Nixon Equine Vets Team

Equine veterinary surgeons Stewart Hastie and Jane Nixon are dedicated to the welfare of all horses through their lifelong desire for knowledge and meticulous attention to veterinary detail. Jane and Stewart’s dedication is supported by their enthusiastic team, including equine vets Juliet Blayney, Jeremy Kemp Symonds and Olwen Lloyd.

Commitment to continuing professional development

The diverse experience of the Nixon Equine Vets team coupled with our commitment to regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) ensures that all our equine veterinary surgeons have the benefit of the latest research and knowledge and the most up-to-date procedures and techniques, enabling the practice to offer a comprehensive service over many aspects of modern equine veterinary disciplines, including diagnosis and performance assessment, treatment and consultancy. Nixon Equine works closely with complementary equine disciplines e.g. farriery, equine dentistry, physiotherapy and equine nutrition, enabling the practice to adopt a holistic approach to the total welfare of the horse, benefiting both horses and their owners.

Nixon Equine Veterinary Surgeons

Stewart Hastie

Stewart Hastie graduated from Glasgow in 1944. He worked in general practice in Kent and Northampton before joining a one man agricultural practice here in 1956. He quickly brought this up to speed, developed a thriving companion animal section (dog & cat in those days) and in the early sixties, began to species specialise in horse work, in which he was fully occupied 10 years later. It was here that Stewart's pioneering interest in the value of ethical co-operation with recognised complementary disciplines developed. Stewart has always emphasised the value of animal husbandry and welfare. He has pursued the teaching of these through the Agricultural Training Board and colleges and later via the BHS Training Committee for Stable Management & Horsemastership. Stewart sat on the advisory committee of both Moreton Morell and of Moulton Equine Studies courses and was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Society of Master Saddlers in January 2007. He is the only vet to have received this prestigious award for contribution (vet input) to saddle fitting. For 7 years he was Hon PRO and then Hon Secretary of BEVA. He was the first veterinary adviser to the National Riding for the Disabled. In partnership with Jane Nixon, He established Nixon Equine Veterinary Practice in 2005 with special interest in musculo-skeletal disorders and associated locomotion spinal problems as these affect athletic performance.

Jane Nixon

Jane Nixon qualified from the University of Cambridge in 1978. She worked in mixed practice here initially, helping to develop the equine side of the practice started by Stewart (Hastie), before becoming principal partner of Nixon & Marshall, a solely equine and small animal practice in 1988. She formed Nixon Equine Veterinary Practice, a dedicated equine practice, with Stewart Hastie in June 2005. Jane's key interest is in the performance horse. She has over 25 years experience in sports horse practice, has been involved in mare and stallion grading throughout Great Britain and Europe for the last 20 years and is the Consultant Veterinarian to the British Equine Federation, Futurity Young Horse Evaluation Scheme. She is the veterinary surgeon to a large number of British and Warmblood Breed societies. She is also currently senior veterinary surgeon at Towcester Racecourse. Additional professional posts held include: British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Council member for 6 years; Member of the BEVA working Party on Artificial Insemination for 5 years and Chairman of the BEVA/ Breeders Liaison Group; BEVA Council representative to BHS Council; BEVA Council representative to BHS welfare Committee; RCVS Riding Establishments' Act Sub-Committee; Chair BEVA Stallion Grading Working Party; Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and active member of the Craft committee, with particular interest in liaison between veterinary surgeons and farriers; Equine Veterinary Consultant to GENUS. Jane pursues an active interest in sports horses in her spare time. She has owned, produced and ridden internationally top-class working hunters. From 2001 - 2007 she was also Joint Master and Field Master of the Grafton Hunt and continues to provide equine veterinary care for the Grafton Hunt horses. She now has 2 step grand children "deep in ponies and Pony Club".

Juliet Blayney

Juliet Blayney qualified from Cambridge University in 1991, having been secretary of the University Riding Club and played polo with the University. She joined Nixon and Marshall in 2000, having worked with the Liphook Equine Hospital in Hampshire and a mixed veterinary practice in Jersey. Having gained additional experience assisting one of the leading equine vets in the SW of France she now works as an associate for Nixon Equine Veterinary Practice. Juliet is committed to using the very latest veterinary developments to ensure that top sports horses and family ponies, alike, benefit from rapid and efficient diagnosis and treatment. She has a keen interest in the equine heart and related performance issues and in internal medicine in general. Juliet is married with three young children of which the eldest two are just starting out in the Pony Club. Juliet empathises with the Pony Club Mum, having two extremely enthusiastic Pony Club children.

Jeremy Kemp Symonds

Jeremy Kemp Symonds is our associate vet in locum tenens. He is also treasurer of the Brtish Equine Veterinary Association Trust (BEVA). Jeremy completed a Masters Degree in Infectious Disease at the Royal Veterinary College in 2000 with a thesis on equine sarcoids and is currently studying for a PhD at the Animal Health Trust in the Epidemiology of Strangles.

Olwen Lloyd

Olwen Lloyd graduated from Cambridge university in 2004, where in addition to studying, she spent a large amount of time breaking and training young horses of all varieties.  During her final year Olwen spent some time at Utrecht University in Holland, studying and gaining experience on the most up to date fertility treatments, including embryo transfer. After a short time in mixed practice, she spent 2½  years working in a busy 1st and 2nd opinion equine practice before joining Nixon Equine Vets in October 2007. Olwen is a keen dressage rider and has an interest in all things equine, but her specialist veterinary areas are artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer (ET) and foals.

Nixon Equine Vets supporting team

Janet Valentine

Janet Valentine began working for Stewart over 35 years ago, dealing with equine in patients and family ponies. On leaving school she worked for Mr. Wyatt, treasurer of the Whaddon Hunt for 2 seasons. She then worked for Sally-Ann Glendinning, MRCVS, where she was in charge of the equine hospital and operating theatre and helped with a number of cardiac cases in which Sally-Ann Glendinning specialised. Janet also ran a small breeding yard there with 4 brood mares, foaling all at home, and preparing yearlings for the sales. Janet has seen the practice undergo a number of transformations throughout her time here. Now with Nixon Equine Veterinary Practice she is responsible for logistics and the laboratory.

Louisa Thornhill

Louisa Thornhill has always lived in North Buckinghamshire. She went to school at Overthorpe and Furze Down in Winslow before going to college at the Fortune Centre in the New Forest, where she studied horsemanship. Louisa has been with Jane for many years, assisting with out patients as well as Jane's own horses. Louisa has her own horse and enjoys riding as much as possible. Image (left) courtesy of Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser.

Debbie Spears

Debbie Spears works Part-Time as an Equine Technician with Nixon Equine Vets. Debbie breeds and shows Highland Ponies from her small stud based in Newton Longville. She is a Highland Pony Society In Hand panel judge and also sits on the BSPS, NPS and Ponies Uk Mountain and Moorland judges panels.

Natalie Clarke

Natalie Clarke joined Nixon Equine Vets in August 2007 as Clinic Manager. She has been with horses all her life and has worked with eventers, showjumpers, dressage horses and race horses. She spent 4 years as Head Girl to Pat Eddery breaking young racehorses. She has her own horses and competes at Elementary level dressage and has showjumped for many years to Foxhunter and Grade C level. She hopes to gain a qualification in Equine Veterinary Nursing.

Mike Cope

Mike Cope has worked for Heart of England Equine Nutrition at Preston Capes for many years and acts as horse box driver to Jane

Isabelle Hilton-Jones

Isabelle Hilton-Jones is a qualified radiographer with many years experience in hospitals. Isabelle assists Nixon Equine Vets with X-rays and also enjoys hunting and grooming to her eventing children and has recently retired as DC of the Grafton Pony Club. Picture to follow.