Taking a horse anywhere with other horses around is a risk for them to catch any disease or infection. Horse owners are required by law to carry a negative Coggins with them whenever they take the animal somewhere. Coggins is a test done on horses to ensure that they are not carrying any diseases.

When checking into a rodeo, the rodeo committee must check to ensure the horse matches the Coggins.  At the Patriot Rodeo, located in Fort Worth, Texas during February there were over 300 competing barrel racers. A week after the rodeo ended, a barrel racer contacted the rodeo committee saying her horse is in quarantine at Texas A&M and will know in 24 hours if the horse has the Equine Herpes Virus or EHV.

EVH can damage a horse’s neurology and can prevent them from getting pregnant. There is not much a horse owner can do to prevent the virus other than making sure the horse is checked daily for symptoms when around other horses. If the horse if found with any symptoms, the owner should call a vet as soon as possible and quarantine the horse.

Overall, horse owners should take precautions when planning to take their horses somewhere.