The Calder Herpes Quarantine

The Calder Herpes Quarantine
 
February 15, 2010
By Kent H. Stirling, FHBPA Executive Director
 
 
On November 27th, a filly at Calder began showing signs of illness and was immediately shipped to the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine where she was diagnosed with the Equine Herpes Virus, type 1 (EHV-1).
 
Immediately, precautionary measures were begun at three barns at Calder to insure the risk of the virus spread was minimized.  These measures included training restrictions on these horses until after the tracks had closed for the general horse population, and enhanced biosecurity such as standing in a foot tub containing bleach and water before entering or leaving the barn.  The 57 horses in these three barns were not allowed to race until they had been quarantined for 21 days and had shown no signs of a temperature.  Also no horses from Gulfstream were permitted to race at Calder during the quarantine.
 
The National HBPA sent assistance checks for the 57 horses of $7 per day to offset some of the horsemen’s financial losses.