The Equine Herpes Virus 1 Outbreak

Equine Herpes virus 1 is a nasty kind of illness - most horses who are exposed to the virus develop the symptoms of a normal cold (rhino-virus); they have a runny nose, run a low temperature, are lethargic, and just feel crummy. But a few horses will develop the neurological type, and it is deadly. Since the original outbreak, traced back to an Ogden, Utah reining and roping horse show that covered the last days of April and the first two of May, there have been at least 8 deaths. Horses in the Alberta province of Canada, as well as nine western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington) have been reported to the US Department of Agriculture as being positive for the neurological type of EHV-1. Local veterinarians have listed 4 things for concerned horse owners to do: 1. Stay at Home!, 2. Re-inoculate your horses against rhino-virus; recommended: Rhinomune, Pneumabort-K, Prodigy, or Calvenza EHV. 3. Add immune boosters to your horse's feed; recommended: Zylexis or EqStim. 4. Do not travel with your horses unless it is absolutely necessary - i.e.: wildfires, mudslides, flooding, tornadoes. Then keep your horses in a self-imposed quarantine until you can safely return to your home barn. ....
It is gorgeous here. The sun is shining, it's already 60 degrees, I've walked 5 miles, and am consuming my breakfast. The kits are out on the patio, sunning; and I'll soon be off to walk the dogs. I watched Tom Selleck in Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved Robert Parker's Jesse Stone novels, and I am glad that Selleck is keeping Jesse alive. - Tom Selleck wrote the script and was the executive producer for the TV-movie. I also love the golden retriever, Reggie, in the movies - he gets his own credit at the end of each show; he is portrayed by Joe.
I have found that I can go on a half-day trail ride up in Allenspark - I'm going to ask Kathy if she thinks she can sit in a saddle for a couple of hours. If she says yes, then I'll be horseback riding for my birthday!! (And I'll get someone to take a few photos of me on a horse, once again!) Yes, I am acting giddy. The possibility of being on, and with, horses makes me high.