MD - Now Requiring Self Certification at all competitions!

[inquisitive]

http://equiery.com/newsResources.php

Attention Competitors
You are now required by the State of Maryland, when competing or showing in Maryland, to have with you a “Self Certification” which states that, to the best of your knowledge, your horse is disease free. State regulators theorize that this will give them an additional tool if they have to track down the source of an infectious/contagious disease, and they hope that competitors will be compelled to comply because of the penalties associated with forging official documents.

Maryland Equine Health Self Certification Form (http://www.equiery.com/MDAhealthForms/sc_equine.pdf)

[theoldgreymare]

And this is to help track possible outbreaks? The self cert form seems incredibly incomplete and lacking in information....

[Heineken]

I'm blonde...please explain how this works????

[hr]

I admit that I am not very computer-literate, but I can't get the page for the new form to come up. Anyone else able to get it?

[LexInVA]

You have to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed and if you are on dial-up, it will take a while for the document to load.

[gottagrey]

It's nice to see MD trying to do something; but quite frankly I would think at least in MD with the series of vaccines most horse owners receive that vet's health certificate would be more worthwhile. This form is as only good (and honest) as the person filling it out. Now most people would hopefully be honest and forthwright; but I know pretty much w/o a doubt that one stable hosts interschool shows when they have had outbreaks of strangles. One cannot guaranttee that each kid that rode there were clean their clothes and more specifically their boots before going to their own stable... that' can be a problem -

which reminds me - if any parent, student, client goes visiting other barns like that and are unsure of anything - clean your boots before going back to your barn... something most of us don't really do often enough probably, myself included...

[suniday]

Wow - they are REALLY penalizing out-of-state exhibitors, too! I woud have to have a health certification signed by a vet within 30 days of every show! This may seriously curtail my showing in MD this year. In 2008, I only went to 3 shows in DE, the rest were in MD and there were on average 1-2 per month.

[gottagrey]

I'm thinking the MD AG dept forgot to pass the memo along to people other than the Equiery... I checked w/ my trainer who is pretty much up on all this stuff ("A" judge, USHJA Board/Committee Member etc). She went to the USEF seminar in FLA, the USHJA meeting in Nashville, and the MHSA meeting this fall - where you would THINK it might have been a topic of conversation - right? She hadn't heard about it; also our vet is pretty much up on all these types of things and he certainly didn't mention it when he was out doing Coggins and health program recently... So...

interesting... there are not that many rated H/J shows in MD but certainly plenty of schooling shows and I am sorry but in reviewing the form it is a bit wacky... "Date of Inspection" , Number inspected(what is that?) Event- that I understand and Signature. So who is doing the "inspection" and Number inspected. I'm assuming say when my vet came out for shots (date of inspection) and Number? HUH would that be horses at our farm?

Again why I applaud MD AG attempts to control and track outbreaks - this form is a bit strange and as I mentioned in my earlier post - I would rather have a some type of similar form/health Cert. that an owner could have their vet sign in conjunction w/shots-vaccines/health program.

[Marcella]

This is ridiculous. How can I be held to this with my lack of any veterinary degree? I am self-examining my horse and self-diagnosing?

Someone obviously didn't have a lawyer look this over first...

[mothermucker12]

do you read this as all show in MD? even schooling shows? So tomorrow if I go tot he caves show I will need to bring this form??

[Jumphigh83]

Yet another way to restrict your freedoms....just saying....(but you know it is true).:eek:;)

[gottagrey]

Seems the only place that got the MEMO about this is the EQUIERY. I checked the CAVES FARM website - nothing and also downloaded their prizelist - nothing on there to indicate this form is a requirement.

I also checked out the MHSA and USEA Area II's website and there is nothing on there about this requirement.

now call me stupid or naive but certainly these 2 member organizations should be knowledgeable and aware of such goings on - and as such needs to inform their membership - the riders and organizations. While not everyone is not a member - they are the member shows for rated hunter/jumper and eventing competitions.

OKAY Now I'm a really baffled - I have not had coffee yet but I just went to MD AG Dept. website and I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING about this new requirement. Now one would think that if this is going to be a state mandated requirement it would be (as well as the forms) on the dang MD Ag website -

Okay further investigation - I had to do a SEARCH on the AG website to find this form.

Here's my theory for now - the Equiery jumped the gun a bit - as this bit of information is lumped in w/ Cows, Pigs, Poultry, Rabbits = Me thinks this form is for STATE and COUNTY FAIRS; etc. Not your standard horse shows/events competitions.

Probably where horses meet cows, meet pigs, meet rabbits...

I mean if you have to do a SEARCH for a new regulation - come on- this is from the MD AG Website - Below

#1 - COGGINs
#2 is FAIR - and PRIOR TO Loading animals - is that for arrival or exit from said fair/show.

Horses

Requirements - Equine Infectious Anemia - All horses must be accompanied by a record of a negative EIA test within the last 12 months.
All equine exhibitors must fill out a Self Certification of Equine Health prior to loading animals and shall be presented upon request to the designated fair and show representative at each show attended.