United States Eventing Association

US Equestrian (USEF) has been made aware of an outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) associated with barrel racing and rodeo-type events in Texas and Oklahoma. Several horses displaying neurologic signs of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) have been identified.

We are continuing to monitor the situation. As of Nov. 21, the current identified cases have been in the barrel racing/women’s professional rodeo subpopulation of horses. Any USEF horses housed on the same premises as horses that have participated in barrel racing and rodeo events in Texas and Oklahoma should remain on the premises and be monitored for signs of illness.

Currently, there have been no links or association with USEF events. Thus, at this time, we support the continuation of USEF events with the implementation of biosecurity procedures in place. However, this outbreak serves as a reminder of the potential disease risks associated with large commingling equine events. It underscores the importance of biosecurity. The following biosecurity measures should be taken at all USEF competitions.

• Ensure compliance with USEF EHV-1 and Influenza vaccination requirement (within 6 months of entry to venue)
• Twice daily temperature taking and recording
• Immediate reporting of a febrile horse (temperature over 101.5F) as per USEF Rule
• Observe horses for clinical signs of disease and report any clinical signs to the veterinarian
• Avoid sharing of equipment without cleaning and disinfecting between uses
• Limit horse to horse contact (maintain separation while walking or riding or driving)
• Limit individuals touching horses to essential personnel
• Ensure horse trailers are properly cleaned and disinfected between loads of horses especially those loads containing sick horses

This is an ongoing investigation with several states tracing potentially exposed horses. There are likely to be additional cases confirmed across the United States. For the latest information on confirmed cases, visit the Equine Disease Communication Center at www.equinediseasecc.org. We will continue to monitor the outbreak and continue to evaluate the risk to the USEF competitions.