Could horse antibodies become a treatment for COVID-19? That is one of the questions posed by medical researchers who are trying to develop treatments for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (aka SARS-CoV-2).

While the international race to develop a vaccine to immunize humans against COVID-19 intensifies, a group of Argentinian researchers have begun human clinical trials on a serum using antibodies derived from horses that could be used as a treatment for people that have the disease. Researchers believe the serum will slow the replication rate of the virus, which lowers the viral load or the amount of virus in the body, and provide already infected human patients with enough time to build their own immune response, says Inmunova, a Buenos Aires-based biotech company.

According to the firm’s website, researchers, including Argentinian equine science specialists, developed the equine hyperimmune serum by inoculating horses with fragments of SARS-CoV-2. That virus infects the cells of a horse’s lungs and other organs through a protein that binds to a receptor and causes the animal to mount an immune response and generate a large amount of neutralizing antibodies.

Plasma is then extracted from the horse, purified, and processed before it is incorporated into a serum to be used to treat human COVID-19 patients.

According to Fernando Goldbaum, Inmunova’s director of scientific research, the use of horses in the production of the serum is highly efficient.

“Equine is a biofactory,” says Goldbaum. “With very few horses, you can get a lot of serum.”

Horse Antibodies Treating Other Diseases Beyond COVID-19

In fact, producing a serum using antibodies derived from horses to treat diseases in humans is not new, says Peter Timoney, MVB, MS, PhD, FRCVS, of the Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, Ky. He is one of the world’s leading experts on equine infectious diseases.

According to Timoney, an equine-derived tetanus antitoxin was used in the past to treat tetanus in humans. Its use is now discontinued due to the risks of hypersensitivity or serum sickness in those being treated, he says. Serum sickness is an allergic reaction to a serum injection characterized by skin rash, joint stiffness and fever.

“It has been replaced by human tetanus immunoglobulin,” Timoney explains. “Equine derived botulism antitoxin is still used however in some countries for the treatment of various forms of human botulism, especially in infants.”

Welfare Considerations

In the case of COVID-19 research, Timoney believes that inoculating the horses with fragments of SARS-CoV2 should not put their health or welfare at risk, so long as the animals are properly cared for to begin with.

“In that regard, full consideration must be given to upholding appropriate standards of welfare in the management and veterinary care of the animals prior to and subsequent to inoculation with the viral preparation,” he says.

On July 29, an Argentinian consortium including Inmunova, the Argentine Biological Institute, Argentina’s National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes, the Leloir Institute Foundation, mAbxience, National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) and the National University of General San Martín announced that it has begun clinical trials to test the effectiveness of the hyperimmune serum in humans by administering the serum to 242 people who have been diagnosed with the disease, but who do not require intensive care or the use of a respirator.

Initial results of the trials are expected in October or November 2020, according to Inmunova’s website.

The company did not disclose expected results or the percentage of serum sickness anticipated in trial participants. In addition, it is not yet known exactly how the treatment might be distributed in the Argentine and international markets if it is proven effective in the fight against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Paul Richards, chief of the Consumer Affairs Branch of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research , says that the FDA is working with drug and biological product makers to bring COVID-19 treatments to the US market.

“The FDA is working with drug and biological product manufacturers, and investigational new drug applicants, to expedite the development and availability of COVID-19 treatments and stands ready to work with medical product developers to clarify regulatory and data requirements necessary to move products forward in development as quickly as possible,” says Richards.

Should this horse antibody serum treatment show promise for defeating COVID-19, it is too early to determine if, how, or when it would become available in the U.S. Time will provide more answers on effectiveness and the possibility of its future use on a larger scale to help those infected with COVID-19.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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Whether it is an open or breed show, a mountain trail challenge, or a mounted archery competition, I love showing. When COVID-19 quickly shut down all events, summer was suddenly feeling empty. Thankfully, horse people are resourceful folk, and several jumped in to create more online horse shows, allowing me to still experience most of the fun of a show … from home. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when I signed up for my first virtual horse show. I definitely have friends who just won’t do them. Here is what I learned about online horse showing and the biggest question: Will I do it again?

Rules and Forms

Since a lot of these shows are being run via Facebook, it gets cumbersome sometimes to find all the rules, forms and patterns. You see a lot of people asking the same questions over and over again, because they just can’t find all the information needed. I definitely had to ask the show operator many questions that I couldn’t find answers to that I think at a normal show would have been clearer.

However, signing up was easy, as it was all done electronically (no printing out show forms and sending in checks)—just remember to write down what classes you signed up for! (I saw quite a few people asking the show secretary what they had signed up for because they had forgotten).

It also seems like these shows are more welcoming to different styles of riding, including bitless, which is wonderful. It allows more people to show their horse, giving most of these shows quite a lot of entries.

Showing on Your Own Time

If you work on the weekends, this might become your favorite thing ever. You usually get around 10 to 14 days to submit your videos after the entry deadline. And trust me, your significant other will be overjoyed they don’t have to get up at 3:00 a.m. to support you at a show—I know mine was! Of course, the flip side is he did have to film all my classes, and that definitely took a bribe of a coffee from the local drive-thru.

It also means you can show over multiple days if you wish. I really enjoyed doing mine all in one day, but you don’t have to—that’s the beauty of the virtual horse shows.

Show Clothes Optional

While I love dressing up and getting my horse all “fancy,” most virtual horse shows do not make show clothes a requirement. As long as you and your horse are clean, you are good. This makes them more accessible for people who can’t afford show clothes. Of course, you are welcome to wear show clothes if you like.

Filming is Challenging

If you think “Each class only takes two minutes and I have 10 classes, I’ll be done in less than half an hour,” you’ll be disappointed. Things happen! The cameraman drops the camara, someone calls you on the phone you are using to video, the list goes on and on. And then there is set-up time for pattern classes, especially trail. I planned mine like a show, to minimize moving and setting up things (as well as tacking and untacking), so I did all my in-hand first, then my bareback class, then saddle classes and trail last.

The part that was most interesting to me was that the filming actually helped me with my riding. With a camera on, I was much more “aware” of what I was doing—just as if I was being judged. I notice I was talking much too loud to my horse and moving my legs more than I should (things of course my trainer tells me, but something about being in front of a camera made it more noticeable.) This was invaluable to me, and I will definitely be filming myself more, showing or not.

Awesome Awards

It seems like most of the online shows have better awards, including amazing ribbons, trophies, buckles, and even cash, than regular shows. My guess is because they are not spending money on renting a facility, so they have more room for cool awards.

Judges’ Feedback

One of the best things is that most of the virtual horse shows gives you the judges’ comments on your classes. This is something you hardly ever get at a pleasure show, and to me, it’s priceless. It’s one of the best ways to help you improve and see why maybe you are not winning in a class you feel you should—you may be doing something that’s knocking you down without even being aware of it!

Of course, you don’t get to hang out with your friends. But you get to hang out with your horse, and you get to watch the videos of the competitors and talk to them via Facebook, almost like at a show. Many people share photos during their filming and even successes or things that frustrated them.

At the end of the day, I was just as dirty, tired and happy as I would have been at a regular show, but with more money in my pocket (since I didn’t have to trailer, pay for a stall, etc.).

The Verdict on My First Virtual Horse Show

I learned a lot. My first virtual horse show was well worth it, and I have already signed up for two more virtual horse shows. And why not? It’s a fun way to pass the time until we can all safely go back to showing like before.

Further Reading

• Equestrians Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Virtual Horse Shows Allow Equestrians to Keep Showing During COVID-19
• Virtual Horse Training and Clinics Spring Up During COVID-19 Pandemic
• General COVID-19 Information from Johns Hopkins

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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The FEI European Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines of jumping, eventing, dressage and para dressage will not be held in 2021 due to the revised dates for the Tokyo Games next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. European Championships in the non-Olympic disciplines will still be organized in 2021.

The Hungarian capital of Budapest had been due to play host to five disciplines next summer—jumping, dressage, para dressage, driving and vaulting—from August 23 to September 5, 2021. However, the proximity of the championships to the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games has meant that it is no longer feasible to run jumping, dressage and para dressage. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations of the first FEI European Driving Championships in Budapest back in 1971, the organizers will maintain both driving and vaulting next year.

The 2021 FEI European Eventing Championships were scheduled to take place August 11-15 at Haras du Pin, France, which is also the venue from the eventing test of the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games, but the decision has been made to cancel those championships following the postponement of Tokyo 2020.

The new dates for the Tokyo Olympic Games are July 23 to August 8, 2021 and the Paralympic Games will run from August 24 through September 5, 2021.

The FEI Board has agreed that the bid process for the 2021 European Championships in these show jumping, eventing, dressage, and para dressage will not be reopened, as all organizers would face the same challenges of trying to host major championships so close to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“Together with the Organizing Committees of both Budapest and Haras du Pin, as well as the Hungarian and French National Federations, we have examined every possible option to try and save the championships in 2021,” said FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez. “But we have reached the regrettable decision that it simply is not possible to have these important events so close to the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.

“While there are some nations that have enough horsepower to send strong teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and also to the European Championships across the four disciplines, we have to offer a level playing field to all eligible countries, and we simply cannot do that in this case, so we have agreed that the focus should be on Tokyo next year.

“Of course, it is desperately disappointing to lose these championships from the 2021 calendar, but we will continue to support Budapest with their double Europeans for driving and vaulting.”

The FEI Secretary General has overall responsibility for the FEI calendar and is currently chairing the eight discipline-specific task forces that have been set up to seek ways of mitigating the effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the FEI calendar, including the knock-on effects into 2021.

“It was the very first time that a Central European country had won the opportunity to organize the prestigious FEI multidiscipline European Championships,” said Dorottya Stróbl, member of the Managing Board of the Budapest Organizing Committee and Secretary General of the Hungarian Equestrian Federation. “We strongly believed that the event would serve as a high motivation for the owners and sponsors in Hungary and in the neighboring countries and promote the sport towards the elite level, but we understand that the significant challenges of holding major FEI championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines in the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has meant that, unfortunately, cancellation was inevitable. However, we will continue to work to ensure the very highest level of FEI driving and vaulting European sport in Budapest next year.”

Valérie Moulin, president of the Ustica Organizing Committee at Haras du Pin, also expressed her disappointment. “We are very disappointed that the rescheduling of Tokyo 2020 has led to the cancellation of the championships in Haras du Pin, but unfortunately we were unable to find alternative dates outside August 2021,” said Moulin. “We had gathered a lot of local partners, and we were financially invested. All riders counted on this date. Nevertheless, we understand that the situation has changed over the last months with the postponement of the Olympic Games. We have made a proposal to the FEI about potentially hosting the championships in 2023, and we look forward to hearing about that.”

For more information about FEI events, please visit www.fei.org.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that entire equestrian competitions and series have needed to be cancelled, boarding barns were forced to close due to lockdowns, and some horse owners found themselves out of work. While this devastated the equine industry, the horses never stopped needing care. In response, veterinarians and farriers who provide much of it, have been challenged to deliver their services in ways that keep their clients safe from COVID-19 without compromising their relationships with them.

“Horse owners want one-on-one relationships,” said farrier TJ Steele, CJF, Dipl. WCF, APF-I. “The trick is to maintain it within the COVID-19 guidelines.”

Under federal and state guidelines, veterinary and farrier practices are designated essential businesses. That means veterinarians and farriers have been allowed to continue performing their duties even during so-called COVID-19 lockdowns, so long as they established certain protocols that conformed to state and local quarantine, distancing and decontamination guidelines.

Changes Made by Veterinarians and Farriers for COVID-19

“For example, when the virus was first announced and the stay-at-home order was in effect, we sent over 50 percent of our team members home for two to seven weeks, depending on each team member’s personal circumstances,” said Liz Yelvington Steele, DVM, of Steele Equine Veterinary Services & Performance Horse Center, and TJ’s wife. “Also, we were available for urgent care and emergency only—we did not see (patients for) elective appointments for three and four weeks.”

When team members were allowed to return to work on as needed basis, general procedures at the facility also changed. Automatic gates were converted to allow only team members to open them. Once clients are inside, technicians meet clients in the parking lot and lead their horses into the facility.

“Most clients are asked to wait in the parking lot,” Yelvington Steele said.

Meanwhile, Steele has adopted biosecurity measures of his own. Normally a horse receiving farrier care would be handled either by a trainer or an owner, who would stand nearby to watch him and his colleague, Alex Garraus, work, and they might ask questions or just socialize. COVID-19 has changed all that.

“When we visit barns, we might have the trainer there or put the horse in the cross-ties and then watch (us) from a distance,” he said. “And because they may not be in the barn with me when I work, I must include visiting with the client in the time I schedule for each job.”

Between clients, everything is disinfected. “Biosecurity is the main thing,” Steele said.

While the procedures are intended to prevent clients’ exposure to the virus, Yelvington Steele still laments that COVID-19 has affected the way she and her husband interact with their clients.

“All of our clients were very understanding and complied with these requests,” Yelvington Steele said. “However, the new protocol is difficult because it is so different from the way we work–treating horses with their owners present and actively engaged.”

According to the Steeles, implementing biosecurity measures will continue to be a priority even as state and local governments lift stay-at-home orders and return to business as usual. How they will permanently change the way horse care professionals, such as veterinarians and farriers, interact with clients during the era of COVID-19 remains to be seen.

“Slowly, we are allowing some client into the facility to observe (their horse’s treatment) through a window or directly into the exam room or workspace,” Yelvington Steele said. “But even though we will allow clients full access to our facility during appointments, I foresee enhanced biosecurity protocols, such as handwashing, disinfecting surfaces and social distancing to continue.”

Steele agrees.

“And as things loosen up, we’ll move a bit back toward the way it was,” he said. “But if we see the virus come back, we will go right back to the COVID-19 protocol.”

Further Reading

• Equestrians Cope With the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Horse Owners Share Impact of Quarantines Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
• Maintaining a Boarding Barn Business Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Virtual Horse Shows Allow Equestrians to Keep Showing During COVID-19
• Virtual Horse Training and Clinics Spring Up During COVID-19 Pandemic

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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The Online Riders Collective is proud to launch Clinics for a Cause to help mitigate the struggles equestrians are facing due to COVID-19. From not being able to ride to facing lost income, riders and equine business owners are experiencing unprecedented challenges.

Clinics for a Cause invites riders to submit video to the top trainer of their choice in any discipline for just $25. The proceeds go to benefit the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s (EAF) COVID-19 relief fund for equestrian business owners.

Riders can choose from world-class professionals, including Boyd and Silva Martin, Lauren Sprieser, Don Stewart, Sissy Wickes, Lendon Gray, Laura Kraut, Norman Dello Joio, Phillip Dutton, Jennie Brannigan, Louise Serio, Sandy Ferrell, Val Renihan, Jamie Bissell, and more.

Alice Bruno, Jess Clawson, and Sissy Wickes founded Clinics for a Cause in March 2020 and have already seen an enthusiastic response from the equestrian community. “This program has accelerated at a pace we could not have anticipated,” says Bruno. “We are thrilled to be part of the #HorsemenHelpingHorsemen mission of the Equestrian Aid Foundation.”

Sissy Wickes has been instrumental to the project from the beginning. “Our equestrian industry has a long history of stepping up to help those in need, says Wickes. “I am proud to say that Clinics for a Cause is another example of the generosity of spirit that pervades our community. I am honored to be a part of raising money for the EAF as they financially support our community.”

EAF, founded in 1996, provides emergency, lifesaving financial grants to horsemen and women coping with loss of income due to catastrophic injury or illness. EAF invests in the future of its recipients, giving them the resources to recover and thrive in the face of adversity.

Through its Disaster Relief Fund, EAF assists equestrian communities in the aftermath of natural disasters or other events unpreventable through reasonable cautionary measures. EAF has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering grants to equestrian professionals in unexpected financial crisis due to industry cancellations, closures, and shutdowns. For more information, please click here.

“This is a time when our community is coming together to find new ways to stay connected,” said EAF founder R. Scot Evans. “It’s a time to reflect, a time to learn, and most importantly, a time to support each other. We are so appreciative of the clinicians who have stepped forward to offer their years of knowledge and professional depth. They are turning this uncertain time into a period of growth.”

Professionals in any discipline who are interested in participating as trainers should send an email to onlineriderscollective@gmail.com to be added to the roster. Trainers will be promoted through ORC and EAF and will promote this important fundraising effort through their social media audiences.

Visit www.onlineriderscollective.com to sign up for a clinic. Follow the Online Riders Collective on Facebook and Instagram, and the EAF on Facebook and Instagram.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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The novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes the disease known as coronavirus disease 2019, or most commonly known as COVID-19. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Just like every industry, COVID-19 has caused numerous impacts to every breed, discipline, and partipant within the horse industry.

In May 2020, the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health completed phase one of a four-phase study randomly testing more than 4,600 individuals for COVID-19 across the state. The results of phase one found that the virus was nearly six times more deadly than the seasonal flu and that about 45 percent of people who tested positive for active viral infection reported no symptoms at all.

There are two types of tests for COVID-19, one which tells you if you have an active viral infection and the other tests for antibodies against the disease, which indicates if you have been exposed and built antibodies in response to the virus. Horse Illustrated has been covering the impact of COVID-19 on the horse industry as the pandemic has progressed. To view that complete coverage, visit www.horseillustrated.com/tag/coronavirus.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

COVID-19 and the Horse Industry

• Although equines can contract a form of coronavirus, it is a different virus than COVID-19. As of mid-June no evidence had been found to show that horses could get the virus from humans or vice versa. Cases of COVID-19 in wild and domestic felines and domestic canines have been documented, however.

• The American Horse Council (AHC) has released data from their COVID-19 horse industry survey, which resulted in 105 survey responses representing 974 horses through June 5, 2020. The respondents were from all sizes of organizations and businesses and included individuals from 33 states. Participants were from all sectors including: 12% racing; 39% competition; 27% recreational riding, and 22% other. Participants also came from diverse roles in the industry, including: 39% owners; 15% trainers; 8% lesson providers; 5% breeders; 5% professional service providers and 28% other.

The impact on participants’ livelihoods included: 41% who had to scale back their business; 35% doing remote work; 21% that had closed their business; 17% who were working for reduced wages; 8% who were laid off; 7% who were furloughed; and 24% had other impacts (Note: respondents were asked to indicate all impacts that applied).

When asked about types of assistance needed: 39% needed no assistance; 24% wanted grants or disaster relief; 14% wanted a business loan; 11% needed free feed, hay, or vaccines; 5% used fundraising ideas; 4% needed consulting services, and 3% needed volunteers.

When asked how many horses might be displaced, participants stated a total of 163 (or 17%) of the total population represented might need fostering or adoption. To participate in their next round of this survey, visit www.horsecouncil.org.

• AHC has also lobbied Congress for the passage of two bills that may prove beneficial to the horse industry during the pandemic. The first is the CARES Act—and its related bills—which have passed and include small business support and the Payroll Protection Program. The second, newer bill that was being considered in Congress in mid-June is the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), which is aimed at “getting Americans outside while promoting the health of recreational riders and other outdoor enthusiasts,” according to the AHC’s Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Bryan Brendle.

• Equestrian businesses, farms and ranches seeking help during the pandemic have a few resources available. Financial aid and other assistance may be applied for through the U.S. government’s CARES Act, but also through two equestrian support organizations: the Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF) at www.equestrianaidfoundation.org and the Show Jumping Relief Fund at www.showjumpingrelieff.wixsite.com/home. As of mid-May, each organization had processed more than 200 requests for grants.

• Some states also have other charitable organizations that residents can turn to for help. That list can be found at the United Horse Coalition’s website at www.unitedhorsecoalition.org/covid-19-resources.

• The University of Turin in Italy, the Italian Ministry of Sport, and the Italian Committee (CONI) have conducted a survey calculating the probabilities of COVID-19 contamination through sport. Several Olympic sports were assigned a “risk indicator” between 0 (almost non-existent risk) to 4 (very high risk). Training conditions, competitions, and audience presence were variables considered to assess each sport. While equestrian sport received a 0 risk level (as well as other sports like tennis and golf), the risk of contamination increases when riding in a group, such as polo or racing. However, these disciplines are still considered a 1 risk level (low). Team sports were found to have a higher probability of contamination, beginning with a 2 for risk level for sports like water polo. Soccer was determined to be a 3 risk level, while volleyball, basketball, and American football have the highest probability at a 4 risk level.

• For those that compete through the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), USEF’s website offers a comprehensive COVID-19 information page under the “Breaking News” banner near the top of their homepage. All of the USEF’s rule changes, announcements, and resources are there, as well as links to COVID-19 information from their affiliate organizations. There is also a state-by-state COVID tracker document, which is updated frequently.

• For those that compete internationally, the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI’s) COVID-19 information page can be found at https://inside.fei.org/fei/covid-19.

• For those competing in Canada, Equine Canada’s COVID-19 information page, including information on financial aid, can be found at www.equestrian.ca.

• COVID-19 news from Europe: Pascal Renauldon reports an online benefit auction in France in early May called the “Treasures of Champions” raised over 36,000 Euros to benefit riding schools in the country during the pandemic. On June 1, Kim Lundin said Sweden was starting a gradual return to showing in June and reports that barn owners had the choice to stay open with precautions or close completely during the pandemic. In Germany, Jan Tönjes explains that each state had different restrictions depending on the severity of the outbreak, and that, as of early June, shows in some states were beginning again with restrictions similar to the U.S. (limited number of people per horse, masks, social distancing, etc.). In the United Kingdom, shows began again in June and July, starting with schooling and smaller rated shows first.

For more information about COVID-19 as a whole, please visit the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) at www.who.int. For more information on all clinical trials being conducted to develop a vaccine, visit the website for the National Institute of Health at www.nih.gov/coronavirus.

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Equestrians and equine business owners nationwide, and in Canada, share their stories of how they’ve been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Their stories give a glimpse at the inevitable negative impacts to the horse industry as a whole and also the resiliency of horse people to keep on keeping on with their horses.

Changes to Business

Trafalgar Square Books subsidiary HorseandRiderBooks.com in North Pomfret, Ver., reported the third week in April that even though their wholesale business to tack shops and book stores was down sharply due to closures, their direct sales to consumers through their website saw an uptick. “I believe during this crisis more people are aware and sensitive to supporting small businesses like ours and are choosing to order directly rather than via online giants,” shares Trafalgar Square Managing Director Martha Cook.

Meagan Maloney operates Tiara Equine, a dressage and eventing barn with a Knabstrupper breeding program in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. Maloney reported in mid-May that they had been closed to the public due to COVID-19 governmental restrictions for two months, but that she was starting to hear inconsistent news that they may be allowed to reopen soon.

Getting Home

When her Ontario barn closed in March, Maloney was still in Florida with 10 horses and says that their trip home was harrowing with delayed health papers, cancelled commercial drivers, and border crossing difficulties. In the end, she and her assistant trainer each had to drive a vehicle to get the horses home, posting about their trip on social media, which generated much-needed moral support. Once home, she self-quarantined for 14 days before returning to her barn.

She says she found two families to foster some of their retired school horses and was able to lease out a sales horse to help with finances during the shutdown.

Pandemic Precautions

Maloney lists ways she and the equestrians at her barn are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. “We’ve made a video for clients to see what precautions we are taking within the barn,” she says. “We recently started paddock visits for one client at a time to come visit their horse safely. I have offered discounted training programs to clients, so we have 24 horses in three to five days of training a week. My ‘schoolies’ are still in work too; we want to minimize risk of injury by ensuring they are ready when we reopen.

“I encouraged our partial boarders to continue their part-board by offering a portion of their costs back to them in the form of ‘lesson cash’ that essentially provides free lessons when we return,” she continues. “We’re currently running a makeover fundraiser by offering a spring clean-up of the horses. My staff took ‘guess who’ photos while they worked, depicting a series of eyes or ears or noses [of the horses], and sent them out to make a little competition for the clients who couldn’t visit.”

Speaking of staff adjustments, Maloney and her staff have been quite innovative in dealing with the challenges of the pandemic by working split shifts with no crossover, cleaning in between shifts, and color-coding tools and supplies with each staff member assigned a different color for their tools.

A Tight Ship to Start

In Snow Camp, N.C., FEI dressage rider Eliza Sydnor Romm runs a dressage training program with 12 to 14 horses in full training and has several employees. She specializes in starting young horses and also travels to teach.

“I closed it down on March 24 to everyone but myself, my assistant trainer and one barn worker,” says Sydnor Romm. “We would work the horses each day and send pics and videos to the clients. Around April 10, I decided to let my full training clients come back for regular riding. But, we get their horse ready and put the horse away afterwards. They keep their boots and helmet with them in their car so that they don’t ever need to come in the barn.”

Technology Tips

During her pandemic barn closure, Sydnor Romm started two new YouTube projects, the first being an exercise of the day for her clients and the other a video series on how to start a young horse. “#ExerciseOfTheDay was an idea to keep my students engaged, but has spread much farther than just my own students,” she says. “I have a gorgeous young horse in training that I am starting. So, I took this opportunity to do something I had thought about doing for years and am making a series of videos on how I start young horses. It’s come out better than I’d hoped, and people seem very engaged with it.”

She says she was able to continue giving some of her private lessons to equestrians durign the COVID-19 pandemic that were within reasonable driving distance by making use of earbuds and the rider’s cell phone or plugging their earbuds into her wireless headphone information system and then wiping it down between clients.

She also has started teaching a few remote lessons and thinks they are fun and work well, because she has no overhead, and it takes her less time since she doesn’t have to drive anywhere. She plans to return to showing in her area at the end of June so that she can trailer in for the day. She expects to go to shows further afield in the fall, if all goes well.

Back to Showing

Moving to Florida, Equestrian Sports Productions (ESP) in Wellington hosted some of the earliest shows for equestrians after restrictions began to lift from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. They staged schooling shows in late May and early June at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, putting in place the United States Equestrian Federation’s biosecurity safety measures, which effectively made them a “beta test” for restarting equestrian competition.

Michael Stone, president of ESP, sums up how it went. “The new protocols are working well,” he says. “The vast majority of people are complying and are very respectful of each other and the situation. At the very beginning, we had a few holes in the access points to the venue, but we fixed them very quickly.”

Trials for the Trail Riders

Midwest Trail Ride Horsemen’s Campground in Norman, Ind., is adjacent to the 203,000-acre Hoosier National Forest. The 69-acre facility normally hosts campers and day riders from early April to early November, but the state-mandated closure cost them two of their busiest months, which really hurt.

“We are normally busiest in April and May and then again in the fall,” explains Kim Humphries, who is co-owner with her husband, Jeff. “Since we were allowed to open Memorial Day weekend, we have been busier than normal so far through mid-June. We hope that this trend continues, but we have to wait and see.

The Humphries have re-spaced the parking areas and the configuration of the cabins and brought in a professional crew for a deep cleaning, in addition to their normal daily routine. They also provide spray bottles of disinfectant for campers to use in the shower house and bathrooms before and after they use the facilities.

Boarding Barn Adjustments

In southwestern Illinois near St. Louis, amateur equestrian and mathematician Jen Emig boards her Thoroughbred gelding Eli at a public barn. She reports that her barn closed to all but boarders and people leasing horses who were allowed to visit their horses only during scheduled times. Only boarders could have lessons, which were scheduled for 30 minutes during one-hour time slots so that there was no overlap between clients. The maximum number of clients at the barn at any one time was limited to one horse owner or lessee visiting their horse and one rider that was taking a lesson. A parent could accompany their child to the barn.

Emig talked about what it was like in Illinois, which announced its stay-at-home order on March 20. “On March 22, we started having to sign up online for hour slots using [the app] Sign Up Genius. We sanitize the things everyone touches at the barn. We have wipes and sprays right when you walk in the door, as well as around the barn. My barn requested that everyone wear masks in common areas, and our lounge is closed. The barn owner also alternated times for farriers and vets to visit. Our barn’s June show was cancelled, and the owner says he has lost quite a bit of money.”

Working Ranch Workarounds

In Hempstead, Texas, near Houston, Alexis Ellison works for a large working ranch and polo operation. Ellison also breeds and trains sport horses and is a farrier. In early June, she outlined what happened in their state, saying that they did have shutdowns of schools and businesses and practiced social distancing. But for her, life on the ranch was fairly isolated anyway.

Ellison still had to care for the animals and train horses. And her farrier business was only impacted a small amount. Organized polo matches and shows were put on pause in Texas and only resumed in mid-May. She headed out to her first show since the pandemic began on the first weekend in June.

“I think the experience of people like me, who live far outside a city, is vastly different than what your average city dweller has been through,” she shares. “Luckily [since] the agriculture services I provide are a necessity, I was able to get through this without significant financial stress. My heart goes out to all those people who are not so lucky. The new normal is definitely challenging. We have sanitizer in all the work trucks and horse trailers here on the ranch and minimize high-traffic situations.”

Tourism Tanks During COVID-19

Bitterroot Ranch near Yellowstone National Park in Dubois, Wyo., and their related Equitours Company, are both owned by the Fox family. The third week of March, they feared they would not be able to open either business in 2020. Fox shared the following update on June 13: “We have been open for two weeks but have had many bookings postponed. It will be a very bad season, the worst in 50 years. Most dude ranches in Wyoming will not open this year.”

City vs. County Restrictions in California

In California, according to Marnye and Larry Langer of Langer Equestrian Group, equine-related activities fell under the heading of “essential services,” but it was difficult to tell exactly what that meant. “It was further complicated by the fact that various counties had different levels of restriction,” explains Marnye Langer. “We had non-horse people writing requirements for horse operations. As time progressed, we worked closely with the trainers at Hanson Dam Horse Park and worked out some protocols where horse owners could come to the property and start to ride.”

As of early June, Los Angeles County had given them reopening protocols to follow, but re-starting shows in California had not yet been achieved, mostly due to conflicting city and county restrictions across California. The Langers pointed to another equestrian sector casualty of the pandemic—cancelling shows equals lost jobs.

“I began to feel like my theme song was Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust.’ In one week alone I sent eight show cancellation notices to USEF,” she says. “It is so hard to see staff, officials, and the many, many people who rely on horse shows for a significant portion of their income really struggling. This situation points out one of the challenges our industry needs to grapple with, the many people who live right on the margin. Many of the workers in our industry don’t have savings and also were not eligible for unemployment.”

The Langers know the social aspect of horse showing is important to most people, even those competing at the highest levels, and that it will be difficult to get used to this new normal. But, they remain optimistic and feel that equestrians will rise to the occasion. “New ways of having fun at a horse show will arise,” says Marnye Langer. We need to stay open-minded and creative.”

The Unknowns of Summer Camp

California-based eventer Lisa Sabo reported in mid-June that since her operation is based out of the state-owned Orange County Fairgrounds where there are a lot more restrictions in place, she is still not fully back to business there. “At the fairgrounds, we maintain social distancing, and when we are on foot we must wear masks. Right now, we can exercise horses there, but that’s it.”

Sabo explains that in her area some private barns have already started to reopen, so for now she has moved part of her program to a farm where there are fewer restrictions. She and her husband Brian have both an eventing competition barn and the Newport Mesa Riding Center, with a string of 12 lesson horses who have to be cared for. While the competition barn suffered from a lack of income, the riding school went into the red quickly when the shutdown was imposed.

She is a big believer in educating youth to develop the next generation of equestrians. “We need to feed our sport from the base,” she says. “We normally run summer camps, but I don’t think we are going to be able to this year. But, we are super hopeful that we can still have some sort of modified horsemanship classes for the children this summer while maintaining the COVID-19 distancing rules.”

Moving into the summer of 2020, equestrian activities have resumed in much of North America, but the pandemic has also spiked again in a number of locations.

HorseIllustrated.com invites you to share COVID-19 coping ideas from your stable in the comments below so that all equestrians can unite and safely enjoy our horses and our sport.

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The Infectious Disease Committee of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has issued revised guidelines for the administration of selected core and risk-based vaccines to horses. The recommendations are based on the age of the horse and its previous vaccination history and are meant to serve as a reference for veterinarians.

Reviewed AAEP vaccination guidelines include the core vaccinations Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (WEE), and Rabies; and the risk-based vaccinations Anthrax, Botulism, Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA), Equine Influenza, Leptospirosis, Potomac Horse Fever Rotaviral Diarrhea, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis (VEE).

Among important modifications to the AAEP Vaccination Guidelines for Horses:

◆ The Adult Horse Vaccination and Foal Vaccination charts have been updated to match changes made in various vaccination guidelines and vaccine manufacturer label recommendations. Changes to the foal chart also include updates to the rabies vaccination recommendations for vaccinated vs. unvaccinated mares. Changes to the adult horse chart include updates to the broodmare section to recommend vaccinating those mares pre-partum with a “respiratory EHV” product in addition to the abortion product.
◆ The Anthrax guidelines indicate that the disease can be contracted in an endemic area via vector-borne transmission. Further recommendations have been added for horses during an outbreak (e.g., vaccinate afebrile horses not showing clinical signs).
◆ The EEE and WEE guidelines encourage veterinarians to consult with vaccine manufacturers for their geographic region and to consider the region’s case frequency for the current year and in recent years.
◆ The Equine Influenza guidelines include recommendations for horses that have recovered from natural infection. It also notes that some facilities and competitions may require vaccination within the previous 6 months to enter.
◆ The EVA guidelines indicate that the occasional stallion may shed very low concentrations of vaccine virus in its semen for several days following first-time EVA vaccination and the recommendation to confirm negative status prior to vaccination.
◆ The Leptospirosis guidelines incorporate recommendations for foals as young as 3 months of age and emphasize that the licensed vaccine is safe for pregnant mares at all stages of parturition.
◆ The Rabies guidelines provide guidance for how to approach a horse that has been exposed to a confirmed rabid animal.

The Infectious Disease Committee stresses that veterinarians, through an appropriate veterinarian-client-patient relationship, should use the recommendations, coupled with available products, to determine the best professional care for their patients. Horse owners should consult with a licensed veterinarian before initiating a vaccination program.

“The goal of the guidelines is to provide current information that will enable veterinarians and clients to make thoughtful and educated decisions on vaccinating horses in their care,” explained Infectious Disease Committee Chair Dr. Katie Flynn. “The impact of infectious disease has been felt across the equine industry in recent years, and the committee hopes that these guidelines will be a useful tool in preventing or mitigating the effects of equine infectious disease.”

The committee also emphasizes that routine vaccinations are considered essential during this COVID-19 pandemic, and overdue vaccinations should be completed to help prevent disease in horses. Duration of immunity for some vaccines might be limited to 6 months; therefore, maintaining a routine vaccination schedule is critical for horses at high risk of developing these diseases, and vaccinations should be scheduled as soon as reasonably possible to ensure the health and welfare of the horse. In all cases, veterinarians should consider local conditions and current state-imposed regulations to determine when vaccinations can be completed safely during this unprecedented time.

The committee, comprised of researchers, vaccine manufacturers, regulatory veterinarians and private practitioners, regularly reviews these guidelines and provides updates online, with in-depth reviews occurring every three years. The complete AAEP Vaccination Guidelines, along with easy reference charts, are available online.

About the American Association of Equine Practitioners

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than five million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry. Visit www.aaep.org.

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With many horses seeing their exercise schedules suddenly reduced or eliminated, questions have cropped up if this creates a higher risk of colic during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian National Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines is clear: Horses must have some form of exercise or turnout unless under stall rest for medical reasons or severe environmental conditions make this temporarily impossible. Equine Guelph encourages concerned horse owners and caretakers to assess their risk and adjust management practices to help reduce their chance of colic using a free online healthcare tool: The Colic Risk Rater.

One key to reducing the incidence of colic is making changes slowly. This includes exercise, feed changes, and more. Kristen Frederick, DVM, BSc, is just one veterinarian and equestrian providing helpful insight to keep everyone grounded during these rapidly changing times.

“The COVID-19 epidemic is a public health emergency,” says Frederick. “All small businesses are taking a serious hit with this pandemic, including riding instructors and owners of boarding and lesson facilities. I’d like to address a few points that have cropped up on the internet.

“Yes, horses need exercise, but they will get by if not ridden by their owner that is complying with social distancing,” she continues. “Access to turnout, longeing, and handwalking are all options that can continue to be provided while restricting barn access to essential personnel only. If your barn is well run, there is NO reason your colic rates should go up.

“Barns, like any public institution, involve multiple people touching the same gates, stall latches, grooming tools, tack, brooms etc.” continues Frederick. “Leather tack is difficult to disinfect. Disease will spread in a barn just as it will in any social environment. It’s worth bearing in mind that the longer we fail to comply with social distancing recommendations, the more damage the virus can do, and this will deepen the already profound economic effects.”

High-grain, low-forage diets and sudden changes in diet are two of the top risk factors for equine colic, whether during COVID-19 or not.

If you have concerns about your horse, call or e-mail your equine veterinarian for advice.

Another important task during these difficult times is to stay in touch with your hay supplier to ensure a consistent supply. You don’t want to run so low that you lose the ability to implement safe periods from one batch of hay to the next.

Check your colic risk with the interactive Colic Risk Rater tool linked above, kindly sponsored by CapriCMW. And remember, riding is not the only way your horse can receive the benefits of exercise. Be safe everyone!

Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and caregivers’ Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government—for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of overbuying of food, and this is not only at the grocery stores. Horse owners may have an urge to buy more feed than usual, and horse owners should plan ahead for their equine feed needs, but not too far ahead.

Bob Coleman, extension equine specialist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, urged horse owners to take a step back and think before making extra feed purchases.

“I can certainly understand that horse owners may be a bit worried about the feed supply,” he said. “I think it’s always smart, not just during a pandemic, to think ahead and try to anticipate your normal feed needs. Maybe plan to buy a little bit more than usual, but don’t go overboard.”

Thinking about feed needs in terms of a week or two at a time will help horse owners feel confident they have enough to cover those needs.

“If the truck delivers feed on say Tuesday, think about what you need for a week to 10 days and add a little buffer for unknowns like weather, plant delays, things like that,” Coleman said. “Also, you need to think about where you’re going to store any excess feed.”

Bagged feed needs to be off the ground and dry to keep it from any critters and from becoming moldy. Also, make sure horses don’t have easy access to feed storage areas.

“You want to make sure you store the oldest bag on top, so that you use it first,” he said. “Or if you use bulk feeders, make sure the oldest feed is on the bottom, so you use it first. This is just a best management practice, so you can make sure you maintain freshness.”

Buying a month’s worth of feed is probably too much. With all the closures related to COVID-19, horses are not as active as usual and that reduces their energy expenditures and ultimately the amount of feed they require.

“Work with your feed supplier or contact your local extension agent if you need help determining your horse’s nutritional needs,” Coleman said. “They may need more hay and less grain right now. It’s also good to ask the feed supplier what their COVID-19 procedures are right now. They may not be able to load the feed for you, if you pick it up yourself.”

Coleman emphasized that wanting to plan ahead for equine feed is not something unique to pandemic times.

“You always need to be thinking ahead about what you need, where you’re going to get it, and how you’re going to store it,” he said. “No one wants to run out, but you also don’t want to get into a situation where you have to throw out feed.”

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, through its land-grant mission, reaches across the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension to enhance the lives of Kentuckians.

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