Of the 20 horses that live in the stable, 18 have been infected.
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The first hint that something had gone wrong at Venturing Hills Farm came on Feb. 3, when Eddie, a healthy five-year-old quarter horse, suddenly started to stumble drunkenly.
“We had no idea what we were dealing with. We thought it was meningitis or a brain seizure,” said Rae Becke, the co-owner of Luskville-area stable.
Eddie became the first victim of a deadly virus that has swept through Venturing Hills. It later took the lives of two other previously healthy horses.
Since Feb. 3, workers at the farm have been labouring around the clock to save the remaining horses. Of the 16 horses that live outside, none have been affected. Of the 20 horses that live in the stable, 18 have been infected. Two horses, including the one that was the source of the infection, are asymptomatic.
“It’s comparable to COVID — the way it’s spread, the dark side that it has,” said Becke. “Except horses can’t wear masks.”
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The outbreak has shocked the equestrian community, but it has also ignited an outpouring of support. A GoFundMe campaign that began only a week ago with a goal of raising $75,000 was within a whisker of that goal by Sunday afternoon.
Equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy is caused by the EHV-1 virus, which is common in horses and similar to the common cold in humans. It is spread through contact with nasal discharge or aerosol droplets and people whose hands or clothing have been contaminated, according to the Equine Disease Communication Centre.
While EHV-1 is common, the neurological form is more rare. It’s a mystery how or why the virus develops into neurological disease in some horses. It may be that a latent EHV-1 virus develops into the neurological version when a horse is under stress.
The outbreak at Venturing Hills has been traced to a horse that had been transported to the farm from the Toronto area.
“We all touched the horse. It spread everywhere before we even knew about it,” said Becke. “It spread like wildfire.”
Equestrian Canada, the governing body for horse sports, has reported two outbreaks in Ontario, one in Peel and another in Niagara, which have resulted in the deaths of two horses.
There is no cure, but affected horses can be supported and precautions can be taken to prevent further spread. Workers at the farm have been slotted in shifts to give the horses 24-hour care.
Every horse gets 100 anti-viral pills a day, said Becke. They also get blood thinners to reduce neurological symptoms. There have been quick renovations to prevent the spread of infection. Workers must wear PPE and stay meticulously clean.
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Sophie Barbeau-O’Connor, Eddie’s owner, said she was called to the farm when her horse first started to show mysterious symptoms. It took five people to keep him standing.
“Eventually, he was so tired and didn’t have the will to stand up anymore. He had tried his best. I couldn’t ask him to do any more,” said Barbeau-O’Connor, an 18-year-old high school student who has spent the past week at the farm.
She wants to ensure that her pony, Kiwi, who is 27, and her mother’s horse, Fleet, who is 32 and blind, remain healthy.
“I want to make sure none of the other owners have to go through what I went through.”
Word of the effort has quickly spread though social media and people have come to the farm to bring cleaning products and horse treats, said Barbeau-O’Connor.
“We couldn’t do it without the support of these people.”
Meanwhile, the farm has purchased two hay steamers to help reduce hay dust and help hydrate the horses. Nasal swabs were being shipped to UCLA for analysis, but got stuck in Memphis during a snowstorm. They will have to be done all over again.
“It’s incredible how much these bills are growing,” said Becke.
Anne Marie Duarte met Becke a few years ago when the two were riding in Florida.
People in the equine community all realize it could have been them, said Duarte. Complete strangers just jumped in their cars and drove halfway across the province to help out. A woman in Virginia who went through something similar reached out to share her story.
“Seeing this in action has been amazing,” said Duarte.
It may be many weeks before precautions at the farm can be lowered. The mortality rate for horses affected by the virus can range from 20 to 80 per cent, said Becke.
She’s aiming for the lower number.
“We would rather have 80 per cent of our herd at the end of this. We’re just trying to save as many as we can.”
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