Stephen E O’Grady, DVM, MRCVS

Dr. Stephen O’Grady was a professional farrier for ten years prior to obtaining his degree in veterinary medicine. He learned the farrier trade through a formal three-year apprenticeship under legendary farrier, Joseph M. Pierce, of West Chester, Pennsylvania. He then returned to study at Haverford College and went on to graduate from the University of Pretoria, Faculty of Veterinary Science in South Africa with his DVM Degree in 1981. After veterinary school, Dr. O’Grady completed a year-long internship in Cape Town, South Africa, and then returned to the U.S. to work at Georgetown Equine Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. Following 10 years of experience with that hospital, he started Northern Virginia Equine in Marshall, Virginia, and in 2014, he moved back to Keswick, Virginia, to open Virginia Therapeutic Farriery. Both are referral practices devoted to foot disease and equine therapeutic farriery.

Dr. O’Grady combines his skills as a veterinarian and a farrier to better understand and treat problems of the foot. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in veterinary literature, numerous papers in farrier literature, written 18 book chapters and edited two editions of Veterinary Clinics of North America on equine podiatry and therapeutic farriery. In 2003, he was inducted into the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, and in 2009 he received the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) President’s Award for his work in farrier education. In 2019, he was awarded the coveted gold medal from the South African Veterinary Association. In 2020, Dr. O’Grady received the Distinguished Educator – Mentor Award by the AAEP for demonstrating a significant impact on the development and training of equine practitioners through mentoring. (Source)