As we look ahead to another enjoyable carriage driving season, the safety and wellbeing of our horses and ponies remains our top priority.

Following updated guidance from British Carriage Driving, Southern Carriage Driving Club will be implementing a number of equine flu prevention measures at all events this year. These protocols are designed to help reduce the risk of spreading Equine Influenza and to ensure that everyone can continue to compete and enjoy events safely.

What is Equine Flu?

Equine Influenza (Equine Flu) is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can spread quickly between horses and ponies. While many equines recover well, outbreaks can have serious consequences for competitions, events, and equine welfare.

We encourage all members, competitors, and supporters to remain vigilant for symptoms, which may include:

• A persistent dry or harsh cough
• Nasal discharge
• Unusual lethargy or tiredness
• A temperature above 38.5°C

If your horse or pony displays any of these signs, please do not travel to or attend any event.

Laboratory testing for Equine Flu is currently available free of charge and involves a simple nasal wash test, which should ideally be carried out within eight days of symptoms appearing.

Vaccination & Passport Requirement

To help protect all attending equines, the following requirements will apply at Southern Carriage Driving Club events this season:

• All drivers must bring their equine passports to every event. Please remember that carrying a passport while travelling is also a legal requirement.
• All horses and ponies must have proof of a flu vaccination administered within the previous 11 months (preferably within the last 6 months).
• Vaccinations must have been given more than 7 days before attending an event.
• A scanned copy of the vaccination record, along with the identification and diagram page of the passport, must be emailed to scdc.bev.huntington@gmail.com at least 7 days before the event.
• Passports and vaccination records will also be checked on the day.
• Any horse or pony that has not received a flu vaccination within the previous 12 months will not be permitted to attend SCDC or British Carriage Driving affiliated events.

Additional Biosecurity Measures

To further reduce risk at events, our stewards carrying out harness checks will wear disposable gloves and will avoid direct contact with horses and ponies wherever possible.

We also ask all competitors and supporters to help by following good biosecurity practices throughout the season:

• Minimise direct contact between equines where possible
• Wash or sanitise hands between handling different horses or ponies
• Consider carrying disposable gloves, especially if helping others to put to or groom
• Do not share water or feed buckets between horses, ponies, or camps
• Avoid dipping hoses or buckets directly into communal water troughs
• Space lorries, trailers, and pens apart wherever practical
• Do not graze horses or ponies in communal grazing areas

Working Together for a Safe Season

Carriage driving is built on a strong sense of community, sportsmanship, and care for our animals. By working together and following these simple precautions, we can help protect our horses, ponies, competitors, and events throughout the season.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

We look forward to seeing everyone out competing and enjoying the season ahead.

The Southern Carriage Driving Club Team