Precautions at events re worming and other diseases

[gt1cm2]

I'm just wondering if any of you take precautions for your horses at events when a heap of horses are put together, like Taupo for example to avoid worms and possible diseases like Strangles? Just using Taupo as an example for there were a number of horses put together in one paddock but as an owner I don't know what other owners do as their worming procedure or vaccinations so do you quarantine your horses when they get back home? Do you worm them? Are you comfortable paddocking your horses with unknown factors?

It was just a thought as I know Strangles have been going around recently and while I do vac against it it isn't a guarantee they won't catch it, and also after reading about a number of horses that have been fighting (or losing) their lives against certain worms in NZ lately I'm upping my worming practice. I personally haven't been quarantining Shaasta but I did worm her after both Ohura and Taupo.

Thoughts?

[Callum]

All of our horses are wormed regularly so I don't think mixing them in with other horses at events is a real issue for us.

Remember that every equestrian event that you go to exposes your horse to risks like these.

What I do for risk migitation at events I organise (either at home or in public) is state that as a requirement of entry that all horses be wormed either recently or before they arrive at the venue.

It's no guarantee that people will actually do this even though if if they say they have though.

[Chevalier]

Excellent questions you raise, Cindy!

I've been wondering myself as some horse owners do not worm regular (or efficiently) and even those who do vary: various horse owners are on differing worming regimes at any given time.

I admit of eyeing 'running pens' and/or subdividing larger paddocks to allow spaces for 2 to 3 horses and avoid mixing all horses for longer periods.

Also, constant poo picking throughout the event is a must, and the avoidance of ground feeding whenever possible. This now means putting the hay in bags, which takes slightly longer, and tyre feeder. Doable, just a bit more effort.

[Chevalier]

I just realised this comes across far 'too easy a solution' - we were at an event last weekend where a horse coughed. Now, that really makes you wonder how to protect against strangles and respiratory infections.

I guess we just hope that they have a good immune system, and fill them up with garlic and co, as well as monitoring for stress. And yet, isn't that a funny coloured snot on the horse next to ours? Argh!

[gt1cm2]

I don't go to other equestrian events only things around this hobby so I thought I'd ask as this is something we, all of us, can have some kind of control over.

There were some horse events cancelled late last year early this year because of strangles, I know the place I graze at got it a few years ago and it killed at least one horse.

I think worming before hand (48hrs at least before) and your suggestions are petty good Sasha. Running pens would give owners that aren't concerned the option to not pooh pick and those that are some peace of mind.

This came about as I wormed the other day and both of my horses poohed out worms, at least one red worm and a bit of tape worm. This isn't very normal for my horses but I had a new grazer added to the paddock recently and I discovered her worming practises aren't that great.

[Chevalier]

[Baroque]

All my own horses are boosted annually for strangles & tetanus, and I have a strict worming management with all of them, I also rotationally graze with cattle, sheep and goats on the property.

If any horses have been away from the property [even for a show] I put them in quarantine at the other end of the property for a minimum of a couple of weeks. I can't risk getting anything nasty thru the rest of the horses especially the in-foal ones or the youngsters as I have too much money tied up in them.

Mind you it is hard to get *some* people [ie my grazers! ] to take this seriously - I'd been ultra careful after Taupo knowing that strangles was a problem in that area, and I'd tried to keep everything very separate on the property when the horses came back and the other spotty horse had come back from down south.

Imagine my horror to find one of the quarantined horses placed in *my* handling pen right next to my foals paddock!!! And the other one was tied up in one of my other horses tie-up spots and goobing all over the railings... Grrrr!

Last year 2 of my horses picked up something VERY nasty from the stables at the Spanish studbook inspection day held at a certain studfarm in the Waikato. They were very ill for weeks, with terrible coughs and the heaves, luckily they were quarantined when they came back and none of the others got it. Still it cost me several hundred dollars in vets fees and medicines to fix it so I was not very amused.