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Biosecurity2026-07-07T11:52:36+01:00

BIOSECURITY & DISEASES

STRANGLES

It is vital to stay on the alert for possible Strangles. Please continue to be vigilant, check before you travel, and follow the guidelines below to prevent the spread of strangles in your area. Further updates and new cases will be listed here when information becomes available.

We are here to help

Any suspected case of Ringworm, Strangles, Equine Flu or EHV must be notified to the HPA. Please contact the office by calling 01367 242828 or emailing equine@hpa-polo.co.uk, rather than contacting staff individually. Information is treated in the strictest confidence, and we are here to support you with advice and next steps.

Contact HPA
The HPA rules state that any suspected case of Ringworm, Strangles, Equine Flu and EHV must be notified to the HPA, and that a pony cannot be played again until signed off by a vet. These guidelines have been produced to help Players, Club Managers and Welfare Representatives.
The spread of equine disease is a perpetual risk given that polo yards have a large turnover of ponies including ponies that have been travelled from other countries. Strangles and ringworm (and all other skin diseases including Canadian Pox and Girth Rash) are in particular highly contagious equine diseases, and suspected outbreaks of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) are being reported at an increasing frequency. All owners and Welfare Officers are encouraged to read the HBLB Codes of Practice to prevent specific diseases. Available online at codes.hblb.org.uk .
 In order to safeguard the horses under your care, all staff should be trained in disease prevention, hygiene, identification, and control procedures.

Isolate new arrivals for a period of 10 days or introduce horses from properties with a known high health status only. Isolate and pay particular attention to horses from sales complexes, from unknown mixed population yards and those that have used commercial horse transport servicing mixed populations.
Verify the vaccine status of new arrivals.
Keep records of horse movements so that contacts can be traced in the event of a disease outbreak.

Regularly clean and disinfect stables, equipment, and transport between horses
Remove as much organic material as possible before disinfection.
Control rodents and keep feed in rodent-proof containers.
Have separate water and feed buckets, grooming kit, rugs etc for each pony.

The following are a set of vital signs for the normal healthy horse and appropriate examinations for general health:

  • Temperature 36.5-38.5C
  • Breathing rate 8-15 breaths/min
  • Heart rate (at rest) 25-45 beats/min
  • Capillary refill time (in gums) – 1-2secs
  • Look for eye or nose discharges
  • Observe how the horse is standing
  • Check for consistency and number of droppings
  • Check consumption from water buckets
  • Assess horse’s general demeanour

Contact your veterinary surgeon if any of your horses show clinical signs of sickness and isolate horses at the first sign of sickness until an infectious or contagious disease has been ruled out. Do not move sick horses except for isolation, veterinary treatment or under veterinary supervision.
Maintain controlled access for vehicles and visitors.
Provide hand washing facilities and hand disinfection gel for staff handling groups of horses and provide separate protective clothing and footwear for handling and treating sick horses.
Attend to sick horses last (ie feed, water and treat) or use separate staff. Extract taken from the NTF Code of Practice for Infectious Diseases of Racehorses in Training – June 2012

Strangles

Strangles is a highly contagious, bacterial respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus equi. The first signs include a high temperature, lethargy, and nasal discharge and suspected cases should be isolated immediately. Horses can become carriers of strangles and it may lie dormant for some time before the horse begins to spread the bacteria to others.

Strangles Guidelines

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal skin infection that spreads quickly through direct contact, tack and grooming equipments, and structures such as stables or trailers, and can affect both horses and humans. Circular lesions are the first sign, and can often be mistaken for rain scald. Ringworm can survive for up to a year in soil and on timber structures like fence railings.

Ringworm Guidelines

Equine herpes virus

Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is a highly contagious airborne disease and occurs in horses worldwide. There are nine strains of EHV, but EHV-1 and EHV-4 are the most common. EHV can cause respiratory disease, neurological disease, and death in horses of any age, sex and breed, and infected pregnant mares may abort. Young foals are also at risk and can die from the infection.

EHV Guidelines

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