Dr. Dan Carter is Countryside Equine's hoof expert, and he holds a significant distinction among veterinarians - he's also a certified journeyman farrier. This combination is an unusual one - he shares it with only four other veterinarians in the U.S. 
After finishing his undergraduate studies in animal science at the University of Wyoming, Dr. Carter obtained his farrier certification through the American Farriers Association, the nation's preeminent hoof care organization. His introduction to the craft came when he saw horses being shod on a ranch out West, and he was hooked. He soon realized he hated his "real job" after college and began apprenticing with Bill Sanders, CJF, a farrier in Colorado. As Dr. Carter's shoeing skills grew, so did his client book, and he ended up working exclusively as a shoer as he made his way through vet school at the University of Georgia.
Dr. Carter found that vet school allowed him to meld his animal science knowledge with an affinity for the hoof. The fact that he has a background in equine podiatry gives him a different perspective when approaching hoof care from a veterinary standpoint today.
I've dealt with it on both sides," he says. "I understand how the hoof affects the limb and how the limb affects the foot."
He also harbors an appreciation for quality podiatry he when he sees it in the field.
"If I'm dealing with a certified journeyman, I know their level of education," he explains.
Equine lameness treatment makes up the vast majority of Dr. Carter's work today. He's treated a wide variety of orthopedic problems ranging from tendon and ligament issues to degenerative joint disease. His experience with these issues dates back to his internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. Dr. Carter spent a year at the state-of-the-art facility working alongside some of the world's most distinguished clinicians while getting hands-on experience in equine medicine and surgery.
The fact that Countryside can handle such a range of lameness issues in house is one of the things Dr. Carter considers most important about the practice. In-house procedures include such treatments as regenerative medicine using platelet-rich plasma, along with most orthopedic and arthroscopic surgeries. 

​Here's what Dr. Carter wants you to know about Countryside Equine: 

Chances are, customers can use their trusted Countryside Equine vets for most non-routine treatments.
For clients, dealing with vets they know is another plus when it comes to veterinary care. Owners facing emergencies like lacerations are often already under a great deal of stress - the experience of meeting new vets at an emergency facility can add to the tension.
At Countryside, "there's a level of comfort," as Dr. Carter puts it. "They (customers) feel a lot better about it because they do know us ... we offer a more personalized experience. We're going to know you by name."
And clients will find open doors when it comes to visiting their recovering animals.
"They're welcome anytime," Dr. Carter says. "We have a pretty open-door policy for them to come visit us."

Outside work: Dr. Carter's interests

  • Animal healthcare is a family affair - Dr. Carter's wife, Ashley, is also Dr. Carter. She practices as a small animal vet in Conyers.
  • The Carters have two sons: Matthew and Reed.
  • Third only to his family and vet work, Dr. Carter's other love is flying, a passion he inherited from his father who worked as a corporate pilot. Dr. Carter co-owns a Cessna 182 - and lest his clients get the wrong idea about their favorite down-to-earth vet, he quickly debunks the myth that flying is a pastime of the ultra-wealthy. His plane cost less than a vet truck, he explains with a rueful chuckle. It takes car gasoline, and once a certain number of miles have been logged, it burns gas more cheaply than most automobiles.
  • He's a Georgia native - he grew up in Augusta.
  • Dr. Carter treats horses internationally. He routinely travels to the Grand Cayman Islands to treat sport horses competing in dressage and jumping.
  • He's treated a horse at 35,000 feet in the air. Dr. Carter once sutured a face wound a horse sustained while boarding a plane the good doctor happened to be on. The minor surgical procedure took place while the plane was at cruising altitude. It was a pretty unusual situation, Dr. Carter admits. "That's probably my coolest case to date," he says.