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Community Corner

Deadly Virus Contained; Chatsworth Equestrians Cleared to Ride

Horse show producers advised to remain on alert and enforce 'No Fever' policy.

Chatsworth equestrians are saddling up and getting back to doing what they love most, riding and showing, now that the deadly equine herpes virus (EHV-1) outbreak seems to be contained. 

Events such as the Simi Valley Riders gymkhana and the LAPD Volunteer Mounted Patrol Training Seminar have owners and their horses hauling out of Chatsworth early Saturday morning despite the misty, overcast weather conditions.

The EHV-1 outbreak seems to be contained and the State Veterinarians at the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) are advising equestrians to go back to their normal routines and start showing and trail riding again.  

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Joelle Ouillet, who boards her Quarter Horse gelding Tucker in Chatsworth, packed her gear early Saturday morning and prepared for a day of training with the LAPD Volunteer Mounted Patrol.   “It feels great to be back out there.  Serving the community with the Volunteer Mounted Patrol is so enjoyable.”  Ouillet and Tucker plan on spending the day learning how to navigate obstacles that could be encountered in the line of duty and brushing up on horsemanship skills.

Eleven-year-old National Gymkhana Champion, Ryle Eskander of Trails End Ranch in Chatsworth groomed her stout Quarter Horse, Tick, in preparation for the gymkhana in Simi Valley, “I can’t wait to ride ‘Tickers’ and see my friends at the show.”  She added, “It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve been able to go anywhere to ride.” [Disclamer: Ryle Eskander is the author's daughter.]

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As equestrians venture back out, the CDFA still cautions horse owners to take precautions.  A list of biosecurity measures is available online at the CDFA website for horse owners to employ.  

Show producers are being asked to voluntarily comply with state mandated biosecurity protocol that includes a “No Fever” policy to be employed at all horse shows and events during the month of June.  

The No Fever policy bars horses from entering the premises that have a temperature of 102-degrees or higher.  Additionally, all horses must have their temperature taken and handlers must submit this information twice per day to show management for each day of the show.  

“Tractor Dean” Hendrickson, an arena footing specialist based in Chatsworth, said, “I’m eager to get back to work.  The outbreak caused some of the local shows to be cancelled and its good to see that we can all get back to normal and have some fun at the shows.”  He went on to say that the downtime gave him an opportunity to work on some local backyard arenas and catch up on maintenance. 

As of June 11, California has 22 confirmed EHV-1/EHM cases.  Sixteen of those cases were horses that attended a cutting event in Ogden, UT, along with five others that were exposed to one of those horses in Glenn County.  A case in Acton had attended a cutting event at the Sundance Feedlot in Bakersfield where the virus was apparently contracted from infected horses that arrived at the event from Ogden, UT.

Cutting is an equestrian sport that derived from the cattle ranches in the West where cows were separated from the herd for vaccinating or doctoring. 

Of the 22 cases, two horses were euthanized.

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