I am but should not be frequently appalled at the “whatever” attitude at a lot of show barns. At this barn, the owner should have taken charge and said no outside the stall and kicked the horse out. I guess we have to have a covid like horse pandemic before people wake up.
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Nobody asked if it was right and I’m not disagreeing with you. The question was: Why are people so desperate to show? That’s why.
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Also remember that active EHV in equine respiratory secretions is contagious via people. So for example, if somebody at Thermal didn’t clean their boots or jeans after stepping through a place where a horse coughed or sneezed after a jumping round for instance, then went to Los Angeles, and then a horse in LA nuzzled or itched itself on that person’s leg say, that is a method of transmission too. Trailers that are not sanitized between loads of horses. Buckets. The list goes on.
I can’t recall now how long EHV can live on fomites (objects).
Edited: I apparently can’t spell Thermal and wanted to clarify a little bit about transmission - it’s not like strangles that lives in the soil.
The article I posted below indicates EHV can live up to 7 days on fomites.
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Here is another good resource on EHV, along with the ones posted upthread.
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FEI I understand somewhat because of riders aiming for teams etc, anything else I can’t wrap my head around. Thank you for the insight though.
Thank you for sharing. It’s scary to say the least.
Because EHV is a “hoax” and “FREE-DUMB!!” /s
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This is one thing that scares me about using commercial haulers. If EHV secretions-- like from horse boogies snotted on the inside of trailers/vans-- can remain infectious for up to a week, then potentially a healthy horse could get exposed simply being shipped from show to show or from show to home. It all depends on the EHV status of the horse previously hauled in the same slot.
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I’m sharing this account of what my horse went through for those who may be reading who think this is no big deal. I hope no one else, and no other horses suffer like this:
We’d nursed Melvin for three days, IV fluids, anti-inflammatory, I can’t recall what all… but each day he declined a little. We still were not sure what we were dealing with. A chewed on Cherry tree adjoining his pasture was a prime suspect.
On the fourth afternoon things just got worse each hour.
In Melly’s case, during the last hours, the vet was on his way, but very far away… so all I could do was wait and witness.
I’d gotten his IV reset at least three times, but each time he was becoming more volatile, and he wasn’t there, if you know what I mean. The last time I reinserted it, I did so quickly through the stall bars because it was just not safe to be in there. The vet had me dose banamine into his IV port, luckily before it became useless. It was what we had and was worth a shot.
He eventually ripped that IV out, throwing himself against the walls, even causing the boards between stall and aisle to bulge inwards.
I hopped into the stall across the aisle for safety. I had closed all the barn doors, because the horses outside were so upset watching him through the doors… as he just wheeled around and around, bumping his head into the dutch doorway, the stall bars, etc.
I was grateful I hadn’t moved him to the round pen, it wouldn’t have held him.
He had had his tongue out, sign of the neurological effect this was having, for about a day. First just the tip, cupped like a foal does sometimes when nursing, but eventually much farther out. And eventually he bit down on it so hard it was white. Colorless. Flopping away as he thrashed.
Then he started to roar. It sounded like a lion. It filled the barn and the little farm.
Luckily when he finally went down, he took one agonal breathe and was gone.
After, it was like after Dorothy’s house lands after being in the cyclone in The Wizard of Oz… From utter chaos and brutal noise to stunning silence in an instant.
The vet arrived shortly after that. He took several samples, including cerebrospinal fluid. It was a week later that we were put under quarantine from the state vet. Alas the barn owner, to whom I was a working student, had gone in for an emergency four way bypass the day after Melly died. So there I was, with a dead horse caring for the BOs farm under quarantine, because no one else could. After all my chores, I would spray down Melly’s stall with a disinfectant antiviral the vet told me to get. Each day, because “why not?”. I literally picked the bedding from between the rubber mats, vacuumed it all up with a shop vac and disposed of it, and sprayed the joints of the mats. I was so afraid this would get one of the other seven horses on the farm.
Melvin, JC name End Game, was 18.
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I am so, so sorry that you had to experience that, but thank you for reliving it in order to educate the rest of us about what could happen.
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I’m regularly paranoid about my horse nuzzling my farrier’s back/apron when he clinches the front nails for this reason as well.
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That struck hard. Way hard. Thank you for making what I’m sure was a painful effort to retell. I think we gloss over the word “neurological” in these things. So many press releases & articles & posts. It’s either “neurological” or “non-nuerological”… always scientific, black & white, just a test result. We forget to pause and think about what that word really means. I certainly had an idea, but it was nothing near what you described. That would haunt me forever. I’m so sorry you had to experience all that.
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Hi again. I haven’t read through all the comments and updates since my last post but I wanted to provide you all update based on my experience at DIHP yesterday.
First, I cannot say enough good things about Steve Hankin and the staff at DIHP. The situation changes every hour and they are as on top of it as anyone can possibly be. They’ve implemented safety measures that are above and beyond what I would have fathomed. They want to be advised if any horse has temperature is 101.5 or above, which would typically be considered within normal range, so that horse can be separated and monitored. They’re watering manure piles to prevent dust from spreading. Equipment being used around the isolated horses are being bleached before leaving that area - including tractors! That being said, they emphasized that it’s on each individual to adhere to best practices and they will be addressing any failure to comply with trainers.
Second, DIHP is a ghost town. It sounds like most SoCal barns went home for the week off so it was already a pretty small population of Oregon, Washington, and Canada barns. Some groups continue to pack up and leave. As mentioned above, my trainer is not supportive of leaving for multiple reasons and we will be staying - sheltering in place, if you will.
That being said, I understand it’s a tricky situation to navigate. People want to take their horses home to perceived safety.
I’m glad they cancelled week 6, as much as it hurts my bank account to pay the stall, day fees, etc. that are associated with showing only to not step in the ring. I’ll remain cautiously optimistic that the situation continues to improve from yesterday’s good news but am prepared to hang out a few more weeks.
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@Angela_Freda your post brought tears to my eyes. I’m so sorry for your loss and the trauma you went through. Thank you for sharing such a powerful and painful memory.
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Thank you @Angela_Freda. What a beautiful horse and harrowing story. Also a good reminder of our common humanity and vulnerability in the COTH community… even those of us who engage in lively discussion on CE.
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I’m so sorry. Your post makes my heart ache and I am crying. Hugs to you for the loss of your beloved Melvin.
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if it is true that several trainers / rider/owner went from one facility directly to another show venue, I want to see the federation sanctions. Not only the horse rider trainer owner but the receiving show that knowingly let them in
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What a beautiful creature. 
When we hear neurological, we think of stumbling or having trouble getting up. Thank you for creating a clearer picture. That must have been so painful to experience and to recall.
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Thanks everyone.
This happened five years ago-ish.
Melly was given to me by a woman who adored him, but was going into hospice.
She died eight days after I took Melly.
Melly died eight months after her.
I honestly believe that he died to go be with Robin.
They belonged together.
He was a beautiful, special boy.
I consider myself lucky to have had him in my care a little while.
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