Some people are so lucky

[hairycob]

All over the country people are being torn apart by the death or disappearance of a loved one.
Thousands of people will be coming to terms with a terminal diagnosis or news that treatment hasn't worked.
The family & associates of Jules Bianchi must be going through hell.
People will be worrying about family in war/ebola torn areas of the world.
People are struggling to feed their children or to keep a roof over their heads.
People are being abused.
And all some people seem have to worry about is the teeniest, teeniest possibility that their horse might catch strangles from my son's horse who has the mildest of cases, who is new to the area & has been out on one hack where we saw some horses in the far distance. They really should count their blessings.

 

[Moomin1]

It's not unreasonable for people to worry about their horse becoming ill. Just because there are more serious things going on on life doesn't mean they shouldn't give a monkeys if their horse contracts strangles.

 

[kaiserchief]

Surely if your son's horse has strangles, he should be in quarantine and not out hacking?

 

[webble]

It's not unreasonable for people to worry about their horse becoming ill. Just because there are more serious things going on on life doesn't mean they shouldn't give a monkeys if their horse contracts strangles.

This, if I had that to worry about, because I am lucky and other things in my life are good at the moment, that would be my biggest thing to worry about. I have never experienced strangles but from what I have read and heard its not something to be taken lightly either. I hope thats not what your pony has and that he or she is well agian quickly

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Last week I went to my uncle's funeral. He died of a brain tumour.
Last week I waited for test results to tell me if I had a terminal cancer.
Last week I had to cancel the farrier because of the funeral and couldn't get another appointment because he was exceptionally busy.

I worried about all three things.

Horses with strangles shouldn't be out hacking.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I take it when you say your pony went for a hack you meant that was before you knew and that now you know your pony is being kept on the yard.

Your right there are horrid things out there but strangles can be horrid too but then I know how funny people can be about it. A friend had a horse come down with it on their yard, some horrid things were said. In the end it was sorted out really quickly.

I hope the pony gets well soon so that your son can start hacking again

 

[Pasture Mix]

I understand where you're coming from in that people are very quick to turn nasty when the word "strangles" is uttered and maybe they should put things into perspective sometimes. If you're already doing everything you can, there is no need for them to be nasty at all. If you're not taking the threat seriously enough, you do need a wake-up call. It can be very serious.
I am also going to assume the hack was before you realised he had strangles and that you're now doing everything in your power to treat and contain such a nasty disease.
However, I have been on the receiving end of others' sharp tongue where they think strangles is involved. I bought Long Legs as a 14-month-old from my YO in summer... Come her first winter with me, she came down with a cold and was very snotty. I was concerned, of course. I kept her chest rugged warm, well-fed and in the stable on the days where the weather was particularly trying. However, she was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and fine in herself and I knew it was just a cold. But I was bullied and cornered into having the vet out and paying for her to tell me what I already knew; my girl had a cold/flu and to carry on with what I was doing. She also gave me a respiratory supplement (again, obviously, that I had to pay for) to help her shift the mucus she had... Which made no difference. I was forced into this by said YO I had bought her from, who was the one who brought her onto the yard and cared for her for 3 months before I had her - who never bothered to quarantine her when she arrived and then lectured me on the risk I was taking with infecting the other liveries. I could have killed her and as soon as I found another yard suitable enough, I moved.
But I would like to finish by pointing out that, although you feel as though "all some people have to worry about is the teeniest , teeniest possibility that their horse might catch strangles" - you don't know that that is ALL they have to worry about. You don't know for certain that they aren't almost at breaking point. Just because they haven't told you what they're going through, doesn't mean there aren't a load of things going wrong in their life. You'd be surprised what horrors some people can go through and still paint on a smile for the people that either don't care or they don't want to know x

 

[Merrymoles]

Of course they should count their blessings but it is human nature to worry about something that might affect them personally.

A friend's yard had strangles a few years ago and they had the heartbreak of losing two horses and had the hard work of having the yard on lockdown for a long period, the chore of washing/disinfecting everything between dealing with different horses and some substantial bills, both for several re-tests and the care of the two horses who died. So yes, while I am sure they are very glad they don't live in a war zone, I could very much understand if they were worried about the chance of getting strangles again.

 

[hairycob]

He was out once before he had any symptoms. As a new horse he was segregated from the rest of the yard already. Yard is following all vet instructions. But some people whose horses are at zero risk from our horse because there has been zero contact, direct or indirect are reacting as if we had introduced ebola to the local primary school on a day they are hosting an inter school event. Not to mention the wild & grossly innaccurate rumours. Over the weekend I was told the reason my horse has caught strangles is because " half the horses on yard x heve it & are still.out competing every weekend" by someone who didn't realise a) I'm at that yard b)our horse is the only one that has it. C) no one has competed for a month.
Then I hear that our other horse as it really bad & probably won't live from friend who phoned up really upset for me.

 

[Moomin1]

Your post is a bit ironic tbh. You are suggesting people are wrong for worrying about minor things when major things are going on across the globe, yet you are here posting about it and moaning about about the rumours flying around.

 

[Dave's Mam]

& who knows what else is going on in these folks' lives. A case of strangles might be enough to break them.

 

[Merrymoles]

Your post is a bit ironic tbh. You are suggesting people are wrong for worrying about minor things when major things are going on across the globe, yet you are here posting about it and moaning about about the rumours flying around.

Agreed

 

[Moomin1]

& who knows what else is going on in these folks' lives. A case of strangles might be enough to break them.

Exactly. Tbh, I would be very worried right now if my horse was potentially exposed (however unlikely the possibility of infection), because I am due to give birth any day, and I really really could do without having to deal with a sick horse aswell as giving birth, and dealing with a newborn baby at the same time. Doesn't mean that I think those problems are remotely on the same scale as Ebola, or war, but simply that I am a normal human being who has personal concerns and worries.

 

[Embo]

So because there are lots of awful things going on in the world, we shouldn't be worried about our horses becoming ill, totally unnecessarily?

My yard was quarantined with strangles this summer. Although the illness itself isn't that bad (so long as it's caught fairly early on and horse is nursed correctly), the repercussions of it were awful. No hacking allowed, no leaving the yard etc etc. We were on lockdown. We had to cancel all our shows so the yard lost money. Nobody was allowed to leave, so people lost entry fees for competitions/clinics booked etc. Foot dips. Hand sanitizer. Stigma. Morale was very low.

All because one girl, who's horse had tested positive, did not take steps to stop it there. The rest of us did not know - it was decided to keep it a secret from the rest of us. Yet she allowed it to spread. Very selfishly, and we all suffered. My own horse was fine, thankfully, but I (and others who's horse did not get ill) was still locked down with everyone else.

So I don't blame anyone at all for being angry that you are hacking a strangles-infected horse - how can you guarantee you won't come into contact with others? Doesn't matter if your horse has a mild case. If it gets passed on, the next horse might suffer much more than yours.

ETA: Just saw that you were hacking before you knew the horse was ill. So long as you are taking steps to ensure it goes no further, then that's all you can do. Be vigilant.

It's the blatent disregard for others that I have witnessed that makes me angry. People deliberately not following procedure because they CBA or don't think it necessary. I can understand the stigma that comes with strangles, having been through it. I can understand the anger to a degree. But it is unfair if you're doing everything you can.

 

[hairycob]

Moomin to a good extent you are right but these stupid rumours can have an impact on someone's livelihood. And we have been open about what is going on as well.

 

[ester]

Oh yeah, because none of us ever worry about our horses...............................

 

[Moomin1]

Moomin to a good extent you are right but these stupid rumours can have an impact on someone's livelihood. And we have been open about what is going on as well.

What does it matter when there are people out there dying of Ebola virus? ;-)

 

[RunToEarth]

Moomin to a good extent you are right but these stupid rumours can have an impact on someone's livelihood. And we have been open about what is going on as well.

By your own admission there are bigger things going on than a few rumours.

To be honest I would be concerned if there was stangles on our yard, whether the horse had been in contact with mine or not - it is a worry, and it grounds the whole yard.

 

[hairycob]

It's not people on the yard causing problems. Its people at different yards who have no contact withanybody at ours & are mostly miles away. But seeing as most of you don't see any problem with groundless hysteria or malicious gossip, fine.
I am obviously aware just how bloody miserable it is having strangles on your yard & maybe that is why I am pissed off & grumpy a the moment. But when you have a friend phoning you in floods of tears because she has been told your horse is not likely to live & she is really upset for you & it is copletely untrue. I really can't see how that can be considered acceptable under any crcumstances.

 

[abracadabra]

You're so lucky if all you've got to worry about is people talking about you and your horse.

I mean, there are people out there with REAL problems, like coming to terms with a terminal diagnosis or news that treatment hasn't worked. Or struggling to feed their children or to keep a roof over their heads. Or worrying about family in war/ebola torn areas of the world.

Now, do you want some cheese to go with that whine?

 

[Moomin1]

It's not people on the yard causing problems. Its people at different yards who have no contact withanybody at ours & are mostly miles away. But seeing as most of you don't see any problem with groundless hysteria or malicious gossip, fine.
I am obviously aware just how bloody miserable it is having strangles on your yard & maybe that is why I am pissed off & grumpy a the moment. But when you have a friend phoning you in floods of tears because she has been told your horse is not likely to live & she is really upset for you & it is copletely untrue. I really can't see how that can be considered acceptable under any crcumstances.

Nobody is saying it's acceptable. Nobody is saying it's not annoying, or problem causing. It was you who posted saying other people are stupid for moaning about 'small problems' in life compared to global devastation etc. But you are actually the one who is doing just that - moaning about a 'small problem' in the grand scheme of things.

Annoying for you, yes, worrying for them, yes. It'll all come out in the wash.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Strangles rumours often get a bit out of control. Just correct people who speak to you about it, and ignore those who don't. Good luck with the quarantine.

 

[keri66]

I'm from a time when strangles was fairly common in young horses instead of getting hysterical we dealt with it. But we also didn't take risks. If another yard had strangles we didn't go visiting.
Horses get ill and as long as we do all we can to cure and keep cross infections to a minimal level then that's it.
No I wouldn't be happy if my horses caught strangles but I certainly wouldn't blame anyone. These things happen.
And yes I do have bigger things to worry about

 

[Pasture Mix]

I think there are a lot of people feeling under pressure in this situation; the OP, the other liveries on the yard, yard management maybe, other yards in the area, friends, etc.
I think maybe OP is lashing out due to the stress being inflicted by the ill horse and the rumours?
Rumours always get worse the further away from the source, that's just something you have to deal with I'm afraid.
It seems to be six of one and half a dozen of the other here IMO. You can't blame the other liveries for worrying about their horses, but they shouldn't be nasty with you if you're acting responsibly. You can't blame people for spreading the news of strangles to avoid further infection on other yards, but those people should be getting their facts straight before opening their mouths. It was understandable that your friend was so upset, but maybe she shouldn't have believed the rumours so easily and confirmed things with you before getting hysterical.
What it comes down to basically is: that's life. You can't tell people they shouldn't worry about something that affects their life because something that doesn't is happening elsewhere. Strangles can be fatal, therefore owners who care about their horses are going to be concerned. A big, busy commercial yard not too far away from me came down with it a couple of months ago and it caused them hell. Staff had to sterilise themselves and their equipment before entering/exiting every stable of which I think there are 30 plus, staff had to stay separate between the stables, teaching and the tack shop, no horses were allowed on/off the yard, all their shows/events/competitions were cancelled, liveries declared they were leaving once the quarantine was over, visitors had to sterilise car wheels before driving onto the premises and sterilise themselves before and after entering any buildings/walking around the yard. The staff were strained, working overtime to get all the jobs done with the added time of all the precautions. The YO spent a fortune in vet's consultations, tests, inspections of the yard. She even posted in-depth explanations and updates on what they were doing and how it was going on the yard's Facebook page to keep customers who were avoiding the yard temporarily in the loop. Despite having 3 severe cases and around 10 more infections, they managed to rid the whole yard of it without any fatalities. Despite the huge effort, the yard was bad-mouthed here, there and everywhere - even climaxing at the YO receiving abusive messages and phone calls! People get very upset because it can be fatal and no matter how well it is dealt with, there will always be someone nowadays who wants to create hell over it. Usually it's someone who hasn't got enough keeping them happy in their own life to be able to keep their mouth shut.
Now I've bored you all, I shall finish my dinner ;-) x

 

[el_Snowflakes]

I don't see what all of that has to do with your horse having strangles.....perhaps it makes you feel better about taking an infected horse out hacking which is completely irresponsible & selfish IMO.

 

[ebonyallen]

I have had loads of things go wrong in my life, but I still have a life and that I consider that I am very lucky People will have problems in their life and it does not matter how big or small they are too them they are really a big issues and we should bare that in mind. Everyone is different and we all deal with things differently.

 

[Cortez]

Having nursed a horse with strangles I would class it as a bit more than a "nuisance", in fact here (Ireland) it is a notifiable disease like anthrax, foot & mouth, etc., don't know if that's the case in UK. The rumours are just hysteria and are easily dealt with by simply giving the facts, surely?

 

[ester]

No, not notifiable here Cortez.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Surely if your son's horse has strangles, he should be in quarantine and not out hacking?

This! The yard we were moving to a few months back was put into quarantine because a horse that had just arrived had been purchased from a yard that later turned out to have strangles. This was despite the horse in question showing no symptoms at all and later being given the all clear so a horse that has been diagnosed with strangles, no matter how mild, shouldn't be out hacking at all!

ETA - just saw you mentioned you were out hacking before the horse was diagnosed. In which case as long as you are taking the necessary precautions I wouldn't worry about what others think.

 

[Moomin1]

OP has already said that the horse went out hacking before symptoms appeared, not after.