Owners come together to help stamp out strangles
Yard managers and riders are pledging to take measures to help reduce the risk of the highly contagious disease
OWNERS and yard managers are coming together to “stamp out strangles” in the UK by joining a welfare charity’s campaign.
On 9 November, Redwings launched a pledge system as part of its new Stamp Out Strangles online hub.
Owners who sign up agree to champion good biosecurity practices and communicate openly if their horses may have been in contact with strangles. They also pledge to work with vets and identify through testing if their horses may be carriers.
Yard managers will agree to reduce the risk of strangles by screening new arrivals, producing a protocol for clients and responding immediately if a strangles case is suspected.
To date, 283 owners and 56 yard managers have signed up.
Sarah Box-Adair, manager of Rollestone Farm Equestrian in Devon, is one of these, after the yard had two separate cases of strangles within five years.
“In 2015, we decided to implement a programme where all new horses are isolated and blood-tested. I think there’s a big stigma around strangles and it’s important this is removed,” she said. “The campaign is about being open and communicating and hopefully we can change people’s mindset.”
Redwings’ education and campaigns manager Andie Vilela told H&H the charity has been very pleased with the reaction to the campaign.
“Since its launch, we’ve been
contacted by people who have very sadly lost horses due to strangles, as well as suffered the unnecessary stigma that so often comes with an outbreak,” she said.
“We hope we can give a voice to these yard managers and horse owners and use their stories through the campaign to encourage open and respectful communication, as well as instigate new measures to reduce the risk of the disease, to help ensure no one else has to go through a similar ordeal.”
World Horse Welfare is “fully behind” the campaign.
The charity’s research and education officer Alana Chapman told H&H: “We urge all horse owners, carers and yard managers to get behind this campaign and make the pledge. Horses may needlessly suffer if we do not challenge the taboo around strangles, and we owe it to our horses to do what we can to protect them against this common bacterial infection.
“Strangles is a highly infectious disease, but the risk can be reduced through the adoption of simple biosecurity measures.
“If a horse does contract strangles, it is important to remember that in most cases it can be managed with veterinary support, but owners and yard managers have a responsibility to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.
“Redwings’ campaign clearly outlines everything that owners, carers and yard managers need to know and what action they should take to reduce the risk and prevent the spread of strangles.”