Horse world urged to act after more than 100 strangles cases recorded this year

The horse world has been urged to get involved with the 2026 Strangles Awareness Week as the number of cases recorded has already topped 100 this year.

The annual campaign this year runs from 4-10 May, its aim to “get horse lovers working together to minimise the scale and impact of a strangles outbreak, which can be financially and emotionally costly”.

Owners of horses and yards are encouraged to sign up as ambassadors and promote the campaign’s BEST practice message to minimise spread of the highly contagious disease.

• Boost immunity with strangles vaccination
• Engage with trusted information
• Separate unfamiliar horses
• Temp check routinely

Helen Whitelegg, campaigns and policy manager at Redwings Horse Sanctuary, which co-ordinates the week, said: “We are better placed than ever before to reduce the risk and number of cases seen each year and we all have a responsibility to do what we can to tackle this disease.

“A recent [Pharmaceutical company] Dechra survey found nearly half of respondents were not aware of the availability of a vaccine and a third did not have quarantine protocols for new horses, despite 87% reporting that they were concerned about the risk of infectious diseases like strangles.”

Recent figures show 104 lab-reported cases of strangles logged by the surveillance of equine strangles scheme between 1 January and 2 April. Last year there was a 77% increase on the number of cases from those recorded in 2024; 477 in 2025 compared to 270 in 2024.

“The apparent rise in cases is concerning and we know the true number of outbreaks is likely to be even higher than this, with many unrecorded, and it’s something we feel Strangles Awareness Week can help to address,” Ms Whitelegg said.

Strangles is the most diagnosed equine disease worldwide. Signs can include a high fever, laboured breathing, difficulty eating, depression, thick nasal discharge and painful abscesses. In severe cases it can be life-threatening.

Anyone who signs up as an ambassador will be sent social media assets developed from research and expert advice, an ambassador badge and more. A free webinar on strangles takes place on 5 May.

To sign up, or for more information, visit the Redwings website.

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