Ruffian Equine Medical Center opens near Belmont Park

The Ruffian Equine Medical Center (REMC), a state-of-the-art equine hospital

located opposite the backstretch at Belmont Park, opened its doors Monday. The

practice, owned and operated by Dr. James Hunt, DVM, and overseen by chief

surgeon Dr. Patricia Hogan, VMD, ACVS, will act as a hub for area horses of all

breeds and disciplines, specializing as a center for diagnostics and orthopedic

surgery. The project took four years of planning and construction at a cost of

$18 million.

"Long Island has never had a facility of this scale," Dr. Hunt said. "It's

overdue considering the population of horses in the area. We're thrilled to be

able to provide the best services we can to the horse owners, their trainers and

their veterinarians."

The facility housing the REMC was an IEAH corporate vision that commenced in

2003. The hospital was designed by British Architect and IEAH Director John

Roberts to the specific requirements of Doctors Hunt and Hogan.

"A lot of people associate this hospital today with IEAH Corporation, and

certainly through the efforts of IEAH Corporation the building was constructed,"

said Richard Schiavo of IEAH. "Now that the facility is finished, IEAH is a

landlord and the operation of the hospital and the veterinary practice rests

exclusively with Doctors Hunt and Hogan and their professional staff and we wish

them the best of luck."

Dr. Hunt said the REMC will never serve as an ambulatory clinic. It will

always be a referral center.

"It will be a place where veterinarians can refer horses for diagnostics,

certain emergency medical situations and orthopedic surgeries but remain the

primary clinician once the patient has been discharged. We see this as a center

where outside surgeons are invited by their clients to travel to the hospital in

order to provide services. This would alleviate stress to the horse as well as

the expense of shipping to another clinic," Hunt said. "It will be very

convenient for horseman from Belmont Park to walk their horses across the street

as well as for Long Island and surrounding area horseman to be only a short

trailer ride away."

The medical center takes up over 22,000 square feet of space and includes two

surgery suites, three recovery stalls, CT (computed tomography) a high-speed

treadmill, digital radiography with an overhead high-power generator, as well as

three portable EKLIN units, nuclear scintigraphy, a full-service laboratory, a

lameness strip and outdoor lunging ring, three climate-controlled stalls, and 26

standard stalls in the barn.

"The equine center is a great showplace for the veterinary community," Dr.

Hogan said. "It is my hope that the facility will be able to provide the best

care possible for these horses. This will include an 'open door' policy that

will welcome outside surgeons and/or specialists if their assistance is

requested or required on a specific case. The ultimate goal is a successful

outcome for the patient and convenient access for the client to the best medical

care possible."

The REMC also has retained the services of Dr. Chris Byron, previously of the

University of Illinois, and is searching for a third surgeon. An internship

program is also in place at the Long Island clinic, and top-of-the-line

equipment has been installed.