nbsp;   The mood was cautiously optimistic at the forum held Thursday, Jan. 4, in Wellington, Fla., to discuss the EHV-1 outbreak.   Dr. Doug Byars, former head of Internal Medicine at Hagyard-Davidson Magee (Ky.) and recognized expert on the virus, spoke for about 10 minutes about his perception of the current situation.

“The most important thing is for all the vets to come together, work together and stand together on this, and everything will work out,” Byars said.  “I definitely think that at this point, getting things back to normal is appropriate.”

Although there is still one questionable horse–an unconfirmed positive case awaiting test results–it is a case within an already quarantined facility.  “We might not know what horses are infected, but we know what horses are exposed, and that’s the key question,” Byars said.  “Your wait-and-see period is basically over.”

Questions from the crowd centered mainly around timing, and when the community could reasonably plan to resume their various events.  Twenty-one days is the accepted maximum incubation period for this virus, and the date that was given approval by the veterinarians in attendance was Jan. 9, based on the most recent positive diagnosis outside of a previously quarantined area.

Littlewood Farm officials, who have canceled three shows in December and January, are tentatively planning to run their A-T Children’s Benefit show on Jan. 12-14, pending any further positive cases.  Stadium Jumping officials began to allow horses to ship in to their grounds on Jan. 2, and plan to begin the Winter Equestrian Festival as scheduled on Jan. 24.  The Village of Wellington will announce the re-opening of the trail system soon, anticipated to be on Jan. 10. 

For a complete list of all the winter circuits’ published entrance protocols, please click here.