********STRANGLES WARNING************

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vennessa

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This is not to cause panic but to ensure everyone is vigilant on Quarantine and aware when visiting fairs/auctions.
I have just got home from Appleby Horse fair where strangles is rife. Not only at the fair but in yards in Cumbria and the Lake District - not all so do please check with the yard if you are going to ride there.
Strangles is unfortunately a fact of horse life but with vigilance it can be controlled. Many of the horses at the fair will be travelling the country going to other fairs. Many have been sold to private homes, some will go to auction.
I just wish to make people aware that this will rapidly spread the virus if the horses purchased are not quarantined.
Please be vigilant with quarantine measures in your yard when a new horse comes in - away from others.
Strangles is not the end of the world, we knowingly take sick horses in but have strict quarantine/cleansing measures to ensure it is not spread.
Don't panic but be aware.
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Of course, vaccination seems to upset the EU a bit,

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I presume they can't eat a horse that has had that vaccine, a shame isn't it
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I have never been to an auction so have no idea what the rules and regs are but am shocked that horses would be taken to a fair if they have strangles, let alone sold!
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This is Appleby Horse fair( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appleby_horse_fair ), it is actually illegal to sell horses there, all of the selling gets done behind boxes or in the pub! If they had regulations that that poor pony wouldn't have been drowned last year!!
 
The selling is actually in the open. In the town by the river and up the hill. It is interesting to watch the bartering. I saw a pony bought yesterday. The pony was going up the hill the buyer comeing down in a car. Everything stopped whilst they bartered.
The fair is not for everyone. Thousands of tourists go every year. It is where all the travellers and dealers meet up to buy/sell.
You have to have an understanding of the old way of life and keep your mouth shut. Things are changeing and they do learn.
Horses at Applebey can sell for many thousands.
I tend to look it at a percentage perspective. How many horses event and killed/injured. How many thousands of horses are at Appleby each year and get killed/injured. !00's fewr on percentage at Appleby.
It is not for the faint hearted and understanding is needed but it is part of my work.
Many of them know what my work is now and we have a real good banter.
One horse overreached on Sat - has no-one had a horse overreach? He took it to the vet where i was haveing a coffee and he was asking for advice, makeing sure he got it right. He was a younger traveller and loved his horses. I got all their life stories. I had to escape bless him.
The fair realy is not the place for some though.
The most incidents over the weekend i was there was visitors leaving dogs in their cars. Two died. The RSPCA and the police had enough and gave no chances. Smashed the windows and got the dogs out. That was tourists doing it. Maybe they did not realise what it is like. It definately is not the place for the old, infirm, young children and dogs. You need your wits about you.
 
Totaly agree with you! The number of horses that die or are injured because of hunting is far, far higher.

I stay at Appleby every year, it is only just down the road, but it is my holiday. You see worse at the country shows.

If you go to a sale, show auction or wherever there are large numbers of horses common sense suggests that you don't touch the horses and you shower and change your clothes when you get home so you don't bring any nasties home with you. When you are at a show you don't let anyone else touch your horse, you don't let it graze and you don't let your horse come in to contact with anyone elses.

Strangles has always been around. What shocks me is the people who keep their horses on yards that have strangles on it... but still compete every weekend!
 
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And there are no legal vaccines over here for it? We did all our horses in the States and never had a case in a vaccinated horse. Of course, vaccination seems to upset the EU a bit, but it makes one think.

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There is a legal vaccine for it but it only lasts for 3 months and has to be re-done after that time, it can also cause mild symptoms of strangles, so isn't widley used. I beleive(sp) that there is another one being tested atm that may last longer.
 
There is no vaccine used at all in this country anymore. If you are going to quarantine then you need to do if for 3 weeks and then have the new horse BLOD TESTED. Swabs are useless and are only about 45% accurate.
We have just had it, my youngster got it, it was horrid for him, but a fact of life with horses.
If though people stop being hysterical and see the other side they will realise that it isnt as bad as they think and with good management it can be contained and dealt with.
 
[ QUOTE ]
This is not to cause panic but to ensure everyone is vigilant on Quarantine and aware when visiting fairs/auctions.
I have just got home from Appleby Horse fair where strangles is rife. Not only at the fair but in yards in Cumbria and the Lake District - not all so do please check with the yard if you are going to ride there.
Strangles is unfortunately a fact of horse life but with vigilance it can be controlled. Many of the horses at the fair will be travelling the country going to other fairs. Many have been sold to private homes, some will go to auction.
I just wish to make people aware that this will rapidly spread the virus if the horses purchased are not quarantined.
Please be vigilant with quarantine measures in your yard when a new horse comes in - away from others.
Strangles is not the end of the world, we knowingly take sick horses in but have strict quarantine/cleansing measures to ensure it is not spread.
Don't panic but be aware.
grin.gif


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Thanks for your posts. Did the RSPCA have any comment on 'strangles being rife' at Appleby?
 
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Thanks for your posts. Did the RSPCA have any comment on 'strangles being rife' at Appleby?

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Thats where i got the info from and the attending vets. One from the area and another from elsewhere. I would not have put the warning if it were not fact - i know that is not what you are saying.
I spoke to an RSPCA officer about one pony but it was already receiving veterinary care. I had a good chat with the vets and RSPCA officers about it.
A lot of people will know, but a great number of people will not. Thats why i wanted to put a don't panic warning. People were dragging me off to look at horses they had bought and they did not know there was strangles about. I told them to be very careful with quarantine.
Strangles is unfortunately one of those things that go with horse life. If you get it you deal with it, but sensibly.
Some people could unknowingly be carrying Strangles back with them.
We are lucky to have a quarantine area at home - 4 miles from where we keep the horses but some people do put horses straight on a yard.
Not all with snotty noses had strangles the vet put some down to stress but it is prevelent. Best be safe than sorry
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Having spoken to them, were there any plans from the RSPCA and or vets re letting the wider equestrian community know that straggles was ‘rife’ at Appleby?
 
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