Rumors are galloping around the Southside that the Virginia state veterinary office paid a visit to the host of a local trail ride in an effort to determine if each horse was accompanied by a current report of negative test (Coggins test) for equine infectious anemia (EIA).
I don’t know the details, but when I heard the rumor it got me thinking about all the various trail rides, big and small, we have in this area. Exactly what are Virginia’s requirements for having a negative Coggins? I quickly discovered that if you ask 12 people, you might get 12 different answers.
Everyone knows that you need a negative Coggins report to attend a show, fair, or big public trail ride. But if Susie loads her nag and goes to Sally’s for a two-hour ramble on private property, is a Coggins required? Some say yes, some say no. If two horses don’t need it, how about three? Four? Five? What if the ride was spontaneous, unpublished and no money changed hands, but 30 riders showed up?
If you think reading the Virginia Code will help, think again. The Virginia Administrative Code 2VAC5-70-20, which derives its statutory authority from sections 3.1-724 through 3.1-730 of the Code of Virginia, states that, “All horses assembled at a show, fair, race meet or other such function in Virginia, must be accompanied by a report of an official negative test for equine infectious anemia conducted within 12 months prior to such event.”
Are a group of friends riding private trails on a quiet Sunday legally classified as, “… other such function …”?
I wanted to know for sure, so I called the office of Veterinary Services at the Virginia Department of Agriculture. They’re great people, but I quickly learned that the last thing a VDA employee wants to do is discuss legal interpretations. So I chatted with several VDA staffers and doctors of veterinary medicine and came away enlightened.
It became obvious that the “Coggins” law is vague about certain things and that even lawyers and judges might disagree on the extent of its jurisdiction. But I also learned that I was looking at the issue from the wrong perspective. It’s not the law I should be concerned with, but what’s best for the horse.
Equine infectious anemia is a highly contagious virus with characteristics similar to HIV. While it poses no risk to humans, it can be deadly to horses. A horse with EIA can be chronic, only showing occasional symptoms which might mimic other more benign conditions. Such a horse may appear to get better with common treatments such as antibiotics, but they’re still infectious.
Or, EIA can have an acute effect, taking a horse from health to death rapidly. And worse, most EIA carriers appear healthy, showing no outward signs of the disease, while forever posing a risk to the horses around it.
The most common means of transmission for EIA are biting flies and mosquitos, which carry blood from one horse to another. But, it’s important to remember that since EIA is a blood borne disease, anything that transfers blood from one horse to another is capable of transmitting the virus. This includes teeth floats, curry combs, bits, hoof picks, first aid equipment, thermometers, et al.
I also learned that mosquitos and flies, while rare in the winter, have been sighted in the state during every month of the year. There is no safe season for EIA.
A Coggins test does not directly protect your horse from anything. It just lets you know if your horse is infected. But if everyone tests their horses, collectively it protects all the horses. When a deadly disease has no prevention and no cure, the only defense is identifying the animals with the disease and removing them from the population. Coggins is the best effort so far to do that and it’s working wonderfully.
Virginia has a good record on controlling EIA. The last cases (2) were in 2004 and there haven’t been any reported since, thanks in large part to the Coggins testing requirement. But, if we stop Coggins testing, EIA will likely flare up again. Then we’re all at increased risk.
The state’s rules governing Coggins testing aren’t a revenue stream for the state. It’s not some conspiracy to control your life and meddle in your affairs. The requirements for Coggins testing are there to protect YOUR horse, but it only works if the horses around you are also tested.
While the Virginia Department of Agriculture has no plans to stake out Sally, Susie or those casual weekend riders, I did pick up some advice that works in any situation: Anywhere there are multiple horses from multiple owners, every horse should have a current, negative Coggins. If you ride with people you don’t know, don’t hesitate to ask if they have a negative Coggins.
In the end, it’s not about Big Brother or compliance with the law. You’ll already have a Coggins if you care about your horses, so the big question is: Why would you ride with people who don’t?
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Posted by A. Keck 
