Infectious diseases such as strangles, equine influenza and equine herpes virus can spread quickly where horses share air, water and equipment. An outbreak can mean weeks of movement restrictions, worried owners and real costs. Good biosecurity will not remove every risk, but it makes it much less likely that disease gets in, and much easier to contain if it does.
This guide covers the main measures every yard and stud should have in place. Your vet is the best person to help you build a plan for your own yard, so use this as a starting point for that conversation.
What is equine biosecurity?
Biosecurity is the set of everyday habits that stop infections coming onto your yard and limit their spread if they do. It covers how you bring in new horses, how you check for illness, how you clean and share equipment, and what you do when a horse falls ill.
It works best when it is written down, agreed with owners and staff, and followed all the time. Many yards only tighten up when there is an outbreak nearby, by which point it can be too late.
Which diseases are the main risks?
Strangles
Strangles is one of the most common infectious diseases in horses in the UK. It is caused by bacteria and spreads through direct contact and through shared equipment, water and handlers. Some horses carry it without showing any signs, which is why screening new arrivals matters.
Equine influenza
Flu spreads through the air and can move quickly through a yard. Vaccination greatly reduces both the risk and the severity of illness, and many competition bodies require horses to be vaccinated.
Equine herpes virus
Equine herpes virus (EHV) can cause respiratory illness, abortion in pregnant mares and, in some cases, neurological disease. It is a particular concern for studs and for yards with older horses.
Ringworm and skin infections
Ringworm is a fungal skin infection that spreads easily through shared tack, rugs and grooming kit. It is rarely serious, but it is unpleasant, slow to clear and can also affect people. Keeping each horse’s kit separate is the best defence.
How should you manage new arrivals?
Ask questions before the horse arrives
Ask about vaccination history, recent health and whether the horse’s previous yard has had any disease. Ask to see the passport and the vaccination record before the horse travels.
Isolate new horses
Keep new horses apart from the rest of the yard for a period agreed with your vet. Two to three weeks is common. They should have their own stable or paddock, buckets, haynets, grooming kit and tack.
Consider screening tests
Your vet may recommend tests during isolation, such as a blood test for strangles. A clear result gives you far more confidence before the horse joins the others.
See to isolated horses last
Staff should look after isolated horses at the end of their round, or have dedicated overalls, boots and gloves for them. Everyone should wash their hands thoroughly afterwards.
Why are daily temperature checks so useful?
A raised temperature is often the first sign of infection, sometimes days before a cough or nasal discharge appears. Taking temperatures daily during isolation, and regularly for all horses during higher-risk periods, helps you act early.
Know what normal looks like
A healthy adult horse usually has a temperature of around 37.5°C to 38.5°C, but each horse has its own normal. Record every horse’s usual temperature so you can spot a change quickly.
Signs to report to your vet
- A raised temperature
- Nasal discharge or a cough
- Swollen glands under the jaw or around the throat
- Loss of appetite or unusual dullness
Setting a yard vaccination policy
Agree a vaccination policy with your vet and apply it to every horse on the yard. Most policies cover equine influenza and tetanus as a minimum. Your vet can advise whether other vaccines, such as those for EHV or strangles, make sense for your yard.
Keep copies of vaccination records, check passports when horses arrive and set reminders for boosters. Explain the policy to owners before they move in, so nobody is caught out.
If owners compete, ask them to check the rules of the organisations they compete with. Some require more frequent flu boosters than the usual minimum, and a horse that falls outside the rules may not be allowed to compete.
Hygiene, equipment and visitors
Equipment and water
- Give each horse its own buckets, haynets and grooming kit where you can
- Clean and disinfect stables thoroughly between occupants
- Clean shared water troughs regularly, and reduce nose-to-nose contact at troughs where possible
People and vehicles
- Provide hand-washing facilities and encourage staff, owners and visitors to use them
- Keep a record of visiting horses and where they came from
- Ask farriers, vets and visitors who have been on other yards to take sensible precautions
Cleaning and disinfecting stables
Remove all bedding and muck first, because disinfectant does not work well on dirty surfaces. Wash walls, floors, mangers and drinkers with detergent and water, then rinse. Apply a disinfectant suitable for equine premises at the strength shown on the label, and let the stable dry fully before bedding it down again.
Muck heaps
Keep muck heaps well away from stables, water and grazing, and arrange regular removal.
Who is responsible for biosecurity on a livery yard?
The yard owner sets the rules, but everyone on the yard has a part to play. Horse owners need to keep vaccinations up to date, report signs of illness and follow the isolation rules. Staff need to know the procedures and follow them every day, even when there is no outbreak nearby.
It helps to include the main points in your livery agreement and yard rules. That way everyone has agreed to them in writing before a problem arises.
What should an outbreak plan include?
Decide in advance what you will do if a horse shows signs of infectious disease. When everyone is under pressure, a written plan stops important steps being missed.
Isolation and care
Decide where a sick horse will be isolated and who will look after it. Make sure the isolation area has its own equipment and that staff know the hygiene rules for it.
Movements on and off the yard
Agree when you will stop horses moving on and off the yard, and who makes that decision.
Telling people
Plan how you will tell owners, neighbouring yards, your farrier and anyone due to visit. Being open early protects your reputation and helps stop the disease spreading.
Recovery
Plan how you will clean and disinfect once the outbreak is over. Movements should only start again on your vet’s advice.
Would you like help putting a plan in place? Our welfare, biosecurity and compliance service works with your vet to write practical procedures that your staff and clients can follow.
