BEVA launch horse health checklist
At this year's National Equine Forum, the BEVA launched a horse care checklist to help owners minimise disease risk in horses.
The A3 checklist has been designed to be hung on the wall anywhere that the horse owner can view it, including the veterinary practice, saddlers, farriers, stables and feed stores.
The list includes advice on what to do before and after the arrival of a new horse, and the general everyday checks and maintenance a horse needs to stay healthy and safe. The list also provides guidance on when to call a vet, what vaccinations are most appropriate and parasite control.
Other topics covered include the preparations that should be made in order to ensure safe transportation, and how to deal with disease, including isolation and simple bio-security measures.
"So many horse owners think bio-security is a complicated and expensive issue," said former BEVA president Ben Mayes at the NEF. "As a practising horse vet, I know that even the most simple actions can make all of the difference between health and illness, and we have designed this checklist to make it very simple for yards and horse owners to do the best for their horses."
The checklist has been devised by BEVA and DEFRA alongside welfare charities. It is available for download from the BEVA website.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
