By Kelli Craig

May 18, 2006 article from the Goochland Gazette

Three Oaks Equine owners Denise Gorondy, left, Dan Slovis and Jennifer Wright.

Dan Slovis and Denise Gorondy take an x-ray of a horse’s leg. Photos by Kelli Craig

Four hundred clients. More than 1,100 horses. Three veterinarians service them all.

The newly established Three Oaks Equine is owned and operated by three experienced and passionate equine veterinarians. Doctors of Veterinary Medicine, Daniel Slovis, Denise Gorondy and Jennifer Wright started their medical careers in different parts of the country and have found their way to Goochland. Previously, none of the doctors knew the area, they said.

All three had similar childhoods, riding and growing up with a love for horses. But Wright did it in Washington State, Gorondy in Northern Virginia and Slovis in Maryland.

“Since I was 7 years old and started riding, I knew I wanted to be a vet,” said Slovis. Wright and Gorondy also knew their career choice at a young age, they added.

Slovis choose to go to veterinary school outside the country at Ross University in St. Kitts. There are only 27 veterinary schools in the country. “They are very competitive,” Slovis said.

After graduation he spent a year working in Arizona before coming back closer to home. His brother, Nathan, is also an equine veterinary medicine specialist.

Wright moved to Chicago after graduating from vet school, in Washington, and after a year found herself in Central Virginia with her husband Tim. “We both wanted to be on the east coast,” she said.

Gorondy followed suit, and spent a year working in Kansas before relocating to the Montpelier area. She has been practicing in the area for the last six years.

All three met through working together in the local equine community for a different company. They left and decided to continue their passion individually. But all three ended up coming back together to start Three Oaks Equine.

“The opportunity was available and those kinds of opportunities don’t come along very often,” said Wright.

“Part owner allows me to ensure part of an organization that shares the same passion as me for veterinarian medicine and business management,” said Gorondy.

“We wanted to practice the way we wanted to and service the way we wanted,” Slovis added.

Through their personal strengths, each doctor has established their own list of clientele and horses.

“We have a one on one, close knit relationship with our clients,” said Gorondy. “Vets and clients share a common goal of treating the horses.”

The trio, along with office administrator Marsha Pryor work out of a courthouse office, across the street from Parrish Motor Company. They opened in April, but it’s often hard to find the doctors in the office. They are out in the field almost all the time working on the horses.

The advanced technology equipment used by Three Oaks Equine puts them above the rest in their field. They are 100 percent ambulatory and have digital radiography and ultrasound equipment. On every client visit, the equipment is readily available and results are on hand almost immediately.

It takes only 30 seconds after taking an x-ray for it to be viewed, on their laptop computers, by their clients. Without this equipment clients may wait 12 to 24 hours before seeing the x-rays.

They provide diagnosis and treatment with every visit. They also supply preventive medical care, lameness evaluations, integrated medicine services and dentistry for the animals. And the costs for their services are on par with their competitors, they said.

“We wanted to be as up-to-date and technologically sound as possible,” said Slovis. “We are one of the more advanced with technology in the field.”

“Veterinary medicine is progressing by leaps and bounds,” added Gorondy.

Gorondy also specializes in equine acupuncture and veterinary chiropractic care.

“Equine veterinary medicine is not always the most sought out division of veterinarians,” said Gorondy. “It’s more physically intensive when you compare the average size of a horse to a cat or dog.”

“I’m really passionate about the horses,” said Wright. “It’s mentally and physically challenging and it melds science and medicine together with the horse sport.”

One has to be passionate for this career field. Wright, Slovis and Gorondy’s schedules never slow down. They are on emergency call with their clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even though it’s not typical, the doctors have had emergency calls in the middle of the night.

For more information on Three Oaks Equine contact 556-2795.