After six horses associated with the Horse Shows in the Sun in Ocala tested positive for equine herpes virus, members of the horse community throughout the state are taking precautions as they move forward in the busy show season.
Beth Davidson, owner of Black Dog Farm, in Plant City, said she participated in a show in February, in Ocala — right around the time the first horse was diagnosed. The show — a qualifier for an international show planned for April — was critical to Davidson’s season. If it had been canceled, she would have had to travel out of state to compete in another qualifier.
To participate, she had to present a health certificate 48 hours in advance to be allowed on the grounds.
“People are being more cautious now,” Davidson said. “You don’t just let people come up and pet your horse.”
The first horse was diagnosed Feb. 20. After a Division of Animal Industry investigation traced exposed horses that been at the HITS showgrounds, four other horses that participated in the show tested positive for EHV-1.An additional horse associated with the HITS Showgrounds also tested positive.
The entire HITS Showgrounds was placed under quarantine Feb. 27, because of a concern that the outbreak was more widespread. The quarantine will remain in effect for a minimum of 21 days from the last exposure, which was Feb. 20. Movement of horses on or off the showgrounds is prohibited. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services personnel are manning the gates of the showgrounds 24 hours per day.
Eleven other Florida facilities also have been quarantined since the outbreak.
“I’m sure that it’s actually hurt a lot of the economy of some of those shows,” Davidson said.
Ocala is a prime location for equestrian sports, bringing in thousands of horses during the Florida show season, from January to April.
“Some have gotten their refunds back for those canceled shows, I’m sure,” Davidson said. “But, shows probably lost money flying in judges and other expenses.
“It can hurt sponsorships for next year when a show is canceled,” she said.
EHV-1, a DNA virus, is found in horses all over the world. Almost all horses have been infected with the virus. There are nine different strains of the virus. EHV-1, EHV-3 and EHV-4 pose the most serious health risks for domesticated horses.
EHV-1 can cause four manifestations of the disease in horses including neurological form, respiratory disease, abortion and neonatal death.
“It is very, very contagious,” Dr. Larry Britt, of Roadrunner Vet Clinic, said. “An outbreak could have very serious economic implications. If you have a virus rampant in an Ocala breeding farm or any breeding farm, you can lose a lot of babies.”
Symptoms include nasal discharge, lack of coordination, hind-limb weakness, lethargy, head tilt and urine dribbling, among others.
“It’s more troubling if you have babies, because they’re less likely to fight the virus off,” said Davidson, who has a pregnant mare and young stock.
The virus can spread by direct horse-to-horse contact through the respiratory tract. It can also be spread though contact with physical objects contaminated with the virus, such as human hands or clothing, equipment, trailers, and feed and water buckets.
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