EHV-1: Why Staying Home or Canceling Shows is Not an Overreaction

The worst part about EHV-1 (aka EHM) is that people just DO NOT KNOW if their horses have it or not, even with taking temps 2x a day and having a health certificate. Horses can HAVE and SPREAD the virus without showing signs. They can be contagious for up to 28 days without appearing sick, not even a fever. The virus is spread via contact (horse-horse or horse-human-horse or horse-object-horse) and it’s also airborne. Exposure is so easy to do without even knowing that it happened.

EHV1All that has to happen to expose a horse is for someone to track manure on their boots from one stall to another.* The horse in stall #2 goes home, appears healthy, but infects a few others at home. One of those newly infected horses goes to a show the next week – before it or any of the original horses even start showing symptoms. Those original horses have also gone home and maybe even on to another show before anyone knows they are even sick!

Your horses don’t need to be stabled next to a sick one, or even in the same barn, to get sick. Heck, you could keep all of your horses home, but if you go watch the show and get the virus on your person (how many times has a horse sneezed on you?), you could bring it home and infect your own horses.

It is so EASY to spread, very innocently, by people who honestly believe their horses are healthy. People who are doing everything right, checking temps, watching for signs, consulting with their vets… and still, it can be spread. THAT is the scary part to me. It’s not just nose to nose contact, or sharing water buckets or bits. It can be spread by PEOPLE moving around show grounds or moving from barn to barn, not knowing they’ve touched a contagious, seemingly “healthy” horse. Grooms using the same manure fork in multiple stalls. Horses being wiped down with the same towel. Someone petting a horse and then petting another one on the other side of the grounds. The virus gets on your hands and clothes and people can carry it to another horse. That is why the quarantine and bio-security protocols in infected barns are so strict. Bleachwater pans outside every stall door and the entrances to the barns. Separate manure forks and muck buckets. Vets wearing disposable suits when visiting.

Many show facilities and haulers say they will “sanitize” the stalls or their trailer before use. But is this enough? First of all, it is recommended that surfaces be SCRUBBED before sanitizing, and call me over protective (or yes, even cynical), but I just don’t trust anyone to do a proper job preparing a possibly lethally contagious area for MY horse. And secondly, horses sneeze and slobber. That mucous can go anywhere, including places that can’t or won’t be scrubbed. Places horses can get into, because horses are clever creatures who like to find ways to kill themselves. The little bolts and clamps holding portable stall panels together. The wrinkles in welds. The tops of stall walls or divider panels, where horses love to play with each other. Will all of these areas be properly scrubbed and then sanitized? I don’t know… but personally, I won’t take the chance.

Yes, staying home from a show or canceling a show is a VERY hard decision for everyone involved. Trainer’s livelihoods depend on going to shows. Owners want to show. Many of us are chasing high point awards or trying to qualify for Louisville. Shows are out a ton of money if they cancel. But the only way to really be sure horses aren’t spreading anything, or contracting anything, is to stay home. There is no vaccine that prevents the neurological form of the disease. There is no cure. And for those trainers out there who also breed – it can cause mares to abort. You do not want to bring it home!

I applaud all of the show managers who make the very difficult decision to cancel their event, and the trainers and exhibitors who decide to stay home. Kudos to all of you, and may others follow your examples.

*No – manure itself does not contain the virus. But if the infected horse is a heavy viral shedder, the virus is in the air all around them, on their body, and can easily be transferred to anything that touches them. It is recommended that barns use separate pitchforks and muck buckets for infected horses, and not spread their manure on fields that will be used for horses. For more information, please visit the Equine Veterinary Services Facebook page.

Tiffani Frey
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By Tiffani Frey

Tiffani has over 25 years in the Saddlebred industry as an owner, exhibitor, groom, and trainer. Having been an AOT for the majority of that time, she has put horses and riders in the ring in every division. Tiffani is on the ASHA Marketing Committee, organizes and hosts the Midwest AOT Clinic, is the AOT Ambassador on the ASHA Charter Club Council, and is an active voice for the AOT community. She currently competes her Saddlebreds throughout the Midwest.

22 comments

  1. well if the virus is spreading than why not put the horse down at a vet or yourself because why do you want any other horses like that. ya its sad but its better than letting your horse suffer and a person suffer gzz think right people idc if it is a innocent horse its also a contagous horse.!?

    1. Thank you for your comment. As was stated in the article, many people are completely unaware that their horse has EHV-1. This article was not intended as a directive on care or euthanasia for an infected horse, rather, it was intended to support the decisions trainers and exhibitors are making to not attend horse shows, and horse show management is making to cancel shows. The decisions on care are best left to the owner and their veterinarian.

    2. Jacklyn did you even READ the article?! it’s ALL right there in the FIRST paragraph. Here it is again since you obviously missed the most important part.

      “The worst part about EHV-1 (aka EHM) is that people just DO NOT KNOW if their horses have it or not, even with taking temps 2x a day and having a health certificate. Horses can HAVE and SPREAD the virus without showing signs. They can be contagious for up to 28 days without appearing sick, not even a fever. The virus is spread via contact (horse-horse or horse-human-horse or horse-object-horse) and it’s also airborne. Exposure is so easy to do without even knowing that it happened.”

  2. Thank you for publishing this information on EHV-1. It supports my decision to keep my horses home for awhile. It just isn’t worth the risk. There will always be another show. My horse’s health and well-being must come first.

  3. My Vet tells me that you can vaccinate to keep from getting this virus. You cannot cure it once you have but you can do a preventitive vaccine according to my vet.

    1. There is no vaccine for the neuro strain of EHV. The vaccination that is commonly given (for Rhino) is for the non-neuro strain of EHV. EHV-1 has no vaccine.

      1. Our vet confirmed there is no vaccine that is 100% safe for this virus..vaccination will help but no guarantee..depending on owners , trainers and show coordinators to do the right thing. They should always ask for a current (within the last 6 months) coggins, and resent health certificate, at the gate upon entry at shows and events, but even that is not 100% safe!

  4. So how do you know? What do you look for? Just always keep your horse at home and never ride out? I Love to ride and my home area is just not big enough. What’s the answer!

    1. Taking your horse anywhere is always a risk (heck, even staying home can be risky – rodents and bugs carry diseases, too). All you can do is make sure your horse is UTD on vaccinations, talk to your vet about what diseases might be flaring up in your area so you can make decisions on when to stay home, only attend events where Coggins and health certificates are required, and hope any horses you encounter are healthy. In an ideal world, you would also quarantine your horse away from other horses for 3-4 weeks upon returning home, too, just in case.

  5. WAIT A MINUTE – your article says there is no vaccine. What about the vaccine my vet gave 6 weeks ago that was supposed to be for EHV 1 and EHV 4 ?????

    1. There is no vaccine that protects against the neuro form of EHV-1. The vaccine your horse got was likely for Rhino. http://www.aaep.org/-i-173.html

      Per AAEP: “All available vaccines make no label claim to prevent the myeloencephalitic form of EHV-1 (EHM) infection. Vaccines may assist in limiting the spread of outbreaks of EHM by limiting nasal shedding EHV-1 and dissemination of infection.” http://www.aaep.org/-i-173.html

  6. There is a vaccine for EHV 1, which helps prevent the spread of the disease by reducing shedding of the virus. however the vaccine will not protect an individual horse from developing the neurologic signs.

  7. Can you tell what the symptoms are. If it is caught early what are the treatments? Every year I have to deal with the Potomac Horse Fever which is scary enough this one sounds worse.

  8. Really makes me suspicious that this outbreak is clustered in NM. 80,000 horses are transported through Texas and NM each year to be slaughtered for human consumption.
    The trucks are filthy and not inspected at all by local Livestock Boards, USDA or APHIS.

  9. This article show major lack of knowledge- to say “aka EHM” is super misleading. EHV-1 is not much more then a snotty nose and a light fever. Most horses have had it. There IS a vaccine. EHV -1 is only really harmful to broodmares as it can cause abortions. The mutated version of EHV-1 is EHM and is neurological and CAN be fatal (but horses can also recover 100%). There is NO vaccine for EHM!!! EHV-1, which is very prevalent, can mutate at any time. If everyone vaccinates for EHV-1 (Rhino vaccine) it can limit the amount of that virus through herd immunity. USEF now requires ALL horses that are competing to have a proof of Rhino vaccine within 6 months. This should greatly reduce risk. At my own small schooling shows we are requiring the same. If you want to compete, ask that show officials REQUIRE proof of Rhino vaccine and site that USEF now requires it. If you have any worries about contact with the EHM virus, wash everything in Dawn detergent- it blows up the virus and is more effective then Clorox. I just learned this from friends at the barn that was infected in PA- their quarantine is now ending. They did an AWESOME job of halting this virus in its tracks and should be praised!!

    1. You are incorrect in your statement about EHV-1 not being much more than a snotty nose and fever. There are several links within the article, including one to the American Association of Veterinary Practitioners statements on EHV. Here is the direct link: http://www.aaep.org/info/horse-health?publication=753

      To quote from the article: “The two most common strains are EHV-1, which causes abortion, respiratory disease and neurologic disease; and EHV-4, which usually causes respiratory disease only but can occasionally cause abortion and rarely neurological disease.” They also state that another name for EHV-1 is EHM.

      We also cannot agree with your statement that Dawn detergent is more effective than bleach. Instead, we recommend following the AAVP protocol as they’ve outlined: “If you handle a horse with EHV-1 and don’t wash your hands or change clothing, the infection may be transmitted to other horses. A solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water is effective for decontaminating equipment and environment.”

      And finally, yes, the Rhino vaccine will reduce the amount of shedding an infected horse will have, thus reducing the possibility for spreading the disease. But it is not a vaccine AGAINST the disease, and horses can still become ill if they are exposed to the virus. In addition, many shows are not governed by USEF (including AQHA shows). If the shows do not require proof of vaccination, there is no telling which horses on show grounds might be carrying the virus.

      As always, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Use bleach. Get your horses vaccinated. And stay home if you’re in doubt.

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