Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital has grown from an ambulatory service founded in 1982 serving central Kentucky’s horse farms to an international leader in equine medicine. The facility provides comprehensive medical services for Thoroughbred and other horse breeds, and is recognized for its expertise, innovation, and dedication to the horse industry and to the protection and safe care of each individual animal.

Founding veterinarians Drs. Bill Rood and Tom Riddle expanded their service into a full-service hospital in 1986, and ever since then Rood and Riddle has fulfilled the medical needs of the world-renowned Thoroughbred farms, racetracks, and aftercare organizations that populate Lexington and surrounding counties. In 2013, Rood and Riddle acquired a Saratoga Springs, N.Y., veterinary service and expanded to another fertile area for the industry near Saratoga Race Course. And in 2016, Rood and Riddle ventured into Florida, acquiring a hospital in Wellington north of Fort Lauderdale, a hub of the equestrian and sport horse industry.

Dr. Larry Bramlage at the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Rood and Riddle Draw. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Rood and Riddle is owned by 23 shareholders, including its founders and namesakes. Dr. Larry Bramlage, an equine surgeon at Rood and Riddle, is perhaps the best known from that group among contemporary fans of Thoroughbred racing due to his occasional appearances on television during major racing events. The hospital is often in the headlines when a star racehorse or legendary retiree unfortunately encounters health troubles, a prominent example occurring when 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra underwent emergency surgery at the hospital early in 2013 after giving birth (with a successful outcome).

Rood and Riddle’s expertise spans the entire spectrum of equine medical care, including surgery (over 5,000 per year), diagnostic imaging, laboratory testing and drug research, neurological problems, reproduction, lameness and other orthopedic problems, and nutrition.

The hospital’s involvement with the Thoroughbred industry extends far beyond its core medical services. Rood and Riddle sponsors races (the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland Race Course) and events (the Rood and Riddle Post Position Draw for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships), and is involved with a variety of equine charities. In 2009, it created the Thoroughbred Sport Horse Awards in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to recognize former racehorses who have successfully transitioned into second careers in dressage, jumping, and other performance disciplines.

Tours of Rood and Riddle are year-round and offered through Horse Country. They last one hour, and visitors will receive a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the hospital’s daily operations, possibly including viewing surgery and/or rehabilitation, as well as touring the ‘shoes of champions’ at Rood and Riddle’s podiatry clinic. For more information, click here.