Unsanctioned Equestrian Races “Bush Tracks” Responsible for the Blood-Borne Disease Epidemic Among Horses

Equine diseases have been a regular concern for the horses and their owners in the past few months. Not many days have passed since a mysterious disease claimed the lives of more than 10 horses in Victoria. Dark clouds have formed over the equestrian community once again as two new equine diseases have taken their toll on spreading the illness among horses.

It is reported that bush track racing can be held responsible for the spreading of this infection. The way this disease is transmitted in horses makes it bizarre and brutal.

The peculiar equestrian illness

Paulick Report were the first to report the incident. The two infections that have raised concerns amongst the equestrian community are called Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) and Equine Piroplasmosis (EP), which are blood-borne conditions. The reason for the transmission of these omnipresent conditions is Bush track racing, also known as unsanctioned horse racing. Diseases that spread in the bush often happen due to medical practices and are not insect-based; this phenomenon is also called iatrogenic. This medical practice includes the reuse of needles, syringes, and other equipment used for the intravenous cure of an illness.

Blood doping done to improve the performance of the horses is also a primary reason for these infections. The first time bush track races and iatrogenic transference were reported was in 2008 and 2009, when Equine Piroplasmosis hit the Quarter Horses. Equine Infectious Anemia was first noticed in 2013. Cases of these two infections are more significant in the Quarter Horses when tests are done during the authorized races. If the data is to be believed, then a huge number of cases have been reported in the last few years.

The statistics of the cases reported

From 2008 to 2022, 409 cases of Equine Infectious Anemia and 541 cases of Equine Infectious Anemia were reported in Quarter Horse racehorses. Several horses from this data were reported to have participated in the bush track races, and all of them were caused by unsanitary medical procedures. Back in the day, EIA was only unidentified in the horses that were bitten by the flies.

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More than 121 bush tracks were reported in the 28 states of the United States, and there are speculations that more such hidden tracks are there. These diseases are a concern for the authorities, as the numbers are only increasing. More healthy medical practices are needed to overcome these diseases, and horses should be given a regular checkup by the vets.

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