Dr Burny Baxter
Dr. Burny Baxter attended the University of Nebraska and is a lifelong Husker’s fan. He is one of the two founding members of Mid-Rivers Equine Centre. Dr. Baxter received his (DVM) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State School of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. After completing an externship with Equine Medical Associates of St. Louis, he accepted a position as an associate veterinarian with the practice. In 1984 Dr. Baxter met Dr. Ellis who had begun his externship with the practice.
Dr. Baxter or Burny as he prefers to be called, is known near and far for his expertise in lameness. Dr. Baxter spends a great deal of his time diagnosing and treating such cases. He excels in sport horse medicine and stays in the forefront of regenerative medicine (IRAP, PRP, Stem Cell Therapy). However, Dr. Baxter’s greatest skill is most evident when he’s in the operating room. His love of surgery and how it can improve the lives of his patients has, since the beginning, been his greatest passion and has given him the most reward. Being there for horses that desperately need skilled hands and are in life and death situations-that’s the founding principle and why the Mid-Rivers Equine exists today”.
Dr. Baxter will tell you, when asked, that “I always planned on becoming a vet as far back as I can remember.” He was raised on a 5000-head cattle feed lot and worked cattle on horseback most of his young life. In addition, his family was in the thoroughbred racing industry for years. His father, uncle and grandfather all raced horses and in fact there’s a stakes race bearing the family name. The Baxter Stakes race is run every spring at Fonner park in Grand Island Nebraska and most years Dr. Baxter and his family make the trek home to make some small wagers and spend time with family. Even further back in history, Dr. Baxter’s grandfather rode with the Rocky Mountain Rough Riders, so clearly horses are woven deep in the family history.
Dr. Baxter is seldom found on a horse but that doesn’t stop him from having a few in their home-literally the horses live in their combined barn/home-the family upstairs and the horses on the lower level. Dr. Baxter currently spends a lot of time driving his wife Terrilee and his youngest daughter Isabella around the country as Isabella is actively competing Hunter Jumpers across the nation. Dr Baxter’s son, Brandon and his wife Rebecca along with their sons Briley and Baylor live in Odessa Missouri. Ashley, his oldest daughter resides in Higginsville, MO with her family, Cody, and two sons, Brody and Rowdy. Yes, he is a grandpa of four and the twins, Briley and Baylor were born on their grandfather’s birthday! Both of Dr. Baxter’s older kids are in business together in the grain storage bin construction industry.
Dr. Baxter loves snow skiing and anything that has to do with boating and being on the water. He doesn’t get a lot of time for these pleasures, but maybe someday.