For the last 1 ½ to 2 weeks people in the horse industry have been concerned with the Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1). Whether it is a personal concern to not let their horses contract the disease or to help stop the spread, events have been cancelled/postponed and some training/boarding stables are closing the gates to horses and horse people coming and going. Some don’t want outside horses to enter or boarded horse to re-enter if taken off the premises. I’ve seen a posting to stay-off farriers.
At the outbreak of the news, I was heading to a stable when I received a phone call from the owner that there would be a spray bottle with bleach for me to use on my shoes and tools. Since then I’ve had clients call asking me if we should keep the appointment and, so far, only one has postponed. I am trying to stay pro-active by following protocol standards given to me by a vet.
- Wiping tools with Clorox wipes
- Spraying chaps, buckets, shoes, anvil and stand, etc with a disinfectant. ( I even spray my ponytail!)
- Carry a change of shirts.
Nevada just in the last day or two had its first confirmed EHV-1 virus case. We may be overreacting, but I want to keep working and feel I can do my part to help the concerns of my clients.
Most of my clients are “backyard” horse people so these horses don’t go too far from home anyway. Around here, many folks were just gearing up for the summer show and trail season so hadn’t gone far from home yet.
An old shoer once told me “your backyard horses are your bread and butter…. If you have one that quits you; you’ve lost maybe 1-3 horses. Where as when a big barn clientele quit you, you can lose a weeks worth of wages (times 5-6 per year).” Now that I am the old shoer, I’d add that when a virus like this threatens the horse world, the backyard horses are the backbone to your business because they are less exposed and can stay safer and can stay on the farrier’s books!! As a farrier, it may be fun to talk (brag) about the fancy show barns you have, but I really love to brag on my clients who have 1-3 horses that they cherish. I am honored that they hire me to provide the hoof care.
