Ruidoso hoping equine herpesvirus death is an isolated case

A racehorse based at Ruidoso Downs was confirmed positive for the equine herpesvirus late Friday, but as of Monday morning, there were no new confirmed cases at the track, according to both Ruidoso president Shaun Hubbard and a representative of the New Mexico Livestock Board.

The horse confirmed positive was euthanized, and Barn 27, where the Quarter Horse resided, is under quarantine. Ruidoso is conducting a mixed meet for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. The track raced as scheduled over the weekend and was set to race Monday.

Earlier this year, Sunland Park in New Mexico lost a portion of its meet due to an outbreak of the equine herpesvirus.

Hubbard said Monday he is hopeful that the Ruidoso case is an isolated one, in part because he was informed that the stricken horse was being treated for pneumonia and that stress to the horse’s system could have left the animal more vulnerable to the onset of further illness, like the equine herpesvirus. Hubbard also said the warm conditions are not conducive to survival of the equine herpesvirus. However, he said Ruidoso is taking all precautions and has received widespread support from horsemen following an emergency meeting Saturday.

“The horsemen have been overly cooperative, thankfully, because that’s what it takes to come out of these things,” said Hubbard.

Temperatures of all horses on the grounds are being taken twice a day, Hubbard said Monday. The horses in Barn 27 are restricted to walking the shed row, and those entered in races have been scratched. The quarantine of the barn is scheduled to run 14 days, pending no further positives, in a stretch that began June 17.

“I’m hoping we caught this thing at the most opportune time,” said Hubbard, who put Barn 27 on lockdown before the EHV-1 case was even confirmed. “I’m optimistic at this point in time, hoping and praying that’s the case.”