PHOTO : Dr . Lani Newcomb
A general store and a veterinary practice may not seem like an obvious pairing , but they actually complement each other well . The store is a local staple often frequented by cyclists passing by on the scenic Snickersville Turnpike , but from a financial perspective , the equine practice ensures its survival . According to Dr . Newcomb , this is mainly because they ’ ve chosen not to carry lucrative items like alcohol and lottery tickets . She ’ s not opposed to alcohol , but is concerned about the inherent risks with stocking those items — she cites a few examples of vandalism and other issues which colleagues have experienced . I can see this is something that weighs on her , something she considers from time to time , but her priority is ultimately on safety for her staff and the village . Cheekily , she tells me they occasionally stock the store with unusual items brought back from far off travels ( once silkworms , another time canned bread ) to see how long it takes for the items to be purchased . At one point , the store had a harness for the world ’ s biggest horse , which she figured would never sell , but could be a unique talking piece . It sold five years later !
As for the practice , the office is essentially a home base staffed with an office manager , a Licensed Veterinary Technician ( LVT ), and an assistant who splits time between the practice and the store . Both doctors are mobile vets , so they ’ re typically on the road more than they are in the office . Dr . Newcomb remarks , “ You have to grow up with horses to understand they are seven days a week , 24 hours a day . There aren ’ t emergency clinics for horses because it ’ s harder [ than small animals ] to get them in the car .”
The demanding nature of equine medicine is a point of pride for her ; she clearly values hard work , although she understands this job can be challenging for people who desire work-life balance . She describes a long period where she and Dr . Broaddus tried to hire a third vet to round out the practice , but most of them (“ all
PHOTO : Dr . Lani Newcomb
PHOTO : sarah burke
Top : Drs . Newcomb and Broaddus with their horses ; above left : Dr . Broaddus feeding the chickens ; and right : Bluemont General Store ’ s sign / offerings .
brilliant , hard workers ”) ended up switching to small animal veterinary medicine for a more manageable schedule .
When discussing how things have changed in the horse scene over time , Dr . Newcomb points out , “ The concerning thing about veterinary medicine is there ’ s a decreasing number of equine practitioners . When we were in school in the eighties , we found fewer people were interested in being
wander I spring • summer 2023 47