fertility work, this has led to an interest in all aspects of stud medicine. I joined The George Veterinary Group Equine Clinic in February 2005.

Competitive riding has had to take a back seat since I started work, but I still own a six year old pointer and a two year old filly.

Sarah Hayes BVetMed MRCVS

Having qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1998, I started my career in Kent. I joined The George Veterinary Group Equine Clinic in November 1999.

As part of a busy equine practice, we cover a wide geographical area and I really enjoy being out and about seeing the countryside, often with Millie our border terrier! We treat all shapes and sizes of horse and pony, this variety is perfect to keep us all on our toes! I thoroughly enjoy all aspects of my veterinary work, but wound management is especially satisfying.

Additionally, I like the challenge of internal medicine cases and caring for some of our more elderly four-legged patients. I spend much of my time looking in horse’s mouths and performing dentistry to ensure maximum comfort and performance, this is another area of my job that I am particularly interested in.

Having ridden since a child, I am now watching my young children develop an interest in ponies, whilst still managing to slip away and do some riding myself!

Ali Mead BVetMed MRCVS

Ali qualified from London in 1980. After working in Kent and Australia she joined the practice in 1985. Ali works solely with horses and is experienced in all aspects of equine practice. Her main interests include equine lameness.