There is always one in the crowd!

“There is always one…”

To say I am disappointed is probably a huge understatement. There is always one in the crowd that ruins it for everyone else. As a horse owner in the “Red Zone” of the Berry area of NSW, I and the majority of owners are following strict bio-security measures to the nth degree. If the DPI are being straight with us, it seems to be working and so far only two properties right next to each other is the only infected locale (Broughton Village) in the Berry area to this point (Tuesday, 2nd of October) and this all began on the 25th of August!

What disappoints me is that we have a professional rider in our area that does not seem care about anyone but himself. A friend called me the other day lamenting about this person. This professional rider has been seen out riding with a second rider by a number of different people on a regular basis around the roads and tracks in the Broughtonvale area of Berry which has remained an EI free location to this point.

This will not be the case for long though if he keeps this up as he is actually going onto other properties that have horses. Individuals who have witnessed this irresponsible attitude find this behaviour frustrating and even a bit frightening that he thinks so little of the rest of us (other horse owners and their horses) and what is happening around Australia and continues to do as he pleases. Because he can be such a nasty piece of work no one wants to be the one to turn him in. Well the rest of the horse community in Berry would like to give him notice from this moment on. Wake up to yourself “mate” and accept the reality of this situation, you are not immune from all the rules and regulations we all have been abiding by!

We have literally been “chafing at the bit” to get off our properties and just have a ride or attend a show (any show!)! We know that this is just not possible though and console ourselves over a good stiff drink and talk about what we will do once the quarantine is lifted. We are lucky in this area as we have a number of different barriers including escarpments and wind direction this time of year that have probably helped prevent the spread of EI so far. To keep this “Red Zone” ‘clean’ though everyone needs to follow the rules that the DPI have set up and prevent the spread of this nasty virus. There can not be any slackers!

The B.S. that everyone should let their horses get this virus and get it over and done with is also a bit frightening as I have friends in other red and purple zones that have/had very sick horses and foals. One friend has even had one horse that has died as a direct result from complications of EI and these “ain’t no racehorses” but beloved pets and expensive show horses. I suppose if you have a healthy strong animal you may not be that concerned as your animal(s) will probably recover and live to fight another day. Or will they? Who really knows and do you want to take that chance? Either we vaccinate every and all horses in these “danger zones” no matter what their profession may be or continue “no movement status” or a combination of both methods to eradicate this virus. This new vaccine, Merial ProteqFlu (live canary pox combination) that has just arrived from France (according to an expert at the D.P.I.) is a much more potent vaccine that should see very few horses acquiring the virus if they have been vaccinated (unlike many of the overseas horses that have only been vaccinated with a killed vaccine --we’ll see…).

However, WHO will ultimately pay or compensate in one way or another for all of our vet bills, lost wages, disappointed and disheartened children/equine enthusiasts, Pony Clubs and local Riding Clubs going bust, businesses without any income that are fast approaching their breaking point, etc.? The government’s feeble attempts at assistance to this point are a drop in the bucket, much more needs to be done especially for those businesses that can not survive for much longer. Coupled with the Drought, many are suffering immeasurably. This includes the smallest trainer/coach to the guy who mucks out stalls, owns a tack shop, sells food or takes pictures or even builds courses at Horse Competitions and Agriculture Shows! The long term affects will be catastrophic for many and the “ripple effect” will be felt for a number of years by everyone not just the Australian Horse Industry.

At least most of these bigger racing stables will have already been carrying insurance on their animals; it is part of their business. How can most of us afford to have done this beforehand and certainly will not be possible at this point in time?

It seems that Racing NSW is taking some of the responsibility for this virus arriving in Australia through one of its thoroughbred stallions (byway of Japan…) by helping to supposedly subsidise the current vaccines (a more pessimistic person would claim that Peter V’Landys and his organisation are only trying to have more say on who gets these vaccines…). A.Q.I.S. is also so deeply involved in this controversy; it is hard to separate responsibility between these two entities (Racing NSW and A.Q.I.S.).

This unfortunately is so little so late as both groups must accept blame for causing the biggest predicament the Australian Horse Industry in general has ever had to face in its long history. If I and my friends have this wrong pleassssse correct us as we have been disseminating every bit of information through every possible source (right or wrong…) since the 25th of August when this nightmare started. We would love to have the real story if it is otherwise (but me thinks this is probably close…!).

Just Another Confused Horse Owner Caught Up In This Chaos!