NEW YEAR NEW YOU : BIOSECURITY HABITS

We tend to use a lot of habits in our horse care routines . They can help us , and our horses know what ’ s going to happen when , and make it less likely we ’ ll forget to do something important .

New Year is the perfect time to ask ourselves whether any of our existing habits could be updated or improved , or fresh habits introduced , to benefit our horses ’ health . And when it comes to infectious diseases , even small actions can make a big difference in reducing risk , so why not adopt our five healthy habits for 2021 ?

Covid-19 has made us all far more aware of what ’ s involved in preventing the spread of an infectious disease . There ’ s no doubt that we all had to form new habits very quickly in 2020 , many of which did not come easily . But did you know that some of the hygiene habits we have adopted over the past months also lend themselves to better biosecurity for horses ? So , our five healthy horse habits may sound familiar !

As with the Covid-19 pandemic , relatively small , everyday behaviours like these which really can help to stop the transmission of disease are as much part of good biosecurity as bigger steps such as testing and vaccination .

1 . WASH YOUR HANDS

Caring for horses is a very ‘ hands-on ’ activity , and bacteria or viruses can hitch-hike on our skin if we touch an infected horse or contaminated surfaces . Regularly washing or disinfecting our hands is better for our horses ’ health , as well as our own .

Do you have hand washing facilities at your yard ? Making hand sanitiser available at key points is also a good idea , especially for people arriving who may have come from another yard .

Did you know : Signs reminding people to wash their hands raised compliance in hospitals from 24 % to 62 %?

2 . CHECK YOUR HORSE ’ S TEMPERATURE

Fever is usually the body ’ s first response when it detects harmful pathogens .

Infectious diseases have evolved to thrive at the normal body temperature of their host , so heating things up makes it harder for the bacteria or virus to survive and reproduce .

Horses commonly develop a fever before they become contagious to others . If we can spot a new infection as soon as fever spikes , and isolate the horse as a precaution , we have the best

3 . SHARE WITH CARE

It ’ s great to be able to help each other out and sharing certain items can help save costs . However , be aware that living areas or equipment can be a

Setting up hand washing points is an easy way to improve hygiene on any yard .

chance of containing a disease before it spreads .

A healthy horse will have a resting temperature around 37.5 – 38.5oc . A young foal ’ s normal range is a little higher , and a donkey ’ s a little lower .

For a short demonstration of safely taking a horse ’ s rectal temperature go to www . redwings . org . uk / strangles / helpand-advice .

How often do you take your horse ’ s temperature ? Incorporate temperature checking into your horse ’ s routine so you are both used to the procedure and you are familiar with what is normal for your horse and what is not .

route of disease transmission between horses .

Try to stick to your own tack and tools , or clean and disinfect anything you do share . Remember that anything a horse touches with its nose is particularly high risk , from buckets and water tanks , to stabling and transport .

Do you keep disinfectant in stock ? Disinfectants vary widely , and a common household product is unlikely to kill an equine infectious disease . Look for a DEFRA approved disinfectant and check the specific pathogens it acts on . Always follow the manufacturer ’ s guidelines ; using disinfectant incorrectly will make it both ineffective and a waste of money .

Horse transport hygiene is especially important to help reduce the spread of disease .

EVERYTHING HORSE : JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021 • 15