Veterinarian, Owner and Chief Executive Officer
Hi, I’m Dr. Rob Koontz, President and one of the founding partners of Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. I’m an equine veterinarian with clinical interests in reproduction, lameness, and performance medicine. I’ve been fortunate to blend my early background as a professional farrier with my veterinary career, bringing a hands-on, practical approach to every patient I treat.
I graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1994, and, following graduation, I gained essential clinical experience at Maplecrest Equine Clinic in Indianapolis and then at Stachowski Veterinary Clinic in Ohio, where I was unexpectedly thrown into both alpaca medicine and equine practice management. Those years solidified not only my clinical skills but also my understanding of what it takes to lead and grow a veterinary practice.
In 1998, my wife Susan and I returned to Northeast Indiana and launched Indiana Equine Veterinary Services (IEVS), a solo ambulatory practice that quickly grew into one of the area’s largest. But I had a bigger vision — a full-service equine hospital closer than Purdue to serve the horses and horse owners of our region. After connecting with Dr. Ron Conley, who shared that same vision, we merged practices and opened Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital in 2010. Today, we are the largest private equine hospital in Indiana, with a team of six veterinarians, including board-certified specialists in internal medicine and surgery.
Why I Chose This Profession
I’ve always known I wanted to be a veterinarian, but my mom was really the one who had the greatest impact on the start of my career as an equine veterinarian. Despite knowing that I wanted to be a veterinarian, I had no real plan, no understanding of what the job entailed, and no idea how to get there. That changed when my mom pursued her own dream of owning a horse.
At the time, we were living in the suburbs of Fort Wayne, and she surprised us by announcing she had bought a horse. None of us knew anything about horses, but I found myself enjoying the barn, riding, and even mucking stalls. Later, we moved to a small horse farm in South Whitley, and that move changed everything. On that horse farm, I learned to ride, train, and care for horses and truly fell in love with rural life.
Still, I wasn’t doing anything to pursue veterinary medicine until my mom arranged for me to ride along with our farrier, Dennis Wertenberger. I didn’t expect to enjoy it, but I loved it immediately. The process of assessing a hoof, diagnosing problems, and applying a solution fascinated me. Dennis took me on as his apprentice, and I went on to graduate from Kentucky Farrier School. I worked professionally for several years and continued shoeing horses through veterinary school.
It was Dennis who nudged me toward the next step. He once told me, “You see a lot of old veterinarians, but you rarely see an old farrier.” Dennis helped me realize that I wanted to do more for the horse than just care for their feet. Those early experiences shaped who I am. Being a farrier gave me a deep understanding of equine health and a unique foundation for my veterinary career.
My Favorite Part of My Job
I became a veterinarian because I wanted to help the whole horse. Whether it’s helping a mare deliver a foal or guiding an equine athlete back to peak performance, I take pride in knowing that I’m contributing to a healthier equine community. I also love the teaching opportunities that this career has granted me, and I enjoy getting to share my knowledge and experiences with both horse owners and younger veterinarians.
As our hospital has grown, so has my passion for the business side of veterinary medicine, and I’ve come to enjoy being a businessman more and more. While compassion and quality care are the heart of what we do, I believe strongly that understanding and running a successful business is essential for sustaining our profession. I'm a proud member of a number of professional veterinary organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, and have served in leadership capacities for the Indiana Association of Equine Practitioners (Past President) and Veterinary Management Group 9 (Executive Board Member).
Hobbies & Interests
When I’m not at the clinic, I spend time with my wife and children, enjoy cardio and resistance training, listen to audiobooks, travel, paint with oils, play poker, and experiment with bourbon and tequila mixology. I’m also a lifelong fan of fantasy football.
Animals are a big part of my life outside of the clinic, too. I have a soft spot for little dogs, especially Pomeranians. I love how they carry themselves like giants, completely unaware of their size. Over the years, we’ve adopted our dogs from local shelters. Right now, we have Teddy, a small white mixed-breed dog who is, without a doubt, the worst-behaved dog I’ve ever owned. He growls when he is annoyed, barks too much, gets into the trash, chews things he shouldn’t, and has yet to fully grasp the idea of house training. If we let him, he would happily disappear on an adventure. People ask me why I keep a dog like Teddy, and my answer is always the same: because he is full of love. That little dog has more heart than trouble, and that says a lot.
We also have a retired show horse named Zippin Hot Harley, or just Harley. He spent years carrying my daughters through the highest levels of Quarter Horse competition. He was top five in the world five years in a row and competed at the Quarter Horse Congress, Youth World Championships, Amateur World Championship, and just about every other kind of show you can think of, including 4-H. Now that he is retired, he will spend the rest of his life with us, relaxing and enjoying the quiet. He has more than earned it.
Between Teddy and Harley, I stay busy. But more than that, they remind me every day why I love working with animals.