About Performance Equine Specialists

Where It All Began

Performance Equine Specialists started with a simple idea, bring high-level veterinary medicine directly to the horses that need it most. That idea took root in the early 2000s when Dr. Ellis Farstvedt and his wife, Dr. Mandi Holland, were at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. There, they worked with Dr. Joe Strickland and saw the value of a mobile sports medicine program that let veterinary students work hands-on with athletic horses in real-world settings. When that program ended, the vision stayed with them.

“We knew mobile sports medicine worked. We just needed to build it our way.”
Dr. Mandi Holland

See how this idea still guides our care model on the Sports Medicine and Lameness page.

From Montana to Arizona, Building the Model

Between 2006 and 2012, Ellis and Mandi began working seasonally, winters in Arizona and summers in Montana, following the migration patterns of performance horses. They partnered with Copper Spring Ranch in Bozeman, Montana, operating under the name CSR Equine Sports Medicine. Together, they ran a hospital and a mobile service that traveled to events, ranches, and training facilities throughout the western U.S.

In 2012, after the ranch changed management, they stepped out on their own. That first season, they lived in an RV with their two young children, Logan and Averi, and started rebuilding from the ground up. They launched Performance Equine Specialists with a rebuilt race-car trailer and a commitment to doing things their way.

“That first summer, we lived in an RV behind a hayfield and rebuilt a race-car trailer by hand. It wasn’t fancy, but it let us do the work right.”
Dr. Ellis Farstvedt

Learn more about how our model has evolved on the Services Overview page.

Expanding North, Alaska and Beyond

Around the same time, an acquaintance Dr. Sabrieta Holland, invited them to assist with equine care in Palmer, Alaska. These early spring and fall trips grew into a continuing rotation of referral care. That work expanded their experience and reinforced their belief that great veterinary care travels well, when it is rooted in adaptability, preparation, and trust.

Performance Equine Today

Today, Performance Equine serves horses across Montana, Arizona, Nevada and Alaska with advanced diagnostics, sports medicine, and surgical care. The team blends mobile flexibility with hospital-level tools to support everyone from backyard owners to national finalists. We are the resident veterinarians at Rancho Rio in Wickenburg, AZ. Our team is the official veterinarian for the WSTR Finale in Las Vegas NV and the Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway Roping in Scottsdale AZ.

“If a horse cannot compete safely, we say so. If there’s a fix, we make it happen the right way. That’s what our clients expect.”
Dr. Ellis Farstvedt

The team includes veterinarians with specialties in equine surgery, sports medicine, regenerative therapy, farrier care and acupuncture. We also have team members versed in general practice with years of experience doing the day to day veterinary work that creates successful equine athletes. We all work alongside trusted referral hospitals and technicians who have been with the practice for years.

Visit the Regenerative Medicine and Surgery pages to explore these services.

Carrying the Legacy Forward

In 2020, the Red Lodge story came full circle. Performance Equine Specialists opened Beartooth Animal Hospital at the former site of Red Lodge Veterinary Clinic, thanks to a partnership with long-time friends Dr. John and Sue Beug. Their legacy inspired the next generation of care.

That collaboration allowed the team to expand small-animal services locally while continuing to lead in equine care across the region. Both clinics share one promise, combine expertise with honesty and always put the animal first.

The Heart of the Work

Performance Equine Specialists has helped national finalists and high-dollar athletes return to the arena. But some of the most memorable cases are horses like “Fred”, not a real name, but the kind of ranch horse who hauls kids, moves cattle, and gives his all every day.

“People always ask about the big winners, but honestly, it’s the regular horses doing incredible jobs that stick with you. Helping a horse like “Fred” get sound again, just so he can go back to being someone’s partner, that’s what this work is about.”
Dr. Ellis Farstvedt

From arena champions to pasture heroes, the mission is the same, respect the horse, get to the truth, and make the right call, no matter what.