A human sneeze can propel around 100,000 germs up to 25 feet according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! Now imagine the distance and volume a horse can achieve! No elbow or hankie will be raised to contain this potential biohazard but Equine Guelph has you covered with their Sickness Prevention in Horses short online course. This October 15 -26, you can join a community that will be learning Canada’s new Equine Biosecurity standard together and reducing the odds of sickness in their horses. Consider the tips you will acquire as your horse handkerchief!
Just as humans rush out to receive their flu shots before winter, horses can also benefit from a flu/rhino booster performed 6 months after their typical spring vaccinations. Horses that travel to fall fairs or mingle with those that do are at a higher risk of contracting influenza. With temperatures dropping, horses may be spending more time indoors. The hang time for germs lingering in the air can be up to 10 minutes after a human cough which can expel 3,000 droplets as far as six metres according to Science Focus . Again, get multiplying those statistics for your equine companion and then ponder what steps you can take to protect your horse.
Everyone who comes into contact with horses has a role to play in preventing the transmission of disease from the horse owner to the farrier, vet, guest visitor and barn manager. In a recent study lead by University of Guelph researchers, Dr. Amy Greer and Dr. Terri O’Sullivan, contact patterns were analyzed at an equestrian show in Ontario to study the implications for disease spread. One facet of the study looked at types of horse-to-horse contact occurring at a home facility and while traveling. While most participants indicated that direct nose-to-nose contact of horses occurred both at their home facility and while away from home (76 and 22%, respectively), participants reported a reduction in sharing equipment, cleaning tools, and water/feed when they travelled away from home.