Dr. Josh Hall is a true horseman’s veterinarian. He is unassuming, approachable and sincerely committed to practicing equine medicine that works, based on clinical outcomes.
“Sometimes, it isn’t the most fashionable approach,” confided Dr. Hall. “I see myself as an advocate for the horse and the client. Many vets and their clients use the last resort approach first. I have to say that I am so proud of my lameness work, especially on tendons and ligaments and, in general, horses cared for by my practice have very low colic rates.”
Dr. Hall is one of the pioneers of equine mesotherapy and is also an expert ultrasound diagnostician. He was the very first equine veterinarian to connect a laptop to the digital x-ray machine on call, now the norm. Dr. Hall has an inquisitive mind and is naturally committed to learning. He has relationships with the experts in veterinary specialties and seeks them out to keep current (and sometimes to participate in trials) of the latest breakthroughs.
Dr. Hall was born into a military family of horsemen. Both his father and his grandfather were in the cavalry and played polo. “The first horse I remember riding was named Red, a great kid’s horse that stopped on cue when you said whoa!” laughed Dr. Hall.
“When I was about eight I moved to Monterey, CA and rode with Sue Sally Hale. In high school I became a working student for Richard Collins at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. I was one of the founding members of the Pebble Beach Polo Club, which first was played on a dirt field. I lessoned with many greats, George Morris, Jack LeGoff, Bert Denemethy, Col.AloisPodhajsky. We did a lot of different things. Jumping, dressage, polo, vaulting, trick riding and Roman riding. We did time trials on the beach. I treasure those memories! I was also exposed to some great western riders as well, like the famous stuntman and film director, Dickie Talmadge and Ray Hackworth. I’ve had so many great influences over the years.”
“I did my undergrad at UC Davis and played varsity polo. I decided it was a lot harder to be a nine-goal polo player, like my mentor, Dr. Bill Linfoot, than to be a vet. So, I got my Masters in Animal Science and went to vet school, both at UC Davis. Truly, I always wanted to be an equine vet.”
While working on his Masters, Dr. Hall did early research on embryo transfers in cattle. After graduating from vet school, Dr. Hall was hired by Mrs. George Pope and ran the El Peco Ranch, a thoroughbred, farm home to Kentucky Derby winner, Decidedly. El Peco was the epitome of the upper echelon of the racing world and practiced the ultimate in stable management.
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The first horse Dr. Hall was asked to do a pre-purchase exam on had a price tag in the seven figures. “I didn’t pass him. I saw something I didn’t like. And actually, that horse never won a race again,” revealed Dr. Hall.
Later Dr. Hall worked with Bill Grantham in Woodside covering the Northern California racetracks and countryside. In 1989 Dr. Hall made the move to Wellington, where he lives now during the season. After working at Palm Beach Equine for seven years, he founded his practice, Anacapa Equine.
Dr. Hall is an active member of equine welfare committees of the United States Polo Association and the American Association for Equine Practitioners, an organization that works to reduce the number of unwanted horses while improving equine welfare through education.
Dr. Hall is accepting a limited number of new clients.
Contact Dr. Josh Hall and Anacapa Equine at: 561-758-0736 or e-mail.
