At Bell Equine we believe in transparency of the costs of veterinary care. The cost of running a fleet of veterinary vehicles is high and we believe in demonstrating how that is paid for.

We are often asked why we do not have free visit days. The cost of running vehicles mean free visit days are often paid for by higher charges for veterinary services and medicines. We are able to keep our service and medicine costs to clients lower by being transparent about our visit fees which benefits all our clients equally, not just those for whom might receive a ‘free call out day’ visit.

• See if your non-emergency, routine vet visits can be accommodated on one of our 'Area Days'. Area visit days allow us to assign a vet to given area which we commonly visit. This means on the day a vet will be visiting several yards in the same area, saving time and fuel costs, which we pass on to you by reducing the call out cost to £36 (incl VAT), which will be split between clients seen on the same yard.

• Book early - If you are able to book several days in advance and can be flexible on dates, times and the vet attending, it is often possible to coincide several visits in a similar area, thereby reducing travelling times and subsequently call out costs, which again can be passed on to you.

• Share visits with other owners on the same yard – this can make a big difference to your costs. Our call out charges are usually assigned for a yard visit. Therefore, if we attend several animals on the same yard, we can divide the visit fee between each of the owners, which can significantly decrease the charges paid. Please book yard visits in advance in order that we can timetable effectively for the extra time required to see more cases.

• Pay on the day – we have a long standing policy of offering a discount on invoices which are settled at the time of the appointment. This discount applies not only to the visit fee, but also to any examination, vaccination, medicine charges etc. This will also help reduce your veterinary costs.

• Join HHP - our Horse Health Programme offers huge savings on preventative health care and further savings on any other service which is not included in the scheme. For further information, please see HERE for all the benefits or call the clinic to find out more.

• Call where possible inside normal working hours - we offer a complete emergency cover service outside normal working hours, however, this is expensive to run and consequently call out fees are proportionally higher. If you suspect your horse is unwell in the morning, it is preferable to call us to see if a visit is required. It may be we can offer advice which will help avoid a visit, or if needed, we can arrange a visit during normal hours with a vet who is local to you that day. If you monitor your horse during the day, and then contact us outside normal hours, if a visit is required, this will fall under our emergency cover service.

• Call for advice - there are many situations where we can help with phone advice alone, for which we do not charge. This can be very useful for monitoring ongoing cases or minor ailments. We will offer advice accordingly, and if the vet feels a visit is required we will do our best to schedule the visit in a way to keep your costs to a minimum.

In the interests of efficiency, reduction in client costs and the environment, we have arranged weekly visits to certain areas with specific 'area days'.

Many parts of the practice are now covered by 'area days' where on at least one day a week a vet will visit the area for routine calls and the maximum visit fee will be £38 (including vat), or less if shared by other clients at the same site. The 'area days' cover the areas where the majority of our clients are located.

See below for our area days & call out fees (all inclusive of VAT) or see our CALL OUT MAP.

MONDAY

Bexley:

Call out: £10.50 (for the Woolwich, Plumstead, Eltham and Mottingham areas, the call out is £38)

Meopham:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Meopham, Culverstone Green, Hartley, Betsham, Cobham, Longfield, New Ash Green, Ash, Fawkham.

Headcorn:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Headcorn, Tenterden, Biddenden, Bethersden, Shadoxhurst, Great Chart, Smarden, Pluckley, Sutton Valence, Chart Sutton, Charing, Harrietsham, Sheldwich, Challock.

Goudhurst:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Goudhurst, Fordcombe, Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Hurst Green, Mayfield, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Staplehurst, Marden, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Paddock Wood, Coxheath.

TUESDAY

Chelsfield:

Call out: £38

Chelsfield West: Areas including although not restricted to: Halstead, Knockholt, Biggin Hill, Cudham, Downe, Keston, Croydon, Warlingham.

Chelsfield East: Areas including although not restricted to: Chelsfield, Kemsing, Otford, Shoreham, West Kingsdown, Knatts Valley, Eynsford, Crockenhill, Chislehurst, Orpington, Bromley, West Wickham.

Faversham / Sittingbourne:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Bearsted, Boxley, Thurnham, Bredhurst, Rainham, Upchurch, Newingon, Borden, Lower Halstow, Iwade, Isle of Sheppy, Teynham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Newnham, Milstead, Hollingbourne.

WEDNESDAY

Bexley:

Call out: £10.50 (for the Woolwich, Plumstead, Eltham and Mottingham areas, the call out is £38)

Goudhurst:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Goudhurst, Fordcombe, Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Hurst Green, Mayfield, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Staplehurst, Marden, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Paddock Wood, Coxheath.

Meopham:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Meopham, Culverstone Green, Hartley, Cobham, Longfield, New Ash Green, Ash, Fawkham, Luddesdown.

Medway / North Kent:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Aylesford, Blue Bell Hill, Burham, Halling, Cuxton, Strood, Chatham, Gillingham, Walderslade, Wainscott, Shorne, Higham, Hoo, Cliffe, Lower Stoke.

THURSDAY

Sevenoaks:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Sevenoaks, Seal, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Chiddingstone, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Ide Hill Crockham Hill, Westerham.

Chelsfield:

Call out: £38

Chelsfield West: Areas including although not restricted to: Otford, Shoreham, Halstead, Knockholt, Biggin Hill, Cudham, Downe, Keston, Croydon, Warlingham.

Chelsfield East: Areas including although not restricted to: Chelsfield, Kemsing, West Kingsdown, Knatts Valley, Eynsford, Crockenhill, Chislehurst, Orpington, Bromley, West Wickham.

Goudhurst:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Goudhurst, Fordcombe, Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Hurst Green, Mayfield, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Staplehurst, Marden, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Paddock Wood, Coxheath.

FRIDAY

Sittingbourne / Faversham: 

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Sittingbourne, Boxley, Detling, Hucking, Wormshill, Milstead, Doddington, Newnham, Faversham, Borden, Bredhurst, Stockbury, Newington, Lower Halstow, Upchurch, Isle of Sheppy.

Swanley:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Swanley, Horton Kirby, Sutton at Hone, Darenth, Betsham, Southfleet, Northfleet, Greenhithe, Bean, Swanscombe, Dartford, Wilmington, Hextable.

Bexley:

Call out: £10.50 (Morning only) (For the Woolwich, Plumstead, Eltham and Mottingham areas, the call out is £38)

Goudhurst:

Call out: £38

Areas including although not restricted to: Goudhurst, Fordcombe, Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Hurst Green, Mayfield, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Staplehurst, Marden, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Paddock Wood, Coxheath.