Dr. Matt Witzel
Matt grew up with a passion for horses and knew from a young age that he would be spending the rest of his life with them. In high school he became interested in understanding how horses think and view the world around them. Between his pre-vet classes at Walla Walla University, Matt started colts and trained horses for dude strings, learning how to safely handle unbroke horses and developing his love and respect for mustangs. He graduated from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine (Go Cougs!) in 2012 with his doctorate and immediately moved down to Scottsdale, AZ for a 12 month equine internship. Moving out into private practice, Dr. Witzel worked in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, and California during which he further developed his skills and interests in emergency medicine, reproduction, lameness, and dentistry. Dr. Witzel finally moved his family to beautiful Missoula in 2018 when Dr. Brown was nearing retirement and searching for a capable replacement. When he isn’t spending time with horses, Matt enjoys hiking with his family, shooting, biking, and vehicle restoration.
Dr. Bill Brown – Retired
Bill started Western Montana Equine after completing veterinary school in 1992. He grew the practice over the years and built a reputation as a leading reproduction, dentistry, and lameness veterinarian. In 2018, he began to enjoy retirement when he handed the reins to Dr. Witzel. Dr. Brown now spends most of his time sailing, skiing, and riding endurance races.
Caillan
Caillan has always been involved with horses in one way or another her entire life. She grew up riding in schooling shows in Pony Club and 4-H, competing in Endurance rides, and moved on to work as a wrangler for multiple guest ranches and outfitters, most recently working with BLM at a wild horse sanctuary adopting out mustangs. Caillan also worked for a veterinarian in 2020 on a cattle ranch in Wyoming but is happy to be back in Montana. She has a degree in Animal Science specializing in Animal Behavior from UC Davis and is pleased to be applying her degree towards a career as a Veterinary Assistant with Western Montana Equine. Caillan still enjoys competing in Endurance whenever she gets a chance, training horses on the side, and backpacking (she might like hiking a little too much since she hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada—2,650 miles on foot). Maybe next time she will take a horse…
Bree
Bree has spent almost her entire life working around horses. From being there to watch the foaling of her grandma’s minis to pony club, there was always a fascination with the interworking of equine management and veterinary care. She spent a good portion of her teens competing as a show jumper on the West Coast, where she sparked an interest in developing young horses. However, her heart wasn’t in the competition world or the city, so she headed to the mountains to start guest ranching here in Montana. Once that contract ended, she decided to stick around and take advantage of the beautiful country she found herself living in. She then was able to fulfill a lifelong goal of starting her own horse, who is now the trusty little filly that’s the main character of most of her adventures. Beginning to work at Western Montana Equine has allowed her to step foot back into her interests and goals she had as a child surrounding veterinary medicine, as well as providing her with new connections in the equine world in the place she now calls home. When she’s not working, she’s in the woods looking for elk, finding new backcountry trails with her horses, or camping by a lake.