In the equine industry, biosecurity refers to the precautions we take to limit the spread of disease with working horses. These preventative measures are vital to maintaining the health of all horses regardless of their occupation, whether they be a companion animal, a working horse, or a show animal. Even the smallest precautions can help to keep horses safe from infectious diseases.
Prevention and Response Are Key
Biosecurity isn’t a one size fits all, plans should be customized for each facility to consider all aspects that can affect horse health. Best practices in infectious disease prevention include a combination of following a veterinarian-directed vaccination plan and targeted parasite prevention plan. Taking simple, but important, biosecurity measures not only when caring for your horse at its home premises, but also while traveling and when participating in equine events is important in protecting your horse. Suggested biosecurity protocols differ depending on the situation and location. Listed below are some general biosecurity resources. Use the resources below that are specific to common situations and locations to help you keep your horse safe, and healthy at all times.