Racing through a pandemic
THE EQUINE industry joins the world in celebrating World Veterinary Day (April 24) under the theme ‘Veterinarian response to the COVID-19 crisis’, fully appreciative that as our veterinarians continue to deliver through the pandemic, our horseflesh is the better for it.
The equine industry is estimated to contribute two per cent to Jamaica’s gross domestic product and employ 20,000 persons through gaming, breeding, racing, working and other equestrian activities. COVID-19 came to our shores on March 2020, resulting in the halting of horse racing for three months. Tourism and equestrian activities were not spared. Nonetheless, Jamaica is home to the largest equine industry in the Englishspeaking Caribbean and much has been invested in securing our horseflesh through the pandemic. Veterinarians have been key partners is this process as they are, by law – through the Veterinary Act and Jamaica Racing Commission Act – the trained professionals entrusted with the responsibilities of providing health services to horses.
Throughout the pandemic, the health needs of the estimated 3,000 horses in Jamaica continue to be serviced by a small but growing cadre of equine veterinarians, who provide expertise on:
• Horse identification;
• Breeding and athletic soundness;
• General medical and emergency management/prophylaxis;
• Doping control;
• Welfare monitoring;
• International movement of horses;
• Industry training (trainers, jockeys).
The scope of services provided has not been limited by the pandemic, as equine vets have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in responding to the needs of our equine friends. Veterinarians have rightly been recognised as essential workers in many jurisdictions. In equine practice, service delivery is primarily through ambulatory means: vets go to horses, and working from home is not a practical alternative.
Horse racing was the first local sporting activity approved for resumption, and remains the largest such activity being conducted locally. Central to the sustainability of the horse-racing product has been the health and well-being of the approximately 1,200 horses at Caymanas Park that have had to be kept healthy and athletic, even during the period of shutdown. While COVID-19 does not affect horses, it has affected the people who care for the horses, and vets have had to demonstrate added flexibility in working hours, service delivery, and personal protection in working with people and horses during unprecedented times of public health risks and reduced economic activity.
Horse doctors, as equine veterinarians are often called, are highly trained professionals whose licensure requires not only strong academic performance, but also continued professional development. As the primary health and welfare guardians of the equine population, veterinarians are valued stakeholders in the development of the equine industry and provide incomparable expertise. They continue to deliver at high standards during the pandemic. In many ways, nothing has changed, as vets are still partnering with breeders, before a foal is even thought of, to assess mare fertility and giving guidance on when live cover by stallions should be performed. Before a horse sets foot on the track, it has passed through several veterinary interventions, such vaccinations, microchipping, joint therapy, dental adjustments and tracheal endoscopy. Offtrack horses, while less intensely managed than the ‘athletes’ at a racetrack, do not escape the vet’s needle, even as the focus may shift to the management of breeding and geriatric conditions. Yet in other ways, vets have had to pivot with the rest of the world in response to COVID-19, and our horseflesh has remained the better for it.