13 December 2023

Have you and your horses been affected by strangles?

Josh Eustace, MSc student of International Animal Welfare Law and Ethics (IAWEL) has launched an online survey through The University of Edinburgh for his dissertation aimed at horse owners/loaners, employees or managers/owners of yards that have experienced at least one case of strangles since January 2020.

Strangles is the most common infectious disease in equids in the UK, with about 300 outbreaks occurring each year. Alongside presenting a major welfare concern to infected animals, outbreaks often cause serious stress to their owners and others involved in their care, while also representing significant economic challenges to those running businesses reliant on healthy yards and horses. Redwings has been campaigning on the issue for years and you can read more about it in our dedicated strangles hub.

Abigail Turnbull, yard manager at Richmond Equestrian Centre (pictured), has experienced a strangles outbreak herself and has kindly provided us with the following statement in collaboration with Redwings:

"The team at Richmond Equestrian Centre know just how devastating a Strangles outbreak can be - for horses, owners and businesses. Research into this complex disease is absolutely essential to help us protect more horses from its debilitating and sometimes fatal effects. PLEASE support this important survey to help us find out more about Strangles and how we can prevent its spread."

Abigail with a horse at Richmond Equestrian Centre

Taking 10-15 minutes of your time to fill out this survey (link below) will help us to identify common factors associated with outbreaks. This will provide all of us involved with equids with up to date information on how best to avoid strangles spreading between yards going forward, in practical and achievable ways.

Take the survey here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/edinburgh/survey-of-owners-who-have-experienced-a-strangles-outbreak-si-1

This survey has been designed under the supervision of Dr Richard Newton, Dr Scott Pirie and Dr Marie Rowland, along with the help and support from Helen Whitelegg, Policy and Research Officer here at Redwings.