TexasAnimalHealthCommission(TAHC)
BiosecurityTipstoKeep
YourHorsesHealthy
Anytime horses or owners leave the farm to compete, breed, train, or go to a
veterinaryhospitaltheycanbeexposedtoallkindsofdiseaseagentsandthereisan
increased risk for the spread of diseases such as Equine Herpes
Myeloencephalophathy(EHM),EquineInfectiousAnemia(EIA),EquinePiroplasmosis,
andEquineViralArteritis(EVA).
Establishingandfollowingsoundbiosecuritypracticesisthecornerstoneforreducing
the risk of spreading these diseases. The following are some considerations for
equineownersandeventorganizerstoconsiderhelpingminimizediseaseexposure.
LeavingtheStable
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Whenmovingyourhorses,useyourowntrailer.Don’tshipyour
horsewithhorsesfromotherfarms.
Ifyoumustusesomeoneelse’strailer,besuretocleananddisinfect
itbeforeloadingyourhorse.
Don’tletyourhorsetouchotherhorses,especiallynose-to-nose.
Don’tshareequipment(e.g.,needles,waterandfeedbuckets,
brushes,orsponges).
Washyourhandsafterhelpingotherpeoplewiththeirhorses.
Don’tletotherpeoplepetyourhorses,especiallythosewithhorsesathomeorpeoplewhohavebeenoutof
thecountryinthepast2weeks.
ReturningtotheStable
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Youmustprotectthehorsesthatdidn’ttravelfrombeingexposedtonewgermsthatcanbepassedfromyour
horse(s)andyou.
Cleananddisinfecttack,boots,equipment,andgroomingsuppliesbeforecomingback.
Youshouldshowerandputoncleanclothesandshoesuponyourreturn.
Ifpossible,keephorsesthatwereoffthefarmseparatefromyourotherhorsesforatleasttwoweeks.Make
surethereisnonose-to-nosecontact.
Whendoingfeedingandchores,workwiththereturninghorseslast,wearboothsandcoveralls,andremove
thembeforeworkingwithyourotherhorses.
Don’tforgettowashyourhands.
AddingaNewHorse
Thisisthemostcommonwayforinfectiousdiseasetoenteryourfarm.
• Keepnewhorsesseparatefromyourotherhorsesfor30days.Don’tusethesamepitchforks,grooming
tools,orfeedandwaterbucketsonanyhorsebutthenewone.
• Workwiththenewhorselasteachday,orwearbootsandcoverallsthatyoucanremovebeforeworking
withtheotherhorses.
Alwayswashyourhandswithsoapandwater,andblowyournoseafterworkingwiththenewhorse.You
couldcarrygermstoyourotherhorsesinyournose.
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BiosecurityOnYourFarm
Parkawayfromthehorses.Doingthatwillhelpkeepdisease-carryingorganismsfrombeingtrackedfrom
carfloorstotirestoyourhorses.
Ifthefarrierorveterinarianneedstoparkcloser,besuretheirtiresandshoeshavebeendisinfected.
Ifyouhavemanyvisitors,suchasatafarmtouroropenhouse,makeafootbathforthemtowalkthrough.
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MakingaFootbath
1. Alowplasticpanorbin,wideenoughtofitan
adult’sfootandshallowenoughtostepinto
easily.
2. Aplasticdoormat(the“fakegrass”matswork
well).
3. Adisinfectantthatworkswellformostsituations,
suchasTek-trolorOnestrokeEnviron.
4. Water.
Mixthedisinfectantwithwateraccordingtothelabel
instructions.Putthedoormatintheplasticpan.Addthe
disinfectantsothatthebottomofthematiswet.Ask
visitorstowalkthroughthefootbath,wipingtheirfeeton
themat.Thematscrubstheirshoesastheywipethem
andappliesthedisinfectant.Whentheliquidstartstoget
dirty.Emptyitandputinnewdisinfectant.
TAHCencourageshorseownerstoadditionallyconsultwiththeirprivateveterinariansabout
corevaccinestosupplementtheintegrityoftheirbiosecurityplans.
Protectlocalequineownersandtheequineindustry.
Beawareofthefactorsandcreateaplan.Thiscannoteliminatetherisk,butreducestherisk.
ThisinformationwasprovidedtoyoucourtesyoftheTexasAnimalHealthCommission(TAHC).
www.tahc.texas.gov
June2016
512-719-0700