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Regional,
Monthly All-Breed Horse Magazine • Since 1993 |
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Copyright 2011 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without express written permission of the publisher. For information about reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
With
the outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) myeloencephalopathy in May,
biosecurity and showing horses have been front page news. Summer months are
prime time for large, organized trail rides, horse shows, sales, parades, and
other events where horses congregate. One show in Following
are biosecurity measures to implement when horses are congregated at events: t
Minimize nose-to-nose contact between horses. Do not allow another
horse to sniff your horse’s nose “to get acquainted.” t
Do not share equipment for use with other people’s horses.
Alternatively, if any equipment is loaded, keep it away from your horses until
it is cleaned with a detergent, rinsed, and properly disinfected. t
Do not use common water troughs. Bring your own water and feed
buckets. t
Avoid common-use areas such as tack stalls used to groom and tack
multiple horses. If these common areas must be used, use cross ties instead of
tying horses to a post, wall, or other nose-to-nose contact area. t
Halters, lead shanks, and face grooming towels should be used on
one animal only and not shared between animals. t
Wash your hands or use a 62% ethyl alcohol hand gel before and
after handling or riding other people’s horses. t
Early detection of disease is paramount, especially contagious
infectious diseases. Takes horses’ temperatures twice daily (morning and
night) during the event and for two weeks after return to the stable. t
Quarantine horses when they
return to the barn or training facility after an event. t
Clean and disinfect horse
trailers before they are used by other horses. These
precautions do involve more work, more time, and more awareness. However, it
will help reduce the risk of horses being exposed to multiple viral and
bacterial diseases while on the road.
For more information, contact Dr. Roberta Dwyer, 859-218-1122, rmdwyer@uky.edu,
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Rocky
Mountain Rider Magazine • Montana Owned & Operated |
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