Equine influenza and strangles cases are increasing across the UK, raising understandable concerns for horse owners, yards, and event organisers. Understanding the symptoms, transmission risks, and practical biosecurity measures that help reduce spread is essential for protecting horse health and maintaining safe yard management practices.
Recent Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) data shows a notable increase in equine influenza and strangles cases across the UK. While this is understandably concerning, there are clear and practical steps horse owners can take to reduce risk and help limit the spread within the equine community.
Good awareness and sensible biosecurity remain some of the most effective tools for protecting horses and keeping yards running safely.
Everyday Biosecurity: Simple Steps That Make a Difference
Maintaining strong day-to-day hygiene and management practices can significantly reduce the risk of disease transmission. Consistent horse biosecurity measures help protect both individual horses and the wider equine community.
Key actions include:
- Keeping vaccinations up to date
- Isolating new arrivals where possible
- Avoiding shared equipment between horses
- Monitoring temperatures routinely
- Contacting your vet promptly if your horse shows signs such as coughing, nasal discharge, fever, or swollen glands
These simple measures form the foundation of effective disease prevention and control.
Equine Influenza: Current Situation and Practical Advice
Equine influenza cases are currently being reported across multiple counties in the UK, with horse movement identified as a common contributing factor in many outbreaks. Equine flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can spread rapidly between horses, particularly where biosecurity measures are limited.
While no system can remove risk entirely, vaccination remains one of the most important ways to reduce severity and transmission risk.
Practical ways to reduce equine flu risk:
- Avoid unnecessary horse movements
- Isolate returning horses and new arrivals
- Monitor horses daily for early signs such as coughing, nasal discharge, or fever
- Do not attend events if your horse is unwell
- Review vaccination status with your veterinary surgeon
Early recognition and responsible management can make a meaningful difference in limiting the spread of equine influenza.
Strangles in Horses: Why Biosecurity Matters
Strangles remains one of the most commonly diagnosed infectious diseases in horses in the UK, with recent surveillance data showing a significant increase in confirmed cases over the past year.
Encouragingly, good biosecurity practices can dramatically reduce the likelihood of spread.
Key reminders for horse owners include:
- Quarantining new horses before introducing them to others
- Taking temperatures regularly during higher-risk periods
- Avoiding the sharing of water buckets, feed bowls, or tack
- Washing hands and disinfecting equipment between horses
- Seeking veterinary advice early if symptoms such as fever, nasal discharge, or swollen lymph nodes appear
Calm, sensible precautions help protect both individual horses and the wider equine community.
Quarantining New Arrivals
Effective quarantine protocols for new arrivals are more important than ever with increased cases of both equine influenza and strangles.
New horses should ideally be isolated for a minimum of 21 days before being mixed with resident horses.
During this period:
- Keep the horse in a separate stable, barn, or paddock away from the main yard
- Avoid shared airspace and any nose-to-nose contact
- Use separate water buckets, feed bowls, and equipment — label clearly to avoid confusion
- Handle isolated horses after resident horses, and wash or disinfect hands and clothing between horses
- Monitor temperature daily — a temperature above 38.5°C is considered abnormal, and fever is often the earliest indicator of infectious disease
Taking a small amount of time to implement careful quarantine measures can help protect the health of the entire yard. It is also important to ensure that the vaccination status of any new arrival is up to date.
Key Takeaways for Horse Owners
While increasing cases of infectious disease can feel worrying, proactive management remains highly effective. Good awareness, practical horse biosecurity, routine monitoring, vaccination, and early veterinary intervention all play an important role in reducing risk.
Simple everyday precautions can make a significant difference in helping to protect horses, yards, and the wider equine community from equine flu and strangles outbreaks.
Written by: Dr Andy Richardson, Veterinary Director - BVSc CertAVP(ESM) MRCVS
