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<<Forwarded by request. Note that this is an unsigned post. This  
unusual occurrence seemed justified (although other exposed horses at  
the event referenced might be coughing by now...:(

Begin forwarded message:

> <<Contact information deleted>>
> ****
>
>
> I took two horses to an endurance ride.
>
> Doesn't matter where or when, I decided this issue should be raised  
> as an educational point.
>
> After we arrived and settled in, other horses arrived and I noticed  
> the horse next door was coughing.  I moved my closest horse's  
> paddock a little further away.
>
> When the coughing horse vetted in, imagine, it had an elevated  
> heart rate, and a fever.  Obviously it wasn't cleared to start.
>
> The rider indicated that the horse had coughed that week, and that  
> it had seemed NQR (not quite right).
>
> The coughing horse came to the ride with another horse.   The other  
> horse did go out the following morning and completed the ride.
>
> Ten days later, you can guess what happened in my barn.
>
> My horse started coughing.
>
> There goes my plans to condition with a friend this weekend -- I  
> will not expose her horse to what my guys might be carrying.
>
> There goes my plans for a ride with two of my other horses next  
> weekend (I will not take them to a ride knowing they've been exposed).
>
> There goes my plans for the ride for the coughing horse for the  
> National Championships.  And/or a ride at the end of the month.
>
> I might, just might, be able to make it to the last ride of the  
> season, assuming everyone gets through the incubation period  
> without illness, and everyone's temps stay normal throughout.
>
> To me, that is being a responsible rider and competitor and horse  
> owner and citizen of the distance riding community.
>
> Please, if your horse is NQR and/or coughing, please take its  
> temperature before you put it in the trailer and expose it to  
> countless other horses.  If you get your sick horse to a ride, take  
> it and/or it's-not-sick-yet barnmate HOME.
>
> My husband teases me by declaring loudly whenever a horse coughs in  
> my vicinity "Oh no, now you've done it, she's running for the  
> thermometer!"  Because I do.
>
> We all have a responsibility not only to our own horses, but to the  
> other horses in ride camp.  The other horses in our home barn.
>
> And that is the end of my little Public Service Announcement for  
> the day.
>
> I'm going back to mourning what appears to be the end of my  
> competition season.
>
> Sigh.

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