Posted: 6th June 2019 | Back to news feed
Redwings Horse Sanctuary is launching a national day of action as part of its award-winning Stamp Out Strangles campaign. A special Speak Out On Strangles Day will take place on Saturday 6th July, and the equestrian community is being urged to come together to show its support for fighting this prevalent, but preventable infectious disease, which has at least 600 recorded outbreaks per year.
From fun rides to tack sales, from games to picnics, yard managers can get involved by hosting activities for their clients, which can be used as a platform to share top tips on biosecurity and to encourage more horse owners to take the Redwings Stamp Out Strangles Pledge.
To date, almost 420 horse owners and 112 yard managers nationwide have already pledged to take proactive steps to protect their horses from infectious disease and to tackle the stigma sadly still associated with strangles. All yard managers who sign up to take part in Speak Out On Strangles Day will receive a free goodie bag - including resources to support them on the day - and be entered into a prize draw.
Individual horse owners not attached to a yard can also get involved! They can download a free poster from Redwings’ website showing their support of the day – perfect for taking a selfie with and sharing on social media with the hashtag #SpeakOutOnStranglesDay. They also can share their experiences of strangles on Redwings’ online Strangles Hub at www.redwings.org.uk/strangles.
Redwings’ visitor centres across the UK will also be hosting special activities throughout the day and the charity’s Head of Welfare and Behaviour, and leading strangles expert, Nic de Brauwere, will be hosting a Facebook Live session where he will be answering burning questions about infectious disease prevention.
Andie Vilela, Redwings’ Education and Campaigns Manager, said: “In a recent survey, we discovered that negative attitudes towards strangles were a key barrier for yard managers and horse owners when it came to taking proactive preventative measures. With Speak Out On Strangles Day, we want to break down those barriers and show that such attitudes are a thing of the past! Better hygiene and screening practices are already becoming the norm and, with concerns around the equine flu not abating, the appetite is there within the equestrian community to do more to protect horses.
“This special day of action is designed to provide yard managers with the opportunity to have those positive conversations about better biosecurity or even introduce updated screening protocols to their clients in a fun and friendly way. Whatever activity they would like to host - whether it’s a relaxing hack or simply encouraging more people to join our campaign - it all helps to show that if everyone works together we can stamp out strangles.”
To sign up to Speak Out On Strangles Day and to download a free resources pack, visit www.redwings.org.uk/speak-out-on-strangles-day.
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