In Valencia, Spain, Hilmar Meyer and numerous other competitors are fighting for the lives of many horses that suddenly contracted herpes EHV 1 during the show series there. Now a horse has died in Germany.
– Equestrian athletes fight for the lives of many horses in Valencia. – Outbreak of equine herpes EHV 1 at horse show series. – Herpes outbreaks have also been reported in other countries.
Update from 4. March: In Germany, the first horse has died after infection with a new herpes variant. According to the FEI, the animal had previously competed in a tournament in Valencia, where the aggressive variant had been detected for the first time about two weeks ago. This raises the number of quadrupeds that have died to six, according to FEI figures. Participants of the tournament had previously reported even more dead horses.
A total of 83 horses on site showed clinical signs and are being treated, but none of these horses are recumbent and require slings for support, the world federation further announced. Fifteen horses were treated in external clinics on Wednesday, 13 of them in Valencia and two in Barcelona.
Meanwhile, at the show grounds in Valencia, horses were separated after athletes and owners requested that their horses be housed in groups without violating biosecurity protocols. To ensure the horses are housed, larger stalls were to be delivered to the site on Thursday.
Valencia virus variant now also detected in U.S
The virus variant from Valencia has now also been detected in the U.S. According to a show organizer, there is a positive test in Florida. There were no infected horses on the World Equestrian Center's own grounds in Ocala, where a tournament series has been running for several weeks, a statement said. The German rider Andre Thieme had several successes in the series of events recently.
After the virus variant had appeared for the first time about two weeks ago, there were already also first confirmed cases in Germany. In Doha, where the Global Champions Tour is scheduled to start this weekend, the two horses of German show jumper Sven Schlusselburg tested positive on Monday. Like a Colombian rider, the 39-year-old from Ilsfeld in Baden-Wurttemberg was competing in Valencia several days before traveling to Qatar. (com, with material of the dpa)
Update from 2. March, 12.3 pm: On Tuesday, the FEI reacted to the outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV 1) at the international horse show in Valencia (see original news below). So it decided to suspend all horse events up to and including 28. March in ten European countries to cancel.
"I fear a pandemic that could spread throughout Europe," said Morsum trainer and instructor Hilmar Meyer recently. He himself has already had to mourn the loss of two horses in his care. The pictures and messages, which he sent thereby from the meeting area in Valencia to our newspaper, are shocking and might frighten also the horse scene in large measure.
In the case of an illness with the
Herpes virus first appear high fever and a sickly general condition. In addition often come eyes-. Nasal discharge or cough. In particularly severe cases, the infection can lead to death, reports costanachrichten.com*.
As the world federation now announced in an official letter on Tuesday, there are already other EHV 1 outbreaks demonstrably in so far three other European countries, "which have their origin in Valencia," the FEI confirmed in its letter. Therefore, she said, it is inevitable to immediately severely restrict all current tournaments in most European countries and to cancel future ones until first 28. March to cancel. These are events in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Poland, Holland, France, Germany and Slovakia.
Show grounds in Valencia may only be left with a "free ride" permit
Questionable then however the section in the letter, in that running tournaments can be continued, because one wants to prevent that the horses, which were at the start in the equestrian events in Spain, Italy and Belgium, leave all at once the tournament places. However, these tournaments are allowed to continue only as long as there are no cases of herpes during the tournament.
How and when Hilmar Meyer can get his horses from the Iberian Peninsula is questionable. Only horses that have a certificate confirming that they are absolutely free of the virus are allowed to leave the show grounds. Owners, trainers or even riders are strictly forbidden to leave tournaments in the conspicuous countries without a "free ride".
But this is said to have already happened, which FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez confirmed in the letter: "We know that a large number of horses left the show grounds in Valencia without a medical certificate." In plain language: Their state of health was not clarified. "But some horses were already sick, the risk of infection was high. This outbreak is probably the worst in Europe for many decades!"Therefore, a cancellation of major, international tournaments had been unavoidable. And she also strongly advises national federations to cancel their tournaments.
Also the 57-year-old Meyer tries to sensitize the antennas of all equestrian friends and tournament organizers, says: "Who has seen the pictures here, who knows how serious the situation is. Everything humanly possible must be done to avoid a complete catastrophe throughout Europe. This here in Valencia is the worst I have ever experienced. It goes beyond the imaginable!" * COSTAN NEWS.com is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Original message from 1. March: Morsum/Valencia – As an active show jumper Hilmar Meyer from Morsum was known as a real fighter. As one who gave up in the course with his horses only when also the last chance was gone. But it is only now, a good two years after his retirement from active sport and now purely as an instructor and trainer on the road, that the 57-year-old has to fight his toughest battle. Meyer fears for his horses, with which he is currently in Valencia – and where the herpes virus has been running rampant for several days now. Two four-legged friends in Meyer's care have already succumbed to the insidious disease.
"I have long since stopped crying! It is unbelievable scenes that take place here. I only function. It's a picture of horror that we can see here at every corner of the site," the Morsum resident said on the phone on Monday, completely stunned.
I have long since stopped crying! These are unbelievable scenes that take place here. I only function. It is a picture of horror that we have before our eyes here at every corner on the site.
The deadly trail of Equine Herpes Virus in the stables of the aborted CES Tour in Valencia is getting longer every day in the process. According to Tim-Uwe Hoffmann's Casta Lee FRH (v. Cas), the twelve-year-old mare 3Q Quadira (v. Arpeggio), the congenial partner of the young rider Tessa Leni Thillmann, from the highly infectious disease. Thillmann and the mare were called up to the FN's young rider squad in 2019 and then mixed it up at the European Championships for Children, taking silver with the team.
Both riders, Thillmann and Hoffmann, who have been under Hilmar Meyer's wing for some time now, "are completely off the rails. Their best friends have gone from them in a cruel way," Meyer tried only to rudimentarily reflect the grief of the two riders. "Run free my little best Quaddi," the young rider sent after her partner as a final greeting. And her great role model, Alexa Stais, who has been so successful on the Valencia Tour in recent weeks and is now back at Meyersche Hof in Morsum, added in an Instagram post, "Another superstar has been taken from us."
Hilmar Meyer left for Spain with his students and trainers, including Stais, Thillmann and Hoffmann, and a total of 24 horses. Now on the ground to help horses fight the virus. But the trainer and trainer knows in his innermost being that he must surely let go of further. Like many other German as well as international riders, trainers and owners from all over the world.
"Everyone pitches in here. But it is exasperating. Because all clinics are bursting at the seams. From all cities in Spain from Valencia to Barcelona to Madrid veterinarians have traveled, horses are transported to clinics, "but the space is no longer enough. Thus here already locally all measures are introduced, which can be initiated. But often they simply come too late," says Meyer.
Stais keeps the yard running in Morsum
While Stais is currently keeping the farm in Morsum running, "I will stay here in Spain until the last horse, by whomever, is rescued. But they will all do here", promised the Morsumer on Monday.
Also Alexa Stais does not get at present the cruel pictures of dying horses from the head. "I'm afraid that the whole thing could develop into a pandemic," the rider oraculated, adding, "On the grounds, with the temporary tents, it looks like a war zone!"
Of course the South African holds the position in Morsum as well as she can, but her thoughts are almost exclusively in Valencia. "I wish so much that we could get our horses back home as soon as possible. And I pray that as many as possible make it healthy!"Of the 24 four-legged friends that the Meyer team took to Spain, only nine showed no typical symptoms on Sunday. Meyer also believes that "this will have drastic consequences for the whole of Europe. Because it seems that the disease is spreading like wildfire."
Meyer raises accusations: "Unbelievable mistakes were made"
Again and again one sees at present tractors with dead horses over the area, Hilmar Meyer documented with its cell phone some scenes, made pictures and videos, which are hardly to be borne as neutral viewers and which do not only shake each animal lover to the core.
In his grief and anger, he then also raised accusations, but does not want to be clear yet. "Things are going on here that should never have happened this way! Incredible mistakes have been made. But I think the FEI will recognize this and hopefully then take the right steps."
WHAT IS HERPES IN HORSES?
Herpes is a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted at ca. 90 percent of horses are latently dormant. The viruses retreat into the nerve cells. The immune system does not reach them. The virus cannot be eliminated. Once infected, a horse remains a lifelong virus carrier.
In stressful situations (transports, other illnesses, emotional distress) the herpes virus can be activated. But this does not have to be accompanied by clinical symptoms. There are antibodies in the blood that fight off unwanted invaders. Therefore, as long as the herpes viruses are in the bloodstream and the antibody level is high enough, the immune system protects the organism.
What causes herpes? There are four types of equine herpes virus. Currently, EHV 1 and 4 are particularly relevant. Especially EHV 1 leads to viral abortion (foaling) or the birth of weak foals. The mare usually shows no symptoms of disease, but loses her foal between the seventh month of pregnancy and the date of birth. If foals are born alive, they usually die a few days after birth.
EHV 4 (but also 1) causes febrile respiratory illness (rhinopneumonitis). The horses have fever, often over 39° Celsius. There join watery noses-. Eye discharge as well as coughing added. The initially harmless course of the disease can have serious consequences if, for example, a bacterial infection is also present.
Especially EHV 1 can damage the nervous system (paretic-paralytic course). The consequence: paralysis symptoms. Coordination problems. Initially, the disease is only noticeable by a slight fever. A few days later, the horses show a swaying, uncoordinated gait or immediately signs of paralysis, especially of the hindquarters. The reason: There is bleeding into the spinal cord. This leads to functional disorders and even the death of certain nerve areas. Some horses also behave feces. Urine (penile paralysis). In some circumstances, the veterinarian can only give a redemptive injection here.