Horsemen: Please find below as text and a downloadable PDF above an advisory from Kentucky’s Office of the State Veterinarian spelling out health directives that go into effect Jan. 1 in order for ALL horses to enter Kentucky’s racetrack backstretches and training centers. Also: below that is reminder that under HISA safety rules, trainers must have vaccines and negative test results recorded on the HISA portal by Jan. 1. Info link and help-line number included.
With the 2023 racing season upon us, and the many changes that take affect with implementation of HISA’s guidelines, I want to take this opportunity to clarify that the KY Department of Agriculture’s Office State Veterinarian is responsible for establishing, assisting tracks with implementation, and regulating the health requirements prescribed to mitigate risk of introduction and spread of communicable disease in our racing populations.
Below are the defined health requirements that all horses (including non-racing horses – i.e., lead ponies, stable mates etc) are required to meet to gain entry onto a Kentucky track or sanctioned training facility. Documentation that each horse meets the requirements shall be provided to the stable or facility manager on arrival and copies of the documentation are to be kept in the barn area that the horse is stabled in.
GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: All equine entering the backside of a Kentucky racetrack and sanctioned training facility shall be accompanied with a current negative EIA Test Certificate (aka Coggins) and be listed on a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued by a USDA accredited veterinarian familiar with the horse and the environment from which it originated.
We continue to encourage tracks to adopt and implement our guideline that the examination and issuance of the CVI be required to be completed during the 72 hours prior to the animal’s arrival.
Additionally, our recommendation is that each horse entering the backside be vaccinated against Equine Herpes virus Type 1 (EHV-1) by or under supervision of a licensed veterinarian a minimum of 14 days and no more than 120 days prior to entering the stable area. The inoculation should be recorded on the CVI by the issuing veterinarian and include the name of the product administered, and date of inoculation. Once a horse receives the initial EHV-1 vaccination, revaccination should occur every 120 days.
Please note the minimum 14-day vaccination applies only to horses that have not been vaccinated for EHV-1 during the preceding 120 days. To insure compliance I do ask that health requirements be published in the Application to Stable, Conditions Book etc.
Health Requirements for horses entering the grounds are subject to change without advance notice.
Respectfully,
E.S. Rusty Ford
Equine Operations Consultant KY Office State Veterinarian
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