To ensure the safety of all equine exhibitors showing at World Equestrian Center (WEC) in 2024, management has placed the following health and safety protocols for all horses.
Gaited palomino horse being lead by his trainer.
World Equestrian Center looks forward to a wonderful 2024 show season and hope that all exhibitors do their part on following these rules to help ensure the safety of all horses.
© 2009 by Jean New window.
To facilitate the inspection process by World Equestrian Center personnel, all paperwork including negative Coggins, vaccine records, a signed Statement of Health and signed Trainer/Owner Declaration (new for 2024) must be emailed in advance or presented to the Horse Show Office upon arrival and must be available throughout their stay. If a new arriving horse does not have the following paperwork upon arrival the horse will not be permitted on the facility grounds.
Statement of Health (14 days) – Required for all horses arriving from instate or outside the state of Florida. The statement of health must be dated within 14 days of check in, affirming that the horses entering the facility have not had an elevated temperature, been to a facility where there has been a positive or suspected positive case of EHV, been in a close proximity to an ill horse and receive routine vet care and vaccinations. The Statement of Health must be signed by a licensed veterinarian and on the vet’s letterhead.
*Please note, a health certificate will be accepted to meet the health statement requirement, if it is dated within 14 days of check-in.
Trainer/Owner Health Declaration (New for 2024)– Signed by an owner/trainer confirming that the horse has not experienced a fever exceeding 101.5 degrees or any disease in the 72 hours leading up to its arrival. Additionally, the horse must not have been exposed to or treated for an unexplained fever in the past 28 days and should have tested negative for any disease at least 30 days prior to arrival. If the horse has tested positive within the last six months for any infectious diseases, this information should also be disclosed. See form.
Negative Coggins (12 months) – Proof of a current negative Coggins test within 12 months.
Vaccinations (six months) – It is required all horses be vaccinated for Equine-EHV I/IV (either modified live or killed vaccine), Equine Influenza no sooner than seven days prior to and no later than 180 days (six months) prior to entering the show grounds. Most EHV-1 vaccines are only considered effective for 180 days. Please check with your veterinarian about which vaccine is right for your horse. We strongly recommend vaccinations against WNV, EEE, WEE, Tetanus and Rabies.
Both World Equestrian Center locations prefer health papers emailed before arrival, but exhibitors may also present health papers to the show office before horses are unloaded from the trailer. Send Ocala health papers to ocalahealth@wec.net and Wilmington health papers to ohhealth@wec.net.
After Arrival
Monitoring Horse Health while on the Grounds.
Twice daily temperature checks, morning and evening, will be required during the horse’s stay at WEC and should be recorded on the temp chart located on the stall door of each horse. Temperatures should be taken prior to any exercise. Temperature monitoring is required at WEC. Repeated violations of this policy will be subject to further action by WEC management and may include being asked to leave the grounds.
Additionally, all horses should be observed for abnormal clinical signs which may be indicative of a potential equine infectious disease.
Any temperature over 101.5F degrees or abnormal clinical signs shall be reported immediately to the Show Veterinarian and Horse Show Manager. The Show Veterinarian will examine the horse to determine if isolation or testing of the horse for a potential equine infectious disease. World Equestrian Center reserves the right to test any horse that has a fever and/or clinical signs for an infectious disease.
At World Equestrian Center – Ocala call Show Veterinarian Dr. Larry Wexler at 352.812.1411 and the Horse Show Manager at 352.414.7883.
At World Equestrian Center – Wilmington call Show Veterinarian Hagyard Medical Center at 859.533.2964 and the Show Office immediately at 937.556.2208.
Practice and communicate the following biosecurity best practices to your barn staff.
• Take temperatures of all horses twice daily and maintain a log for each horse.
• Limit nose-to-nose contact between horses.
• Handlers and riders should maintain distances between horses at all times.
• Avoid non-essential people touching horses.
• Practice good hygiene. Handlers should wash hands in-between handling horses and maintain proper biosecurity protocols in the barns and rings.
• Avoid sharing equipment unless it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between uses.
• Braiders/Vets/Farriers/Equine Therapists must produce a list to the Show Office of client horses with their appropriate stall number.
• Braiders/Vets/Farriers/ Equine Therapists should clean and disinfect their hands, equipment, clothing, and shoes between horses.
We look forward to a wonderful 2024 show season and hope that all exhibitors do their part on following these rules to help ensure the safety of all horses.
Please continue to check WEC.net for any additional recommendations or requirements.
For questions about our Ocala facility, reach out to the Horse Show Manager at 352.414.7883 or on-site veterinarian, Dr. Larry Wexler DVM at 352.812.1411.
At World Equestrian Center – Wilmington direct questions to Show Manager at 937.556.2208 or Hagyard Equine Medical Center at 859.533.2964.
Press release by World Equestrian Center