Westernaries, Inc.

Westernaires has coped with countless demands over its 68-year history, and 2017 is proving to be particularly challenging. An outbreak of strangles has hit the Westernaire rental horse string, and now impacts nearly 50 horses and over 20 of the ponies. In an effort to care for the ill horses, and to keep the healthy horses from contracting the bacteria, operations at Westernaires have been modified for the foreseeable future.

What is “strangles”? Strangles is a highly contagious equine disease and the most common bacterial infection of horses. Unlike the equine flu, strangles is not airborne, but it can spread quickly through direct contact between horses, or by indirect contact like: tack and equipment, shared drinking water or feed, and by physical contact. One of the biggest challenges with strangles is its long incubation period that requires an isolation period of 4–6 (and sometimes more) weeks. In only very rare circumstances has the bacteria been transmitted to humans or other animal species.

Westernaires is employing an effective protocol for treatment that was developed by another large horse organization in the South when their horses went through a similar outbreak. Westernaires is working closely with their trusted veterinary team for booster inoculations and state-of-the-art care. The Westernaire Wrangler teams have been tireless in their round-the-clock care of both the healthy horses and the quarantined ill horses.

Erring on the side of caution, Westernaires instituted a voluntary isolation quarantine for all of the rental string horses a few weeks ago. The sick horses are making good progress, but this is a highly contagious disease, and one that can make an impact for many weeks to come. During that time, practices have proceeded on Saturdays using only the healthy rental string horses – no owner horses are permitted to be trailered in and potentially exposed. As you can imagine, this change has required riders and volunteers to be flexible and adaptable.

***Alumni, family, and friends: between the veterinary bills, the treatment protocol supplies, and the lost revenue from weekly activities, Westernaires is experiencing a financial hit like they never have before.***

There are ways you can help Westernaires to weather this storm.  Please consider making a donation to the Westernaires.  $15,000 is a conservative estimate of WEEKLY lost revenue that Westernaires is incurring right now.  

Westernaires are flexible, perseverant, and optimistic -- many riders are even excited to ride horses that they have not ridden before. This is the spirit of Westernaires. Please help us ensure that their mission continues by donating any amount you can afford.