The one thing small-animal software can’t do: split a horse across its owners.
Percentage split-ownership billing — the equine essential Shepherd structurally doesn’t offer.
Shepherd is excellent small-animal practice software with a polished, highly rated experience (and it absorbed Hippo Manager in 2025). If you run a small-animal clinic, it’s a strong choice and we won’t argue its UX.
It simply isn’t built for horses billed to multiple owners. Shepherd treats co-owners as contacts and can’t split one patient’s charges across owners by percentage — the litmus test of equine billing. EDSI VMS does exactly that: penny-exact splits, one invoice per owner, and concierge statement delivery.
EDSI VMS vs Shepherd, side by side
| Capability | EDSI VMS | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage split-ownership billing | Yes — penny-exact, one invoice per owner | No — co-owners are contacts only |
| Purpose-built for equine | Yes | Small-animal focused |
| Concierge statement delivery (email/mail + SMS reminders) | Yes — auto-routed | Standard invoicing |
| Auto-charge saved cards on file | Yes | Payments supported |
| Small-animal UX polish & AI features | Focused on equine billing | Excellent, widely praised |
Comparison reflects publicly available information and our product research as of 2026. Details change — verify anything decision-critical directly with each vendor.
Why practices pick EDSI VMS
- Split one horse’s bill across its owners by percentage — the thing small-animal software can’t do.
- Statements grouped by horse with each owner’s share, delivered by email or mail — with text reminders.
Where Shepherd is strong
- Best-in-class small-animal UX and a strong review base.
- Modern, AI-assisted small-animal workflows.
When Shepherd may be the better fit: If you run a small-animal or mixed practice that never needs to split one patient’s bill across owners, Shepherd’s polish makes it a great fit — EDSI is specifically for equine split-ownership billing.
EDSI VMS vs Shepherd — questions
Can Shepherd split a horse’s bill across multiple owners?+
No — Shepherd treats co-owners as contacts and does not split one patient’s charges by ownership percentage. EDSI VMS is built for that equine need: penny-exact percentage splits with one invoice per owner.
See EDSI VMS next to Shepherd on your own horses
A 20-minute demo on your practice’s real split-ownership billing — no per-vet pricing, no pressure.