New Zealand’s first horse ambulance is being welcomed by racetracks in the South Island.
The "mobile vet" was built in Dunedin and had its first use at the Otago Racing Club on Melbourne Cup day.
Its rollout is timely given the death of Melbourne Cup runner Cliffs of Moher on Tuesday, which has made equine welfare a major talking point in Australasia.
Taieri-based veterinarian Dr Peter Gilespie and transport engineers at TL MacLean Ltd have combined in production of the ambulance to help lead the development of racehorse care.
It may look similar to a horse float on the outside but inside it is a fully equipped equine emergency room.
It features a hydraulic suspension system which allows the ambulance to be completely lowered to the ground to limit the stress of loading a horse for transportation to a vet clinic.
The ambulance programme is a collaboration between racing bodies that is being led by the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust.
It plans to commission a total of five ambulances and have them in operation across New Zealand.
Dr Gillespie is on the organisation's board, and having the ambulances built in Dunedin means he can oversee and have input into the design-and-build process.
"It's wonderful that we can have these ambulances made locally, not only for the local economy but also the fact that they are costing close to half the price to be made here, rather than having them built offshore," he says.
1 NEWS reporter Lisa Davies went to Riccarton races yesterday to put the horse ambulance through its paces. Watch the video above.
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