It’s a nightmare that haunts every horseman� a virulent, deadly disease, for which there is neither cure nor completely effective vaccination. And while EHV-1, or equine herpes virus, has been making headlines for years, it’s now been well and truly thrust into the equestrian spotlight with its outbreak in Wellington, Fla., (see In The Country p. 44). The timing couldn’t be worse for EHV-1 to hit the Palm Beach area, with thousands of horses due to ship in to the area in anticipation of showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival beginning on Jan. 24.

There have been multiple EHV-1 outbreaks in the past two years. The highest concentration of cases have occurred at racetracks–Turfway Park (Ky.), Pimlico (Md.), Laurel (Md.), the Meadowlands (N.J.) and Monmouth Park (N.J.). But the disease has also devastated a private eventing farm in Maryland, the equestrian center at the University of Wisconsin and the veterinary hospital at Colorado State University, which practices strict biosecurity control.

Rumors and panic have spread just as fast as facts and news as horse caretakers in Wellington battened down the hatches. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and veterinarians involved in the outbreak have made great efforts to keep the public informed, including hosting a conference and question-and-answer session. They’ve made it abundantly clear that the most effective prevention method is controlling the disease as much as possible, with strict quarantining, disinfecting and monitoring of temperatures.

A close friend of mine had to deal with this disease a year ago, and I know very well how confusing and frightening it can be. The more you try to find out about the whys and hows of EHV-1, the more you realize how little we know. And, when the virus mutates to the neurological form, it’s an absolutely devastating disease. Veterinarians are doing all they can to learn more about EHV-1 and to determine the most effective methods of preventing these outbreaks. But it seems as though EHV-1 is a threat that’s here to stay–and one that will occur with more frequency. We’re just going to have to learn to deal with it.

The more we ship our horses to distant locales to compete, and the more we send our horses into environments filled with other horses, the more we put them at risk. International travel has become old hat to many horses, and importing horses from foreign countries has become commonplace. Our horses put more miles on now than they ever have, and that just means that we’re going to have to become more vigilant about protecting them from that increased exposure. Long gone are the days when you could greet a new arrival at your barn, settle him into a stall in the middle of the aisle and go to bed content. Self-imposed quarantining and disinfection practices are going to become much more the norm.

I’m sure that veterinarians will be working overtime to continue to unravel the mysteries of this disease and to find a way to prevent it. But until then, the onus is on horse owners to learn as much as they can about the disease and what they can do in their daily routines to protect their horses. Don’t believe the rampant rumors flying around–ask your veterinarian for detailed, accurate information. Don’t panic, but practice informed, responsible horse management. Until the veterinarians figure out the keys to EHV-1, it’s every horseman’s responsibility to protect his or her horses with a level head and watchful eye.

Molly Sorge