04/20/2026
Sharing Sleeping Fox Farm Thoroughbred Rescue
Sleeping Fox Farm Eventing
Gary Angie Francart
🚨 URGENT: Disease alert — EHV-1 (Neurologic) confirmed. Horse owners and caretakers, please read and share!
A confirmed case of Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) — the neurologic form of EHV-1 — has been reported at a horse show in Culpeper County, Virginia.
A 21-year-old Thoroughbred gelding competing at a show developed clinical signs on April 17, 2026, including lethargy, lower-limb swelling, and sudden-onset ataxia (loss of coordination). The horse has since been euthanized. This information has been confirmed by a university clinician, a private practitioner, and Virginia's State Animal Health Official.
⚠️Quarantine (as of April 20, 2026) — 42 horses may have been exposed, and are now under a state-mandated 2-week quarantine at their home farms, in areas that will not expose other horses.
EHV-1 is a highly contagious herpesvirus spread through direct horse-to-horse contact, respiratory secretions, and contaminated equipment or hands. For more information about EHV-1 and updates on this case, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) website.
📍 If you have concerns about your horses or need to report illness, contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) or your primary care veterinarian immediately.
