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Biosecurity 

How best to deal with new arrivals to your yard

To minimise the effect of infectious disease such as flu, EHV and strangles it is important to have a plan in place as to how to deal with new arrivals.

The below guidelines will help you form a plan, but feel free to discuss
with your vet as different situations may require a different approach, for example, mares or stallions entering a yard for breeding.

Isolation

  • Isolate new arrivals for a minimum of 2 weeks (ideally 4 weeks) During 2 weeks, most horses which are incubating disease but appeared healthy on arrival will start to show clinical signs.
  • The isolation stable should ideally be at least 10 meters from the other horses, with separate airspace and minimal personnel visiting the area.
  • If this is not possible, then leaving a stable empty either side of the new horse and marking out a quarantine area on the floor to minimise passers-by may be the next best alternative.
  • You could use a field that is situated away from the main yard.
  • If this is not possible you could use a field on the yard, but use double fencing to prevent contact and keep distance between the other horses.
  • Monitor rectal temperatures twice daily and keep an eye open for clinical signs of disease such as coughing or nasal discharge.
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Vaccination

  • Check the horse’s vaccination status, if it does not meet your
    requirements, start the primary course straight away, ensuring the second vaccination has been given before the horse leaves quarantine.
  • The minimum standard should include vaccinating for equine flu and tetanus.

For more information about vaccination please click the link below:

Vaccinations

Worming

  • Check when the horse was last wormed, and that it meets your
    requirements.
  • Any new horse to the yard should be wormed with a product that treats all types and stages of worm (including encysted small red worm) Do a worm egg count 10-14 days after worming to ensure that the horse is not carrying resistant worms.
  • Stable the horse for 72 hours after worming to allow the wormer to do its job without infecting the pasture.

For further information about worming click the link below:

Worming
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Equipment & People

Equipment

  • Separate mucking out, feeding, water and grooming equipment must be made available.
  • If possible, separate muck heap.

People

  • Ensure all visitors are aware of the isolation area, they must not enter it.
  • For routine yard management, horses in the isolation area should be dealt with last, after all others are completed.
  • Keep the number of people who are allowed to enter the area to a minimum.
  • Be mindful to keep all yard dogs, cats and other horses away from the isolated horse.