Peter Morresey

BVSc, MVM, MACVSc, Dipl.ACT, ACVIM, CVA

New Zealand

Dr. Morresey began his veterinary career in New Zealand as a mixed animal practitioner following graduation from Massey University in 1988.  Coming from a dairying family, he initially worked in an ambulatory production animal practice that serviced all species.  He was then recruited into a renowned equine/dairy practice in Matamata New Zealand in the heart of the Thoroughbred breeding region.

Having gained extensive dairy and small animal expertise, he felt the draw of equine practice and was fortunate in that his career had begun with an emphasis on reproduction.  He accepted a Theriogenology residency in 1996 at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville where he had the privilege of learning the intricacies of the mare from his mentor Dr. Michelle LeBlanc.

Viewing reproduction as a series of interrelated events resulting in a live foal, the well-being of the neonate and challenges involved in producing a healthy athlete led him to continue his studies at UF as a resident in Large Animal internal medicine.  He was fortunate to experience the growth of the Thoroughbred industry in Florida at that time providing a wealth of clinical experience in critical neonates.  During this period considerable research was occurring on the neurological horse, with UF actively involved with equine protozoal myelitis and compressive myeolopathy research.

Following his time at UF, Dr. Morresey in 2001 accepted a clinical faculty position at New Bolton Center, the large animal hospital of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was part of the ambulatory equine service.  During this time the practice doubled, providing both primary care and on-farm referral services to an increasing population of performance horses.  Medium-size breeding operations were also in the area, allowing student instruction on brood mare management and first opinion foal care.

Heading to the Bluegrass in 2005, Dr. Morresey returned to an in-house hospital setting.  Now firmly rooted in Kentucky, he looks forward to new foal arrivals each spring and the long hours that go with the territory.  The high caseload has allowed participation in many clinical collaborative research studies seeking to better understand and improve the health of the neonate.

Dr. Morresey is a member by examination of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, and holds Diplomate status in both the American College of Theriogenologists and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.  He has spoken nationally and internationally on a wide variety of subjects important to the practice and science of equine veterinary medicine.  In addition to clinical topics (neonatology, neurology, infectious disease and metabolic concerns as they relate to reproductive medicine), he has also delved into the economics of the practice of medicine.  True to his background in education, he is a reviewer and contributor to a number of leading veterinary journals, and author of chapters in veterinary textbooks.

Dr. Morresey’s veterinary interests are broad.  He is busy all spring with the many and varied problems faced by neonatal foals and high-risk pregnancies.  To better the performance horse, he has worked extensively in respiratory and neurological medicine.  Studying at the Chi Institute of Chinese of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine to certification level gave him an appreciation of complementary techniques which he has found useful to improve the health of his patients.  Seeking to push his boundaries, he recently completed a Master’s degree with a dissertation investigating the current success of stem cells therapies in canine spinal cord injuries.

When not alongside or under a horse, Dr. Morresey is an avid gardener.  He is a proud board member, supporter of, and veterinarian for Central Kentucky Riding for Hope.  When inspiration and time allows, he contributes to his blog mindofavet.blogspot.com.