DR. WILLIAM ROBERT "BOB" COOK FRCVS Ph.D.

COOK, Dr. William Robert "Bob" FRCVS PhD. Scientist, artist, gentleman, died on August 25, 2025, surrounded by his family, aged 94. Bob was a pioneer in equine veterinary medicine. An iconoclast who spent decades fighting to "unshackle the horse," he revealed that bit-free riding improved performance, safety and welfare, transforming equestrian sport. Born in Wolverhampton, England, his career spanned continents, from Cambridge doctorate to Kenya, counting Queen Elizabeth II among his clients. Through work, he met his wife, Margaret (née Bowen), and embraced her three sons as his own. He moved to the U.S. in 1978, to establish Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, serving as Associate Dean, later named Professor of Surgery Emeritus. His Bitless Bridle is used worldwide. An accomplished painter and calligrapher, lover of music, poetry, and art, he approached everything with a scientist's rigor and a scholar's wonder. Shortly before he died, he described himself as "jubilant." A swimmer, runner, and yoga practitioner until his death, he still cut a dash on the dancefloor. His life's work: the relentless advancement of kindness: a legacy felt by all he met, and by every horse and rider freed from pain. Predeceased by wife, Margaret; son, Nicholas; and sister, Francie, Bob is survived by brother, Roger; sons, Peter and Robin; grandchildren, Alice, William, Timothy, and Madeleine; daughters-in-law, Eleanor, Mary, and Lisa; granddaughters-in-law, Becca and Sam; and step-granddaughters, Maggie, Caitlin, and Jenna. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 11am, at St John the Evangelist Church, 172 Main Street, Hingham, MA. For more information and online guestbook, go to www.downingchapel.com

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