Boy, this has been a scary year to travel with horses! I had to smirk at the statement that horses are required to be tested once a year in Arkansas. So how is that going to be enforced!?! While I agree with testing for EIA for transport and attending horse functions, once again a law is passed without guidelines and means to enforce it. What good was this law since EIA has been on the premises for quite awhile.
Posted 2011-08-31 4:18 AM (#137146 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Elite Veteran
Posts: 690 Location: missouri
This article about the EIA infected horses is very disturbing. While, I think we are all aware of the expenses involved with adequate horsecare.. We are responsible to do so, or make a hard change. I hope it will be safe to travel in Arkansas to some riding locations...? what do ya'll think? thanks.
Posted 2011-09-01 7:51 PM (#137177 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Veteran
Posts: 212 Location: novinger, mo
I agree that it disturbing. But apparently there have been no horses to go off that property in a number of years. They are testing adjacent farms to see if has spread to close by horses. I looked up and A few kinds of mosquitoes will fly only a few yards from their larval habitat to take a blood meal. More typically adults will fly a mile or two to feed. However, some mosquitoes have been observed to fly 10 miles or more. We are going to AR in Oct and I doubt we will change our plans unless something drastic occurs with this.
Posted 2011-09-02 3:24 PM (#137196 - in reply to #137177) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Expert
Posts: 2614
I live in Arkansas,and,I don't plan on moving anytime soon.If I did,soon as I got there,I'm sure there would be something else come up wherever that was.
Posted 2011-09-05 9:10 PM (#137271 - in reply to #137196) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
Crowley - it wasn't a slam at AR.... our favorite state to ride in. What I found amusing is that the article stated it was the "law" to have every equine tested per year. Well, obviously that law can't be enforced so what good is it? So many laws are written without good measure to follow through if it is not followed.
We have a law in Kansas from a very long time ago that laying hens cannot cackle before 7 AM and must be finished 5 PM. Ha! I might have the times a little off, but you get the gest. Goofy laws written by folks who don't have a clue about livestock much less how to enforce the law.
I don't test every horse on my farm, just the ones that I take out of state. Kansas only has a travel law that equines entering the state must have Coggins papers. Same with Missouri and other states that I travel to.
Posted 2011-09-07 9:54 PM (#137321 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We test every equine every year, and, as per the law, within 6 months if changing ownership. The first thing I do in a purchase is get a new EIA test immediately, before the animal is on our property. If an Arkansan is concerned about the status of the neighbor's horses, a call to the authorities gets a visit from them to check on their status. They are welcome to check our farm at any time. I am personally glad that our laws are in place, and any situation that winds up with a positive horse, well, I guess I never smile about that. It is taken quite seriously here, as most folks are quite earnest not to have that situation. The only time these horses are caught is when they are tested..........in any state.
Posted 2011-09-09 4:03 PM (#137361 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
The coggins test is for EIA, that is correct. Thus far these horses have been completely contained on their own farm, the neighboring farms tested negative and are under quartantine til all of the horses on the orginal farm test negative for 60 days.
Posted 2011-09-15 10:18 PM (#137558 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Veteran
Posts: 165 Location: Western Ar
If the regulations haven't changed recently in Arkansas you could keep a horse that was positive for EIA on your farm as long as their was a buffer of so many yards. Until this incident there was only one horse that showed postive in the last couple of years and that was in Southeast Arkansas and They are considering changing the EIA Requirements in the State along with several other states. This facility was a catch all facility from what I understand and I figure a lot of the horses had never had a test. All an EIA test is going to do is show the horse is clean at that time. If farms with horses are isolated and not hauled and new incoming horses are clean it is no more of a risk than you hauling your EIA clean horse to different parts of the country. This was a part of the regulation being considered for changes.
Posted 2011-09-16 10:28 AM (#137581 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Veteran
Posts: 165 Location: Western Ar
There is really no reason to be concerned about this. The places I would avoid would be smaller horse functions that "anybody" would be at. The same thing could very well happen in any state it just happened it was Clarksville Ar.
Posted 2011-11-26 11:33 AM (#139117 - in reply to #137138) Subject: RE: 40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
Veteran
Posts: 186
Two of my personal stories - expierences with EIA. 1974 June Michigan a guy I was riding for brought home a dozen horses from an Auction -a couple of days after they got to the farm one came down sick - runny nose and crusty eyes - so we put it in a pen 50 yards from the others, vet came out they tested it - it took a week to get the positive test back for EIA the animal was put down - lucky none of the others got it. The other time was fall of 1980 I had a horse I was weaning so I took him to a privet place there was only one other horse there. A few weeks later a horse where that horse came from tested positive to EIA, so Michigan State sent out the local vet to test any horses that had been at that stable, that horse came up positive - it was not sick didn't look or act sick. Then they tested my horse I had to pay, then in 6 months after that they tested my horse again - meantime I couldn't move him. (I had to pay again) $$ Cost me more that I wanted but it taught him it was ok to be alone. EIA one of the many pitfalls that can happen to our money pit hobbies. I get all of mine tested every spring. IMO if you study the life of biting bugs - the test should be done in the fall.
40 Arkansas Horses Test Positive for EIA
