Dr. Hillyer was raised in Howerton, Virginia on a small family horse farm and grew up showing pleasure horses with her sister.  From the age of 9 she dreamed of being a horse veterinarian.  Dr. Hillyer attended Virginia Tech and received an undergraduate degree in Animal and Poultry Sciences with an equine emphasis.  She spent a semester working at Granada Farms in Wheelock, Texas learning the ins and outs of breeding horses.  After graduating from Virginia Tech Dr. Hillyer obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.  From there she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and began her veterinary education at North Carolina State’s  College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Hillyer graduated in 2010 and began working in equine private practice.  

She still loves ambulatory equine practice because of the personal relationships it allows her to develop with horses and their owners.  The changing nature of the equine population and availability of care has made it imperative that a haul-in facility was added.  This has been a fulfilling venture and it allows more access to care for horses in underserves area and an ability to provide a higher level of care.