Victoria steps up security to keep horse flu out

Follow this link to read how Victoria is trying to keep out horse flu.

Forth Coming Shows in SA

To all organisers of the Meeting held in Mount Gambier I apologise for my non attendance but due to "a leg injury myself" I was
in Adelaide having assessment.

I am very disappointed that only 2 trainers or those associated with racing attended as a past trainer here in the South East and
now Harness competitor I can only emphasise the importance of the epidemic - having a son on a large Thoroughbred stud in Scone,
NSW the effect it is having not only in the thoroughbred industry but to all people associated with any race meeting, show, pony club
it does not matter. The thing to remember that it is not over.

My son has indicated the influenza can have a radius of 8 km's and can be carried by man, dog and perhaps the most dangerous - a bird!
Losing our Royal Show is devastating enough to a lot of people but it was done to protect us all.

Can someone enlighten me to our forth coming shows and what may be happening with them.

Once again my apologies.
Kris Meyer

Money Talks

It's interesting that attention has been directed to the financial cost of EI and not to equine welfare per se. I doubt that the general public will feel too sorry for the wealthy breeders in The Hunter Valley who's foals may catch the flu. they would likely assume that any losses are built into their business plan and can be written off, or are covered by insurance premiums.

To an extent this same sentiment would apply to so-called recreational horse owners and breeders & trainers. The hay 'handouts' to a few individuals unlucky to be quarantined around NSW & Qld is paltry when compared to the revenue collected though GST and other taxes, even more disparity exists between the dollars collected from gambling and other taxes associated with the racing industries. So breeders, trainers, dealers and Olympic aspirants (Olympians often involved also in the three former groups) get the majority of the general and equine media coverage surrounding EI.

What should be concerning everyone in the community is the likely short term quick-fix solutions which may be taken with regards EI. This could have massive implications for the future costs not only within equine husbandry but other health implications should another exotic disease arrive which is not as species-specific, bird-flu for example.

While the issue of the states applying separate standards and measures to disease control is a worry, the scrabble to protect self-interests is equally of concern. We've heard members of the racing industry refer to any animal not of a certain pedigree dismissed as 'recreational' we've heard International jumping trainers refer to national level competitors as 'pleasure riders'.

For Pete's sake.. "a horse is a horse of course of course" and his welfare and that of the human population of Australia is what I care about - not the incomes of a select few.

Anonymous.

No real time as to when this will end.

As a horse lover living in Glossodia I was very shocked when my gelding got the virus, he is on the tail end of it now we were one of the first in the area to get it, we got it from the property next door who's horses are 32 and 35 yrs old - yes they are ok.

It will be hard being quarantined for 50 days as we have a horse at Box Hill recovering from injury and I will now have to pay the vet each week to tend to him when I would normally do it myself. I feel for everyone who is stuck away from home with no real time as to when this will end.

Anonymous.

Video on the signs and syptoms of Horse Flu

Follow this link to a video produced by Dr Nathan Anthony of the Anstead Veterinary Practice with footage of the clinical signs of horses with confirmed EI.