🐴 Somerset Horse Show – Equine Influenza Update 🐴
In light of the current Equine Influenza situation across the country, we are taking additional steps to ensure you and your horse can continue to enjoy our event whilst helping to keep everyone safe.
We are closely monitoring the situation locally and are taking guidance from both the British Horse Society and British Equestrian on how to proceed.
As things currently stand, we strongly recommend that all equines attending the event are vaccinated against Equine Influenza. Following the initial vaccination course, equines should receive annual boosters, ideally administered within 6 months of the event.
Ways you can help keep both you and your horse safe:
✅ Bring and use your own water buckets and hay nets
(All water supplies on site are from mains taps, so there is no need to share troughs or containers.)
✅ Keep a safe distance between horses
Please do not allow horses to make direct contact with one another.
✅ Monitor your horse’s health regularly
Take your horse’s temperature regularly, especially in the lead-up to events. Routine monitoring makes it easier to identify changes from their normal baseline. Also watch for signs such as:
• New cough
• Nasal discharge
• Lethargy
• Any other signs of illness
❌ Please do not attend if your horse is showing signs of illness.
✅ Hand sanitiser stations will be located around the site
Please make use of them, particularly after contact with horses.
✅ Do not share equipment such as brushes or tack
If sharing cannot be avoided, please disinfect items between use.
✅ Avoid touching other people’s horses
If contact is unavoidable, please use hand sanitiser before returning to your own horse.
Our judges and stewards will also be asked to avoid direct contact with horses. Rosettes will be handed directly to exhibitors rather than placed onto horses.
We will also have:
• Veterinary-grade disinfectant available on site where required
• Disinfectant footbaths at selected points around the showground (if necessary)
• Disinfectant available from the Secretary’s Tent for exhibitors wishing to clean vehicles or equipment
We ask all exhibitors to act responsibly and use good judgement regarding vaccinations and horse health, while continuing to follow advice from veterinary professionals and official authorities.
Finally, if you have been in contact with equines that have recently become unwell, or if neighbouring yards, stables, or grazing facilities around your own are currently under restrictions due to illness, please do not attend the event.
Thank you for helping us keep Somerset Horse Show safe for everyone.