Vets
John M Brook BVM&S MRCVS
John qualified from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh University in 1969 and returned to Warwickshire in late 1970 having worked in mixed/equine practice in Gloucestershire and North Yorkshire. He took over his father’s long established mixed practice in Leamington Spa in 1971 and built this up to a 3 person practice, increasingly devoting his time to the equestrian side. In 1990 he established the solely equine clinic at Spring Paddocks.
John has ridden all his life, in all disciplines. He evented and rode for the Warwickshire Hunt Pony Club, as well as the University team, when he was silver medallist at the British Universities Championships. He also competed internationally for Scottish Universities.
From the age of 16 he has ridden ‘under rules’ as an amateur rider, latterly in point to points, but now hacks out, hunts when time and opportunity permit and can be found on racedays at Towcester racecourse, as part of the veterinary team.
Bridget E Gatehouse BVSc MRCVS
Bridget qualified from Liverpool University in 1995 and worked in a mixed practice in Leicestershire for two years before moving to Cheshire to specialise in horse practice. She joined John Brook Veterinary Surgeons in July 2001.
Bridget is keen on racing and held an amateur jockey’s licence to ride on the flat. She rode 6 winners and now continues to ride out regularly for a local racing yard and hunts with the Bicester and Whaddon Chase Foxhounds.
She enjoys tennis and running, training for 10k races.
Harriet Coates MA VetMB CertEP MRCVS
Harriet graduated from Cambridge University in 2002 and then spent a year in Virginia, USA completing an Internship in Equine Medicine & Surgery at the Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Centre. She then worked in mixed practice in Worcestershire before joining John Brook Veterinary Surgeons in June 2005.
She has recently obtained a Certificate of Equine Practice which is a highly prestigious further equine veterinary qualification following two years of hard work, further study and commitment.
Harriet was a member of the Belvoir Hunt Pony Club from the age of 4 – 20, gaining her ‘B’ test and representing her branch in Eventing and Tetrathlon (Pony Club Champion 1997 and member of GB team). This led to involvement with Modern Pentathlon - captaining the Cambridge University team (Full Blue), becoming varsity champion and representing Great Britain at the Junior European Championships. Although no longer competing, she was the on-duty vet for the 2009 World Pentathlon Championships and 2010 World Cup Event. She still rides out with friends and the occasional day’s hunting and enjoys tennis, cycling and skiing.
Sophie Soskin BVetMed MRCVS
Sophie graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 2006 and worked in a mixed small animal/equine practice before joining John Brook Veterinary Surgeons March 2007. She enjoys all areas of equine practice and is currently working towards her Certificate in Advanced Equine Practice.
Sophie grew up as a member of the Cattistock Hunt Pony Club, gaining ‘B’ Test and representing the branch at eventing and show jumping. She also rode for the Royal Veterinary College.
In her free time Sophie enjoys skiing, tennis, hunting with the Warwickshire Hunt and visiting various different packs, team chasing and eventing her own horses. She also has a keen interest in National Hunt racing.
Jack Wallace BVM&S MRCVS
Many of you will now have met Jack who joined us in 2010 and is now a valued member of the team. Prior to returning to Warwickshire he worked in Equine Practice in Scotland and then with the Minster Equine Practice in York. He has a particular interest in lameness. He is also a keen point to point rider and we look forward to seeing him campaigning his own horse shortly.
