Two horses test positive for virus at Virginia Horse Center

LEXINGTON, Va. (WDBJ) – Two horses at The Virginia Horse Center tested positive for a virus early this week.

One of the horses is in stable condition; the other was euthanized.

Leaders say around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning the Virginia Horse Center was alerted about one of its horses showing symptoms of illness. The second horse didn’t show symptoms until Wednesday morning.

“Within two hours, it was on the road to Kentucky,” says CEO Glenn Petty. “Barn three, where the affected horses were, was quarantined, and signage went up keeping anybody out.”

The horse was then transported to the same hospital where it was discovered to have neurological symptoms, and euthanized. Both horses that tested positive came from the same owner and barn.

“Course those horses being quarantined can’t show,” added Petty.

“Equine Herpes Virus One (EHV-1) is one of several herpes viruses that affect horses,” says Virginia Tech Professor Harold McKenzie. “The virus is transmitted as an aerosol from droplets in the breath, just like with common colds in humans,”

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services declared no other horses were considered exposed, and the Shenandoah Classic Saddle Horse Show. will continue.

“The quarantine has been put in place, and because there are very strict protocols about how a horse gets out of quarantine,” explained McKenzie. “We should have a very, very low risk for the disease spreading elsewhere.”

VDACS says there should be no cause for concern and that the virus is only an isolated problem.

The barns will be thoroughly disinfected Monday by VDACS. All exposed horses are being monitored twice daily for fever and other signs. Those unexposed will be monitored as well.

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