Awkward Quarantine situation - help please!

[ceegeetee]

So I’m presented with an awkward situation. One of our boarders is rescuing a pony. She knows the barn it comes from and by her account it is a super sketchy place.

We have worked with our vet to come up with a quarantine plan for the pony. He will be entirely separate from the rest of our horses and anyone who comes in contact with him will need to wash hands and change clothes if they are going to touch any other horses after dealing with him. He has also had an extensive vet check and all vaccines etc before coming.

Now im presented with the awkward situation of what to do with the people who drop him off. I’ve just been told that the folks bringing him are going to want to see this boarders other horse when they arrive.

I feel like if these folks come, handle the new pony and then go and interact with one of our existing horses - it sort of defeats the whole purpose of the quarantine plan we’ve just worked so hard to put in place. The boarder is asking if it will be sufficient for them to just wash their hands in between?

Granted I do realize that complete strangers come into our barn from time to time and we have no idea what they bring with them and they pet our horses etc. we also go to lots of clinics/ shows etc and don’t know who we are dealing with in those situation. but knowing these people are coming from a super sketchy barn, and having just busted our butts to work out a quarantine situation - im having a lot of anxiety! Should I just say they aren’t allowed to come into the barn and touch other horses ? Or am I really overthinking this and being nuts?

All our horses are vaccinated and otherwise healthy.

Oy! Help!

[Calvincrowe]

I think you are going overboard a bit with the people. Can you determine if there’s any disease at pony’s barn currently? If not, just have them wash hands I guess to be sure.

[Mulligan314]

You said the pony had a full vet check already, is something wrong with him/her? Or is the quarantine just a precaution? If it’s purely precautionary, I feel like the changing of the clothing is a little excessive. If the vet has pinpointed a reason for the quarantine, then use that reason… ‘Due to Face’s insert issue here, we are asking you to keep your distance from the rest of our herd as to keep everyone happy and healthy. We don’t mind you looking at the other horse, but please do not make contact.’

Otherwise, I think it’s a little overboard…but, it’s not my barn and I don’t know the level of sketch pony face is coming from.

[Mulligan314]

Or you could strategically have the boarder’s other horse out of contact…oops! He’s so far out in the field, but there he is! Wave as you leave!

[Wanderosa]

I’m not clear on who are the people dropping are. From a rescue organization? Owners of the super sketchy barn? If it’s a rescue organization and they want to verify that the boarder’s other horses are well cared for,'they need to come do that prior to bringing the pony over. If they’re the owners of the super sketchy barn, you’re within your rights as BO or BM to disallow them from coming into contact with other horses boarding.

Has the pony had a Coggins done? I find it strange but some places in this area require everything but Strangles. And I do know of a horse that was purchased from one of the racing barns in WV that turned out to have Strangles. (It recovered fine.) The buyers were in Florida and an agent viewed the horse and handled the purchase and transport. Fortunately, their other horses were in FL for the shows as well. I don’t know how they disinfected the property prior to bringing home their other horses. I’m guessing it was expensive and time-consuming, though.

During an avian flu outbreak a few years ago we ended up having to bring in hens from a farm in a state with documented cases. We didn’t have a decontamination setup at the entrance as you see on some of the big cattle farms. So, we washed down the wheels of the truck/trailer with bleach before it entered the farm. People walked through pans of Novalsan and then donned disposable gloves & paper hazmat suits. The hens had a separate barn downwind of the existing flocks. I burned the bedding until the quarantine passed.

I doubt you would need to follow such Draconian quarantine measures as we did with the hens. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have pans of bleach or Novalsan to disinfect footwear (you can also use disposable shoe covers) and disposable nitrile gloves. Have everyone wash their hands and change gloves in between handling the pony and the other horses. If you’re really anxious you could get disposable biohazard suits from FarmTek. It likely isn’t necessary unless someone has been slobbered on by the pony or has bedding dust on their clothes. Check with the vet and see what they say. Plan to dispose of the pony’s bedding separately for the quarantine period. You don’t want to go to all this trouble and then have the bedding spread in the fields or something :0

[Scribbler]

Horses don’t come from sketchy barns with special sketchy barn lurgies or cooties.

Horses can come from anywhere including high end racing or show meets with strangles, equine flu, herpes, epm etc.

If the vet has not identified any current contagious disease on the other farm then you are really over reacting here.

If the vet has identified strangles or herpes or something at the other barn, on the other hand I’m not sure you want pony on the property at all.

[Xanthoria]

Some barns do have somewhat endemic-appearing disease issues. Strangles is often passed around a barn by a resident silent carrier horse, and the barn gets a rep for having outbreaks until that horse dies or receives treatment. That’s how the myth that strangles is in the ground at a certain location started.

A disease that is in the ground or contaminated bedding like pigeon fever and is easily spread by flies is another cause of site-specific disease issues.

Theres a barn near us where the owner brings in cheap horses from sales often and does no quarantine. Strangles and other respiratory issues go through there often. I’d be more than a little concerned if a horse moved to our barn from there - our quarantine is only 2 weeks which isn’t long enough for strangles, and poorly enforced. But at least we have it!

[ceegeetee]

Thank you all for your responses!

To clarify - no specific issue has been identified at the moment. But from what I’ve been told , there was an outbreak of strangles at the facility a few years ago. Also apparently authorities have been called to the facility on numerous occasions over animal welfare concerns. The barn owner routinely works with horse dealers who are less than reputable. Etc etc.

Pony does have coggins and health cert.

the folks dropping off are the owners of the sketchy barn, not coming from a proper rescue.

I feel like this is sort of an ignorance is bliss type situation - if I didn’t know all this stuff about the facility - I would be much more relaxed. And also having explained the situation to my vet (who I really respect) and having gotten her recommendations - I feel like if I now ignore the precautions she recommends - then I’m being a dummy.

[ShotenStar]

If the people dropping off want “to see” the new owner’s horse, “seeing” is not an issue. Germs don’t spread by “seeing”. If you arrange things so there is no touching - of horses or of any equipment / fittings on your property - things should be OK. So, lead the current horse for a viewing, point him out in a field, generally wave your hand at the whole facility, then send them on their way.

star

[LookmaNohands]

Put boarder’s other horse out in the pasture and point him out. Should be good enough. You are smart to quarantine! Why risk other’s horses? I always quarantined when I bought a horse and auction!!

[clanter]

@ceegeetee

Now im presented with the awkward situation of what to do with the people who drop him off. I’ve just been told that the folks bringing him are going to want to see this boarders other horse when they arrive.

Oy! Help!

No… is pretty easy to say. Also No Explanation is needed or required

No you can not, they will assume you are an ass but then that is their right

[2DogsFarm]

@ceegeetee

Pony does have coggins and health cert.
And also having explained the situation to my vet (who I really respect) and having gotten her recommendations - I feel like if I now ignore the precautions she recommends - then I’m being a dummy.

Can I assume the Coggins & health certificate were not issued by your vet?
If that is the case I have to wonder why your vet is questioning the vet who issued the health certificate.
Around here that means a vet laid eyes & hands on the horse within 10 days of whatever event it is going to & certified it to be free of any symptom of disease.

If your vet did the Coggins, found no symptoms & signed the certificate why the caution for excessive quarantine measures?
I say “excessive” because normally isolating the animal for 2-3 weeks is the usual protocol.
The handwashing. etc would be necessary for anyone handling the horse during quarantine, but as long as horse is kept separate from other horses no need for people who do not come in contact to do so.

Agree droppers-off can See But Not Touch boarder’s other horse & explaining your vet suggested this should be sufficient.
If they are offended, Too Bad, So Sad.

[Xanthoria]

I don’t see how they can argue with “sorry - new horse is in quarantine so we need to wash our hands if we want to see others horses. SOP here!”

[Scribbler]

@ceegeetee

Thank you all for your responses!

To clarify - no specific issue has been identified at the moment. But from what I’ve been told , there was an outbreak of strangles at the facility a few years ago. Also apparently authorities have been called to the facility on numerous occasions over animal welfare concerns. The barn owner routinely works with horse dealers who are less than reputable. Etc etc.

Pony does have coggins and health cert.

the folks dropping off are the owners of the sketchy barn, not coming from a proper rescue.

I feel like this is sort of an ignorance is bliss type situation - if I didn’t know all this stuff about the facility - I would be much more relaxed. And also having explained the situation to my vet (who I really respect) and having gotten her recommendations - I feel like if I now ignore the precautions she recommends - then I’m being a dummy.

A barn can have bad care and authorities can be called on any number of problems. Skinny horses, really excess mud, horses being roughly handled, intreated injuries, and of course spiteful neighbors if the barn owners are combative.

They may well run a disgusting barn. You may be right to think it is no place for a pony. Their horses may well have bad feet, thrush, rain rot fungal skin problems, etc.

But none of this is going to affect your horses on your property if they visit. The strangles was two years ago.

Talk to your vet about your fears. It sounds like you are over reacting and letting your understandable disgust with the other farm make you exaggerate the health problems.

The pony quarantine is a precaution. He isnt currently ill now or you wouldn’t have him on the property.

[TCA_Arabians]

The question upthread about whether it was your vet that did the health cert on the incoming pony is a good one. Ask your vet if separating the ‘sketchy barn visitors’ from the horses is necessary or not. I see zero problem telling them no. No is an excellent word that isn’t used as often as it should be. I get that it’s awkward. If we used it more often - people would have a better understanding of what it means.

Is the horse they want to see one that also came from their barn? It may just be curiosity on how old Dobbin is doing. Nonetheless, you have a quarantine protocol in place. They have to comply with all aspects of it. Otherwise, why bother? If nothing else, think of it as a teaching moment for them.

[Scribbler]

Yeah that’s true, there’s a quarantine protocol in place so technically should follow whatever steps the rest of you do. On the other hand the risk of them walking about the barn honestly is pretty close to zero. You are keeping pony in quarantine in case he is incubating something, not because he is currently showing symptoms.

[Displaced_Yankee]

If you really want to enforce your protocol and you don’t have to deal with these people in the future:

“Thanks so much for dropping the pony off! Dobbin? Ugh, I have completely mismanaged my day. I have (a lesson to teach/the farrier coming/a business call/to wash my hair) in 10-15 minutes. There is Dobbin. See him in the field? Thanks again, I’ll be out to check on the pony in an hour, make sure he/she settles in.”

[enjoytheride]

@2DogsFarm

Can I assume the Coggins & health certificate were not issued by your vet?
If that is the case I have to wonder why your vet is questioning the vet who issued the health certificate.
Around here that means a vet laid eyes & hands on the horse within 10 days of whatever event it is going to & certified it to be free of any symptom of disease.

If your vet did the Coggins, found no symptoms & signed the certificate why the caution for excessive quarantine measures?
I say “excessive” because normally isolating the animal for 2-3 weeks is the usual protocol.
The handwashing. etc would be necessary for anyone handling the horse during quarantine, but as long as horse is kept separate from other horses no need for people who do not come in contact to do so.

Agree droppers-off can See But Not Touch boarder’s other horse & explaining your vet suggested this should be sufficient.
If they are offended, Too Bad, So Sad.

While I think the OP is overreacting to not letting someone see the other horse, health certificates mean squat. I pulled a pony out of a feedlot and it came with a health certificate and pneumonia.

[Ruth0552]

Just tell them that new horses at your farm are in quarantine and they will need to follow the same protocols as everyone else. They will need to bring a clean change of clothes and boots to visit with any other horses or go in the main barn.

[oppsfelldown]

Since this seems to freak you out why don’t you have the buyer quarantine the horse at your vet’s facility? That way not only do you not have to put the (slightly overkill) procedures in place but you also do not have to deal with the sellers.