Rood and Riddle to purchase Saratoga vet service

Lexington’s Rood and Riddle equine hospital will buy the Saratoga Equine Veterinary Service in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., giving the firm a local foothold near the major New York summer racing center of Saratoga Racecourse.

Rood and Riddle initially established a presence in the Empire State when one of its veterinarians and shareholders, Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, began providing ambulatory veterinary services in New York.

“The strength of New York racing and the increasing number of our clients opening New York divisions of their operations and the expansion of training in the Saratoga area makes this a logical move for Rood and Riddle to provide the services and leverage their expertise that has been the backbone of the Lexington operation,” the firm’s release noted in announcing the Saratoga Equine acquisition.

Dr. Bill and Diana Barnes own Saratoga Equine, and after the sale Dr. Barnes will continue to practice in the area as an independent practitioner, according to the release. Saratoga Equine has served the Saratoga area since 1996.

Under Rood and Riddle, the clinic will offer services including lameness exams, advanced imagining, orthopedic surgery, upper-airway surgery, and therapeutic and corrective podiatry for racehorses and sport horses.