targetsmom
Well-Known Member
This is only somewhat related to the recent EHV outbreak. As some of you may remember, we picked up something at a horse show last August that went through our herd and we didn't have everyone healthy again until Christmas. It seems it was Rhino (the respiratory kind) which prevented us from any more shows (so didn't qualify for year end awards) and we weren't able to take anyone to the MA Equine Affaire where we had reserved a stall in hopes of selling a foal. Then last month, a mare lost her foal at 299 days, almost certainly due to Rhino. So there were a lot of repercussions from this "common" form of Rhino.
And if you don't think this can happen to you because you don't show, or don't take your minis off the farm - guess again. I have had a horse get sick from something picked up from a horse show he never attended and neither did any of the horses in his barn. It was very contagious and must have been carried by a person going back and forth to the barn where the exposed horses lived. Just like your vet or farrier might carry something.
Here are some of the things we are doing to prevent this from happening again, many of which we were already doing. Please add anything you can think of!! For example, do you routinely clean/soak horse's feet when they return from off the property?
1. We are very careful to change clothes - especially boots - when we visit other farms or shows, and ask anyone who visits or works here to do the same. We also try to have vet and farrier visits (and our help) come here FIRST, before they go to other farms or boarding barns. On the other hand, when our horses were sick, we arranged to have our farrier come here as his very last stop before his fall vacation.
2. We kept ALL our horses home when ANY OF THEM were sick to avoid spreading this to anyone else.
3. This year we are only showing ONE mini - one of two that went to the show last August and the only one who never got sick. We will not stay overnight anywhere but only show off the trailer (which we did all last year too) and keep our distance from everyone. We figure Princess has been shown so much she has pretty good immunity, but still..
4. We are vaccinating for Rhino/flu every 2-3 months. Princess and the yearlings will get the vaccine that often, the rest at 6 month intervals unless anyone shows any signs of illness. Any bred mares will get Pneumabort shots at 3, 5, 7, and 9 months.
5. We are physically separating the bred mares from the rest of the herd to the best of our ability, but with such a small facility we can't really prevent all contact. Of course that won't help keep anything OFF the farm, just help keep the unborn foals alive.
I probably forgot something obvious, but then I am looking for input anyway!!! And I am sure that there will be variation in what people think is being paranoid versus being irresponsible.... Let's keep it polite and understand that not everyone will agree with every detail.
And if you don't think this can happen to you because you don't show, or don't take your minis off the farm - guess again. I have had a horse get sick from something picked up from a horse show he never attended and neither did any of the horses in his barn. It was very contagious and must have been carried by a person going back and forth to the barn where the exposed horses lived. Just like your vet or farrier might carry something.
Here are some of the things we are doing to prevent this from happening again, many of which we were already doing. Please add anything you can think of!! For example, do you routinely clean/soak horse's feet when they return from off the property?
1. We are very careful to change clothes - especially boots - when we visit other farms or shows, and ask anyone who visits or works here to do the same. We also try to have vet and farrier visits (and our help) come here FIRST, before they go to other farms or boarding barns. On the other hand, when our horses were sick, we arranged to have our farrier come here as his very last stop before his fall vacation.
2. We kept ALL our horses home when ANY OF THEM were sick to avoid spreading this to anyone else.
3. This year we are only showing ONE mini - one of two that went to the show last August and the only one who never got sick. We will not stay overnight anywhere but only show off the trailer (which we did all last year too) and keep our distance from everyone. We figure Princess has been shown so much she has pretty good immunity, but still..
4. We are vaccinating for Rhino/flu every 2-3 months. Princess and the yearlings will get the vaccine that often, the rest at 6 month intervals unless anyone shows any signs of illness. Any bred mares will get Pneumabort shots at 3, 5, 7, and 9 months.
5. We are physically separating the bred mares from the rest of the herd to the best of our ability, but with such a small facility we can't really prevent all contact. Of course that won't help keep anything OFF the farm, just help keep the unborn foals alive.
I probably forgot something obvious, but then I am looking for input anyway!!! And I am sure that there will be variation in what people think is being paranoid versus being irresponsible.... Let's keep it polite and understand that not everyone will agree with every detail.