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Biosecurity Away from Home: Small Habits, Big Impact

The health of the UK’s equine population doesn’t just depend on vets and vaccinations; it’s shaped by the everyday habits of riders and horse owners. As horses travel more frequently, the risk of infectious diseases spreading rises too. That’s why biosecurity isn’t just a box to tick, it’s a must, whether you’re at home or on the move. And that’s where Lanxess Biosecurity Solutions comes in, offering expert guidance you can trust. 

UK Disease Status

As horse movement increases, biosecurity must extend beyond the home yard. UK disease status reported via Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) provides useful insights into current risks.

Equine influenza remains well controlled, with 9 outbreaks in 2025 and 2 so far in 2026, all of which were successfully contained. In contrast, Strangles, continues to show a concerning rise, with 469 confirmed cases in 2025 and a monthly average of around 40 cases, significantly higher than the averages of 22 in 2024 and 18 in 2023.

Activity of Equine herpesvirus (EHV) has been more variable, with minimal respiratory EHV-1 cases but 2 neurological outbreaks in late 2025. Meanwhile, EHV-4 continues to circulate within the horse population, although incomplete traceability remains a key challenge in fully understanding its spread.

What Riders and Owners Can Do

Effective biosecurity starts with consistent, everyday management. While vaccination plays an important role in disease prevention, it must be supported by good stable hygiene and management, regular health monitoring, and early recognition of potential illness. By adopting simple, routine practices, riders and owners can significantly reduce the risk of disease introduction and spread.

Key health monitoring and biosecurity measures include:

  • Monitor your horse’s temperature and know their normal baseline.
  • Check for signs of illness (e.g. discharge, coughing, or fever) before traveling.
  • Avoid contact with unfamiliar horses.
  • Use dedicated equipment and avoid sharing items.

At Competitions

Competitions increase disease risk due to high horse density and frequent movement. Horses are exposed to unfamiliar animals, shared environments, and equipment, all of which can facilitate the spread of infectious diseases. Implementing good biosecurity practices during these events is essential to minimise risk and protect both individual horses and the wider equine population. In practice, this means:

  • Avoid direct horse-to-horse contact.
  • Ensure temporary stabling is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between horses.
  • Do not share equipment such as tack, buckets, or grooming kits.
  • Maintain good hand hygiene and clothing.
  • Use disinfectant boot dips at entry/exit points.
  • Regularly clean and disinfect trailers, as they can introduce disease into your stables.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Effective hygiene depends on applying the basics correctly. Cleaning and disinfection are separate steps, and both are essential for disease control. Organic material must always be removed before disinfection, as dirt significantly reduces disinfectant effectiveness.

A practical routine can be achieved by combining a suitable cleaner to remove organic matter, followed by an effective disinfectant to eliminate pathogens. An alkaline foaming multipurpose cleaner such as DeterKlyn® can be used for cleaning a wide range of equipment and hard surfaces including metal, wood, plastic, and concrete. Its high-foaming formulation supports good coverage and performs well even in hard water conditions. Disinfectants should be selected based on their proven efficacy against equine pathogens such as Virkon® S. It acts rapidly, achieving pathogen control within 10 minutes, and can be used across multiple applications, including surface and equipment (1%), boot dips (1%), and vehicle or trailer disinfection (0.5–1%). It is also suitable for use in the presence of animals.

Key principles:

  • Always remove organic material before disinfection
  • Use the correct disinfectant, dilution, and contact time

Conclusion

Biosecurity is not complex, but it requires consistency. In environments with increased horse movement and disease pressure, even small lapses can increase the risk of disease spread. By maintaining simple, routine practices, riders and owners can play a vital role in protecting the health of their horses and the wider equine community.