The EI impact on my business and my life
Good morning pupils and friends,
Here is a copy of a letter that i am forwarding to the various useless government bodies regarding the dreaded Equine Influenza (EI) virus. I hope those of you with horses are ok. Please buzz me if you are not as i am slowly and unfortunately becoming a real "expert" with this horrid disease. Be careful with colic like symptoms; as the coughing and stress on the horses can quickily turn into fatal colic.
Chin up everyone.
Kind regards,
Catherine
The EI impact on my business and my life.
It takes a lot for me to put pen to paper, because as a horse person I have certainly learnt over the years that the Horse Industry has its share of both success and failure. You learn to accept these highs and lows; put on a brave face and roll with the punches. Resilience is the key to surviving in the harsh reality of the commercial Horse world; but I never thought that my resolve would be tested in such a manner.
I am not only a Horse Business owner, but I am also an Equine vet's wife and most importantly a Horse Lover.
As a Horse Business owner I run Tathren Stud and Riding School. I have my finger in many pies of the Horse Industry; I am first and foremost a Riding Instructor. I also produce a nationally successful show team, I stand 2 stallions at stud, I also breed for both the racing,show and performance sectors, I own racehorses and I also run a horse transporting service. I feel exhausted just listing my many faceted career in the industry...... But this has all come to a screeching halt with the dreaded EI outbreak, and I am more exhausted, and more financially and emotionally drained than I have ever been in my life.
Spring is usually the time of year when we are welcoming new foals into the world and the 11 months of waiting has finally come to fruition. I am now dreading these ever impending births as my place is riddled with EI, and this "Black Death" is killing more foals than being reported in the sugar-coated media reports. The fact that I am really informed on this matter, is one of the small joys of being an Equine vet's wife.... you really know the truth about EI.
Spring is usually the time when the stallions are busy covering mares, and after a very successful year for both Gleniph Sovanity (National, East Coast and Australian Champion) and Tathren Strong Persuader (State, National and East Coast Champion). We were looking forward to a very busy breeding season for the boys who have lots of mares booked to them.... They now stand very quiet and listless in their paddocks coughing and not very interested in anything at all.
Spring is usually the time when we are doing the show circuit with both our pupils and our horses; now all show plans are put on hold indefinately. This is very upsetting and disappointing to all concerned including the various societies that run these events, and the pupils that have been training throughout the winter for them... not to mention the flow on effects throughout the training, saddlery and clipping industries.
Spring is usually the time when we are taking both our Thoroughbred mares and others to the picturesque Hunter Valley for breeding, but these mares now look like that they will not be covered this season, and this will mean a huge financial loss for us... not to mention the loss of transporting income.
Spring is usually the time when we enjoy watching our racehorses run, and now an up and coming horse called Shift Boss waits at Noel Mayfield-Smiths training stables at Hawkesbury not knowing when or where his next race start will be. The racing industry is suffering huge financial losses as is constantly being reported in the media... but the true impact is yet to be seen.
Spring is usually the time when we welcome many new clients to the Riding School. This is not the case and I feel most unprofessional when dealing with new lesson enquiries, as I cannot tell them when I will be able to resume teaching again. The uncertainty that comes with this dreadful disease is truly awful; even the various government bodies do not know the real impact of EI yet.
Spring now has become a time of woe. My day now consists of taking 40 horses' temperatures twice a day, checking the severity of their cough and the consistency of their nasal discharge, administering copious amounts of "Bute" and recording my findings on a chart. This coupled with the ongoing feeding, watering and rugging makes for a very long and non money earning day. I am exhausted! Thanks to a few of my agistors and friends who are helping me with this huge task.
As an Equine Vet's wife I see the other side of this unstoppable disease. My husband is also very exhausted, as this disease not only hits the professional horse business owner... but it also severely hits the pleasure pony owner. These people have never called a vet out for anything, would have no clue on how to take a temperature, and would not know what "bute" is. My husband has now taken on the role of not only being a vet... but also being an educator and a psychologist to the ill informed public. This is where the government and media should step in, and educate the general horse owning public and should stop playing the blame game. EI is here to stay; the DPI cannot stop it and the general public need to be educated and ready for when it strikes them.
Vaccination is not the answer; as its efficacy is very questionable indeed. I am constantly amused by the rumour mongering and rubbish being posted on many equine forums at the moment... what the public needs is cold hard facts and advice on this horrid disease.
Also as a vet's wife, I see the huge financial loss to the veterinary industry. My husband's practice and every other Equine practice in Restricted areas are ONLY allowed to deal with flu cases and emergencies.... and are banned by the government to perform any routine vet work. So horses that do not have the flu yet or are not in a life threatening situation cannot be seen by a vet. Spring is usually the time of year when the practice is run off its feet with the busy breeding season... this is not the case. I feel for those vets that are in Restricted areas, but do not have the flu yet, as they are banned from doing any work at all. With this EI crisis in full swing it is crucial that owners keep up to date with their accounts, so that they may have a clear conscience and feel they can call on their vet immediately to help out. EI is dangerous and you will need your vet!
As a horse lover this is were EI becomes gut wrenching. It is very eerie once EI hits your place. Your horses stop whinnying at feed time or when they see you, they stop galloping and playing in their paddocks, they stop pricking their ears, they stop glowing with good health. I even miss the rare (but annoying) gate rattling from some of our more impatient horses. It is a deathly silence that falls upon your place... and all you can hear is the never ending choking cough as snot goes hurtling through the air. They hang their heads between their front legs and stand motionless. It is so depressing. The massive financial losses to both my husband's practice and my business is in the many tens of thousands... but this does not even enter your head at this time. We are both just trying to alleviate the suffering of our equine friends. My horses are the tools of my trade but they are also a living being and have given me many years of good service. It is now my time to serve them and keep them well and alive; after all they are, my best mates.
We will eventually emerge from this EI induced fog and then that will be the time to count losses and once again call upon that resilience to pull through. My thoughts go out to all those affected by this disease as I know what you are going through.
Stay resilient, our Equine friends really need us right now.
Kind Regards,
Catherine Brown
Tathren Stud
www.tathren.com
Here is a copy of a letter that i am forwarding to the various useless government bodies regarding the dreaded Equine Influenza (EI) virus. I hope those of you with horses are ok. Please buzz me if you are not as i am slowly and unfortunately becoming a real "expert" with this horrid disease. Be careful with colic like symptoms; as the coughing and stress on the horses can quickily turn into fatal colic.
Chin up everyone.
Kind regards,
Catherine
The EI impact on my business and my life.
It takes a lot for me to put pen to paper, because as a horse person I have certainly learnt over the years that the Horse Industry has its share of both success and failure. You learn to accept these highs and lows; put on a brave face and roll with the punches. Resilience is the key to surviving in the harsh reality of the commercial Horse world; but I never thought that my resolve would be tested in such a manner.
I am not only a Horse Business owner, but I am also an Equine vet's wife and most importantly a Horse Lover.
As a Horse Business owner I run Tathren Stud and Riding School. I have my finger in many pies of the Horse Industry; I am first and foremost a Riding Instructor. I also produce a nationally successful show team, I stand 2 stallions at stud, I also breed for both the racing,show and performance sectors, I own racehorses and I also run a horse transporting service. I feel exhausted just listing my many faceted career in the industry...... But this has all come to a screeching halt with the dreaded EI outbreak, and I am more exhausted, and more financially and emotionally drained than I have ever been in my life.
Spring is usually the time of year when we are welcoming new foals into the world and the 11 months of waiting has finally come to fruition. I am now dreading these ever impending births as my place is riddled with EI, and this "Black Death" is killing more foals than being reported in the sugar-coated media reports. The fact that I am really informed on this matter, is one of the small joys of being an Equine vet's wife.... you really know the truth about EI.
Spring is usually the time when the stallions are busy covering mares, and after a very successful year for both Gleniph Sovanity (National, East Coast and Australian Champion) and Tathren Strong Persuader (State, National and East Coast Champion). We were looking forward to a very busy breeding season for the boys who have lots of mares booked to them.... They now stand very quiet and listless in their paddocks coughing and not very interested in anything at all.
Spring is usually the time when we are doing the show circuit with both our pupils and our horses; now all show plans are put on hold indefinately. This is very upsetting and disappointing to all concerned including the various societies that run these events, and the pupils that have been training throughout the winter for them... not to mention the flow on effects throughout the training, saddlery and clipping industries.
Spring is usually the time when we are taking both our Thoroughbred mares and others to the picturesque Hunter Valley for breeding, but these mares now look like that they will not be covered this season, and this will mean a huge financial loss for us... not to mention the loss of transporting income.
Spring is usually the time when we enjoy watching our racehorses run, and now an up and coming horse called Shift Boss waits at Noel Mayfield-Smiths training stables at Hawkesbury not knowing when or where his next race start will be. The racing industry is suffering huge financial losses as is constantly being reported in the media... but the true impact is yet to be seen.
Spring is usually the time when we welcome many new clients to the Riding School. This is not the case and I feel most unprofessional when dealing with new lesson enquiries, as I cannot tell them when I will be able to resume teaching again. The uncertainty that comes with this dreadful disease is truly awful; even the various government bodies do not know the real impact of EI yet.
Spring now has become a time of woe. My day now consists of taking 40 horses' temperatures twice a day, checking the severity of their cough and the consistency of their nasal discharge, administering copious amounts of "Bute" and recording my findings on a chart. This coupled with the ongoing feeding, watering and rugging makes for a very long and non money earning day. I am exhausted! Thanks to a few of my agistors and friends who are helping me with this huge task.
As an Equine Vet's wife I see the other side of this unstoppable disease. My husband is also very exhausted, as this disease not only hits the professional horse business owner... but it also severely hits the pleasure pony owner. These people have never called a vet out for anything, would have no clue on how to take a temperature, and would not know what "bute" is. My husband has now taken on the role of not only being a vet... but also being an educator and a psychologist to the ill informed public. This is where the government and media should step in, and educate the general horse owning public and should stop playing the blame game. EI is here to stay; the DPI cannot stop it and the general public need to be educated and ready for when it strikes them.
Vaccination is not the answer; as its efficacy is very questionable indeed. I am constantly amused by the rumour mongering and rubbish being posted on many equine forums at the moment... what the public needs is cold hard facts and advice on this horrid disease.
Also as a vet's wife, I see the huge financial loss to the veterinary industry. My husband's practice and every other Equine practice in Restricted areas are ONLY allowed to deal with flu cases and emergencies.... and are banned by the government to perform any routine vet work. So horses that do not have the flu yet or are not in a life threatening situation cannot be seen by a vet. Spring is usually the time of year when the practice is run off its feet with the busy breeding season... this is not the case. I feel for those vets that are in Restricted areas, but do not have the flu yet, as they are banned from doing any work at all. With this EI crisis in full swing it is crucial that owners keep up to date with their accounts, so that they may have a clear conscience and feel they can call on their vet immediately to help out. EI is dangerous and you will need your vet!
As a horse lover this is were EI becomes gut wrenching. It is very eerie once EI hits your place. Your horses stop whinnying at feed time or when they see you, they stop galloping and playing in their paddocks, they stop pricking their ears, they stop glowing with good health. I even miss the rare (but annoying) gate rattling from some of our more impatient horses. It is a deathly silence that falls upon your place... and all you can hear is the never ending choking cough as snot goes hurtling through the air. They hang their heads between their front legs and stand motionless. It is so depressing. The massive financial losses to both my husband's practice and my business is in the many tens of thousands... but this does not even enter your head at this time. We are both just trying to alleviate the suffering of our equine friends. My horses are the tools of my trade but they are also a living being and have given me many years of good service. It is now my time to serve them and keep them well and alive; after all they are, my best mates.
We will eventually emerge from this EI induced fog and then that will be the time to count losses and once again call upon that resilience to pull through. My thoughts go out to all those affected by this disease as I know what you are going through.
Stay resilient, our Equine friends really need us right now.
Kind Regards,
Catherine Brown
Tathren Stud
www.tathren.com
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