FEARS that cases of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) have increased in Ireland recently have not been substantiated with Alison Corbally, Director General of the Irish Horse Board, confirming she has not received any notices of an outbreak from the Department of Agriculture.

“EHV is fairly prevalent, even vaccinated sources can throw up queries around the virus, so while the department has no official statement on it at this stage, if something is to come out of it, they’ll send us back a notification and we will communicate that,” she said.

Despite this, one show has decided not to run as a precaution.

Louise Doheny of Slieve Bloom Stud made the call yesterday morning not to hold a scheduled Dressage Ireland event at her facility on Friday.

“As far as I know no vet has confirmed it and it’s not a notifiable disease but it’s quite dangerous,” she said. “We are a breeding facility, so I just couldn’t run the show because we have over 35 stallions in and a huge herd of broodmares, it’s not a risk I was prepared to take.

“I think going forward, as a dressage rider, that I’d like to see Dressage Ireland bringing in the rule that all horses competing have to be vaccinated against it and maybe that people, like we do in the FEI, would have to take temperatures for three days before a show. They should probably be doing that anyway but there might be riders out there who aren’t aware of the risk from or to their horse.”

Widespread

EHV is widespread in the horse population with some horses carrying the virus but not showing signs of the disease. Once reactivated, the virus causes disease in the horse and rapidly spreads after being expelled into the air by an infected horse coughing or sneezing.

EHV-1 can cause respiratory disease (especially in young horses) and neurological disease in horses of any age, sex and breed, and pregnant mares to abort. Young foals are also at risk and can die from the infection. EHV-4 can also cause respiratory disease and occasionally risks abortion. 

If you suspect EHV, isolate your horse and contact your vet immediately and they will take a nasal swab and potentially a blood sample from your horse. All horses that have had direct, or indirect contact with the infected horse should be closely monitored with their temperatures taken twice a day and isolation procedures put in place. 

Horse Sport Ireland said because EHV was not a notifiable disease, there was no statutory obligation on producers, owners or veterinarians to report suspected or confirmed cases.

“We strongly encourage athletes, owners, and stakeholders to remain vigilant,” a spokesperson said and pointed to the FEI guidance and protocols by searching ‘FEI EHV-1 Factsheet and Protocols’.