Adobe Stock photoCaring for a horse with a long-term illness or injury requires both financial commitment and practical planning. Veterinary bills, medications, specialized feed, and management adjustments can add up quickly, so creating a clear financial plan helps owners prepare for ongoing expenses. Practical managementsuch as adjusting your horses workload, providing appropriate turnout, and maintaining a consistent routinecan support your horses well-being. Work closely with your veterinarian to be sure your horse receives individualized treatment.Register for this Ask TheHorse Live event where two veterinarians will answer listener questions about managing horses with chronic illness and injury.Register NowAsk The Horse Live begins on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. EDT Days Hours MinutesAbout the Experts: Kristi Gran, DVM, Dipl. ACVIMDr. Kristi Gran is a 2007 graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, and a board certified internal medicine specialist, having completed her residency at Purdue University in 2011. She is a partner and veterinarian at Conley & Koontz Equine Hospital in Columbia City, Indiana.Nathan Canada, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVSNathan Canada, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, attended Oklahoma State University's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, in Stillwater, and received his DVM in 2011. After graduating, he completed a one year internship at Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Florida. He then traveled to Kansas State Universitys Veterinary Health Center, in Manhattan for an additional year of training. During this time, he was selected to enter the equine surgery residency program. He completed his residency in July of 2016 and received his masters degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. He obtained diplomate status in February 2017. Canada enjoys spending time with his family, connecting with others through his local church, and anything that involves being outdoors, especially fishing.

Two horses in Alberta recently tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The horses live in Foothills and Rocky View counties.In Foothills County, a 10-year-old mare tested positive for WNV on Sept. 24. The unvaccinated horse developed clinical signs on Sept. 14, including ataxia and muscle fasciculations. She is recovering.In Rocky View County, a 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding tested positive on Sept. 22. The unvaccinated horse developed clinical signs on Sept. 12, including fever, muscle fasciculations, and ataxia. He is 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.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, two horses have tested positive for strangles.In St. Clair County, a 14-year-old Quarter Horse mare tested positive on Sept. 24 after developing nasal discharge, fever, and cough. She is recovering.In Shiawassee County, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare tested positive on Sept. 23 after developing clinical signs in August, including nasal discharge and swollen lymph nodes. She is recovering, and two additional horses are suspected to be positive.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.

Wilmington, Ohio Pumpkins, mums and cornstalks set the scene in the R+L Arena at World Equestrian Center Wilmington for the first $15,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby of the 2025 Fall Classic Series. A field of 21 horse-and-rider combinations met for the classic round, impressing the judges for a cut-off score of 80 to return for the handy. Tyler Petrie ultimately piloted Lisa[...]Read MoreThe post Tyler Petrie & Nostradamus Win First $15,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby of the Fall Classic Series appeared first on World Equestrian Center.