Rusty's problem with strangles must be causing him (and his friends) hours of heartache, grief and worry. I know that our recent massive outbreak of Equine Influenza throughout the eastern states of Australia has certainly caused similar feelings!
To see your loved horses suffering is bad enough, but to think that they could be permanently affected, or that their future performance careers could be cut short or eliminated totally is devastating! I feel for Rusty, the Teeters and Merri for having been caught up in such a terrible situation.
My business here has been decimated by the EI outbreak, as I had international clients booked to arrive and train with us. Rusty (prior to the strangles outbreak) had very kindly offered to host our group of wandering endurance riders with a trail ride from his place while we were in Scottsdale. So he has to miss out on our company too!
Paying particular care to disinfecting when moving between locations with horses is paramount to controlling such viral outbreaks. Every horse owner in Australia is now fully aware of (and using) footbaths, tire and vehicle sprays, the importance of cleaning trailers properly, quarantine procedures, and personal cleanliness.
But, with care and adherance to basic procedures, such outbreaks can be controlled and eventually things will get back to normal. And while we wait for our EI problems to be resolved, we're GOING TO THE USA TOMORROW! Wahoo!
Best regards
Jay Randle SPLENDACREST ENDURANCE TRAINING www.freewebs.com/splendacrest
