Wilmington, Ohio The final Hunter Derby Friday of the 2025 Fall Classic Series at World Equestrian Center Wilmington welcomed Havens Schatt to the winners circle with her own Chaquisto Blue Ps. The $10,000 GGT Footing USHJA National Open Hunter Derby saw scores climb into the 90s, but no one could best Schatt over the tracks designed by Scott Alder. The seven-year-oldSource

Two horses at a boarding facility in Peterborough County, Ontario, have tested positive for strangles. The affected horses include a 10-year-old warmblood mare and a 13-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, both of which developed clinical signs in September after the facility received a shipment of horses from Western Canada. The horses are under quarantine.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

On Oct. 14, an unvaccinated Standardbred gelding in Grey County, Ontario, tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The horse developed clinical signs on Sept. 27, including hindlimb ataxia. He is now recovering.This is Ontarios ninth confirmed equine WNV case in 2025.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.WNV 101West Nile virusis transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes. Not all infected horses show clinical signs, but those that do can exhibit:Flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed;Fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation (involuntary twitching);Hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);Changes in mentation (mental activity), when horses look like theyre daydreaming or just not with it;Occasional drowsiness;Propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); andSpinal signs, including asymmetrical weakness; andAsymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia.West Nile virus has no cure. However, some horses can recover with supportive care. Equine mortality rates can reach 30-40%.Studies have shown thatvaccines can be effective WNV prevention tools. Horses vaccinated in past years need an annual booster shot, but veterinarians might recommend two boosters annuallyone in the spring and another in the fallin areas with prolonged mosquito seasons. In contrast, previously unvaccinated horses require a two-shot vaccination series in a three- to six-week period. It takes several weeks for horses to develop protection against the disease following complete vaccination or booster administration.In addition to vaccinations, owners should work to reduce mosquito population and breeding areas and limit horses mosquito exposure by:Removing stagnant water sources;Dumping, cleaning, and refilling water buckets and troughs regularly;Keeping animals inside during insect feeding times (typically early in the morning and evening); andApplying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.

Jumping indoors whether youre training or competing can be a whole different ballgame, so its important that both you and your horse are prepared.It makes sense that the smaller the arena, the harder it becomes, particularly when youre jumping. Competing indoors tends to be a seasonal thing when the weather is calm and the going is good, most training and competitions (although not all) are done outside on grass. So for many riders and horses, when autumn hits and the weather turns, they find themselves jumping indoors for the first time in a long time.Jumping indoors for the first time in the year always affects horses even the most experienced of them, says British showjumping star Joe Stockdale, son of the late Olympian Tim Stockdale.Going from big, light and spacious outdoor arenas into tighter indoor ones makes the fences look more closely packed. Horses seem more aware of the tight space, and I can tell that they feel restricted. Its tough for the rider too fences seem to come up much more quickly.Whether competing indoors or outdoors, Joe keeps the warm-up routine he uses for his horses the same.My warm up for both indoor and outdoor competitions doesnt change too dramatically as I like to keep the routine the same for me and the horses, he explains.This allows for consistency in the way you prepare, and hopefully this will be reflected in your performance in the ring too. Each horse is different, of course, which should be reflected in the way you approach the warm up.Warming up indoorsRemind yourself of the etiquette required for the warm up arena. There are two golden rules:Always pass left to left to prevent collisions and avoid circling in the immediate vicinity of the warm up fences so that you dont block the take off or landing areas.Dont chase the horse in front of you to the warm up fence, leave plenty of room between your horse and theirs so that if they knock it down you dont have to take evasive action to avoid the fence, which isnt great preparation for your horses jumping round.I keep an eye on whats going on around me and start the jumping phase of my warm up when there are about eight horses to go until its me, says Joe. It doesnt help to over-jump a horse. Remember the warm up is just that a warm up.I start by jumping a small vertical and build it up to about the height Im going to jump in the ring. Theres really no need to jump anything bigger than what youre about to face. After Ive jumped the vertical, I tackle the oxer, raising it two or three holes at a time until I get to the height Ill be jumping in the ring.In the ringWhen jumping indoors in an arena that feels small and busy, your horse will need to be super attentive to your aids, but also be prepared to think for themselves when needed. They also need to be super balanced to deal with all the tight turns involved. Here are eight tips to prepare you both for a confident round:Create confidenceAs Joe says above, the first thing to nail is your warm up. Create a simple that you can use at home before a jumping session and then replicate it at competitions. It should involve lots of circles, changes of bend and transitions. Make sure your horse stretches at the beginning and end of the warm up too.The familiarity of your warm-up routine will give you and your horse confidence.Shorten your distancesWhen competing indoors over fences youll be faced with shorter related distances three- or four-stride combinations rather than seven or eight. Build these distances at home to help your horse deal with them.Practise in tight spacesSpace will be tighter when competing indoors and youll be jumping into the wall. You can practise this in your field or outdoor school at home just position the jumps near the edge of the arena or fence line and closer together than usual. This will help you both hone your skills at jumping on and off tight turns, as well as short lines to the approach of a fence and its exit. Advanced event rider Barry Meningen shares three simple but effective exercises to try when training here.Hire an indoor arenaMost people dont have their own indoor school (we wish), but its a good idea to practise in one if you can by hiring a school for an hour so that you (and your horse) can get a feel for it. Many indoor jumping venues leave the course up the day after a competition so that people can hire it for training sessions. Make the most of these opportunities when they come up.Make the most of every cornerUse all the corners when youre competing indoors, because there will be less room to take a turn and so you must utilise the space thats available well. Cutting corners wastes precious space that could mean the difference between a good stride and a poor one, and a clear round or jumping penalties.Walk the course wellWalk the course carefully and watch a number of other competitors rounds before youre called in to jump. This way you can work out whats causing riders most problems and where there are any particularly tight turns and lines perhaps some that you didnt notice on your course walk.Beware shadows when competing indoorsShadows occur outside on sunny days too, of course, but when youre jumping indoors the way the lights shine on some fillers may be spooky and dark corners could cause a spook too. Indoor arenas can be noisy too, with the sound of voices, footsteps, coffee cups, chairs etcetera echoing around the ring. Those sounds will feel close to you too, and it can take some getting used to.Relax and have funRemember, youre competing indoors to enjoy yourself and make memories with your horse and a rosette would be the icing on the cake! Take a few deep breathes and think positively. If youre feeling nervous, there are things you can do to help you feel more confident.Main image Shutterstock for illustration purposes only. Joe Stockdale is not pictured.The post Joe Stockdales tips for success when jumping a horse indoors appeared first on Your Horse.

On Oct. 21, a Standardbred stallion in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The unvaccinated horse presented with left-hind stiffness and mild ataxia. He is now recovering.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.WNV 101West Nile virusis transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes. Not all infected horses show clinical signs, but those that do can exhibit:Flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed;Fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation (involuntary twitching);Hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);Changes in mentation (mental activity), when horses look like theyre daydreaming or just not with it;Occasional drowsiness;Propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); andSpinal signs, including asymmetrical weakness; andAsymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia.West Nile virus has no cure. However, some horses can recover with supportive care. Equine mortality rates can reach 30-40%.Studies have shown thatvaccines can be effective WNV prevention tools. Horses vaccinated in past years need an annual booster shot, but veterinarians might recommend two boosters annuallyone in the spring and another in the fallin areas with prolonged mosquito seasons. In contrast, previously unvaccinated horses require a two-shot vaccination series in a three- to six-week period. It takes several weeks for horses to develop protection against the disease following complete vaccination or booster administration.In addition to vaccinations, owners should work to reduce mosquito population and breeding areas and limit horses mosquito exposure by:Removing stagnant water sources;Dumping, cleaning, and refilling water buckets and troughs regularly;Keeping animals inside during insect feeding times (typically early in the morning and evening); andApplying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.