Equine herpes outbreak hits Western U.S. horse country

Source: Reuters

A outbreak of equine herpes in at least six Western U.S. states has forced the cancellation of scores of horse events, just as the prime season for riding shows, sales and rodeos is getting under way.

Cutting-horse competitions scheduled for this coming weekend in nine states have been canceled; Washington State and Colorado State universities have quarantined their veterinary teaching hospitals; and two equestrian reining and jumping clinics in Colorado have been called off.

Utah state veterinarian Bruce King said Tuesday that he is recommending "that all events involving horses, mules and burros be canceled in Utah."

"People in the horse world are freaked," said one industry insider who spoke on condition of anonymity. "If horse sales don't come off and other shows lose an entire season, it will have a huge economic impact and could destroy some people financially."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/18/us-horses-herpes-idUSTRE74H0EK20110518

if genetically modified corn has anything to do with the unleashing of this virus outbreak? Just a thought.

This is not a new illness. There are certain equine illnesses that just seem to flare up from time to time, such as "pigeon fever," "encephalitis," "West Nile," "strangles," "scratches," etc. Some of them range from annoying to bad, and some bad to disastrous. Horses are susceptible to so many parasites, infections, systemic problems, injuries, and more, that it is a wonder that there is a single healthy one standing.

I am in the throes of planning a large show that I help put on annually (but not in Colorado), and we are looking into event insurance, in case we need to cancel.

It went internal and he died a year after the first symptoms. I'd had him 21 years and I really miss him.

My mom has had her first girl about that long now. She's family.

We have three of ours and about ten boarders right now. This is bad news.

I bought him when I was pregnant with my son and he died a week after my son left for his third year at University in England. He was part of the family.
Here he is just before he died. He's standing under the apple tree he loved.

I have two other horses, but he was special. He never misbehaved and was so gentle.

These horse diseases are frightening. Good luck with yours.

I dread the day my mother's girl has to be put down. Mom bought this place so she could live with her, if you can believe that. We named her Imelda because Imelda Marcos and her many shoes were in the news at the time. And her daughter is Leona, after Helmsley for a joke. Apparently the theme was high profile criminal women. lol

to keep them from eating grass that might be home to a kind of caterpillar that caused the mares to miscarry when ingested.

Fraught with hazards, horses are, but everybody I know who works with them loves them --

Black Elk said, the horses are so beautiful on the hills that sometimes I can almost forgive you for also bringing us whiskey.

Georgia candidate for governor says sex with mules, watermelon behind him

No, that's why I'm running for Governor because I don't have any skeletons in my closet," he says. " I’ve talked about things people would never have talked about. Any skeletons I have, I take them out and rattle them around."

"What kinds of things?" I ask.

Without missing a beat, he says, "You know what you’re thinking about has been out there..."

"We're talking about the mule now?"

Yes, he says. The mule.

"A small mule?" I ask.

"No, a full grown mule," he says. "She loved me, though."


http://www.examiner.com/underground-in-national/georgia-candidate-for-governor-says-sex-with-mules-watermelon-behind-him

No wonder I can't get them to breed.