Horse Events: Biosecurity guidelines for organisers and competitors

Summary

All event participants have a responsibility to maintain good biosecurity, and not put the health of other people’s horses at risk.

Horses at events have the potential to spread infectious disease. Horse events act as multipliers for the spread of infectious diseases should an outbreak occur.

Horses that are suspected of suffering from infectious or contagious diseases or have been in contact with other animals suffering from such diseases MUST NOT be brought to horse events.

This Factsheet covers the following topics:

• definition of a horse event
• recommendations for event organisers
• general record keeping
• horse event management
• horse owner responsibilities
• examples of infectious horse diseases