Protocols and Practices for the Conducting of Thoroughbreds and Harness Race Meetings

Race meetings where large numbers of horses and people mix present a significant risk, acting as 'multipliers' for the spread of Equine Influenza should an outbreak occur

A significant risk of transfer of disease from horse to horse is by humans who have been contaminated (hands, clothes, footwear and/or gear) by horse nasal secretions.

Bio-security procedures ordered by the Stewards mitigate the risk.

Contact with horses should be kept to the absolute minimum, avoiding nasal secretions where possible. Physical contact between people handling horses at race meetings and the general public is discouraged.

Eastern States visitors who may have been in contact with horses while interstate within the previous 48 hours should not handle your horses.

Important practices to help protect your industry

Before leaving home:

1. All personnel must ensure that they present for work showered, wearing clean/freshly laundered clothing and footwear which has been cleaned of organic matter and disinfected immediately prior to coming to the races.
2. For all horses racing that day, trainers must closely monitor them for signs of respiratory disease or poor health and take their temperature before leaving the home stables.
3. Horses with an elevated temperature (38.5°C or above), or any other relevant clinical symptoms should be attended as soon to as possible by a veterinarian. Any horse with an elevation of temperature/signs of respiratory disease must not be presented for racing and the matter reported immediately to the Stewards.
4. Ensure all tack and equipment is cleaned and disinfected.
5. Clean and disinfect horse transport vehicles.
6. Trainers are responsible for ensuring that both they and their staff comply with all Bio-security Instructions issued by Racing and Wagering WA.

At race meetings:

1. Do not share tack/equipment, i.e. bridles, water buckets, with other 'groups' of horses (horses from other stables).
2. Do not use communal water troughs.
3. Trainers and strappers should prevent any contact between groups of horses.
4. Trainers and strappers should prevent contact between other personnel/general public and their horses.
5. All personnel are encouraged to regularly and thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water during the race meet; and especially between handling different groups of horses.

On return to the property:

1. At the conclusion of each race meet, staff are to return home immediately, shower, launder all clothes worn at the meet and clean (removing any organic matter) and disinfect footwear, before handling other horses.
2. Clean and disinfect all horse equipment and the horse transport vehicle.

Race Clubs:

1. Race Clubs are required to ensure only licensed personnel or owners with passes enter the horse stalls areas at the race meet. General public should be discouraged from coming into contact with any horse.
2. Race Clubs should drain any communal water troughs and leave them empty until further notice.
3. Race Clubs should provide some soap/liquid soap in horse-wash areas and horse-stall area bathrooms for trainers/strappers to wash their hands throughout the race-meet.
4. All saddlecloths and strapper's bibs must be laundered at the conclusion of each race meeting.

Barrier Attendants, Veterinarians, Farriers, Clerks of the Course, Starters & any other officials who may have direct horse contact:

1. Ensure that you arrive at the racecourse in clean/freshly laundered clothing (including hats, jumpers and coats). Footwear should be cleaned of all organic matter and disinfected (refer Appendix). All gear to be used on horses must be similarly disinfected.
2. Keep direct contact with horses during the meeting to a minimum.
3. Regularly wash hands with soap and water.
4. Where possible, avoid contact with the horse's head and any nasal secretions.
5. At the completion of the meeting's duties, return home directly, shower, launder all work clothes, clean and disinfect your boots and all related gear (leads, whips, blindfolds, barrier blankets, twitches etc).

Recommended Disinfectants

These disinfectants are appropriate for disinfecting gear and horse transport vehicles:

• Quaternary Ammonium compounds (e.g., Glitz Pine disinfectant) - available at Bunnings.
• Chlorhexidine (e.g., Hibitane).
• Virkon (not to be used on skin).
• Any bleaching agent containing hypochlorite.