Activated Cowgirl & Co.

11/20/2025

With cases of equine herpesvirus appearing in other states, it’s natural to wonder which signs to watch for and what steps help prevent disease. Good biosecurity and early recognition are key to protecting your horse’s health. 🛡🐴

To learn more about equine herpesvirus visit: z.umn.edu/ehv

11/20/2025

Update 11/20/25 – 12:25 p.m. North Dakota Department of Agriculture and State Veterinarian release official statement to guide horse owners BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) – The North Dakota Depar…

11/20/2025

EQUINE HERPESVIRUS MYELOENCEPHALOPATHY (EHM) & EHV-1- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How do we handle horses returning from events where they may have been exposed to EHV-1?

• These horses should be isolated from any other horses when they return to their home facility. Isolation requires housing them away from other horses, using different equipment to feed, clean and work with them than is used with non-isolated horses, and rigorous hygiene procedures for horse handlers (hand hygiene, wearing separate clothes when coming in contact with isolated horses, etc.). Please discuss this with your veterinarian.

• We strongly advise owners to call their veterinarian to discuss how long to keep the horses isolated at home. A minimum recommended isolation period is 21 days.

• These horses should have their temperature taken twice a day, as elevated temperature is typically the first and most common sign of infection. Horses with elevated re**al temperatures (greater than 101.5 F) should have a nasal swab and blood submitted by your veterinarian for EHV-1 PCR.

• If a horse develops a fever and is found to be shedding EHV-1, then the level of risk to other horses on the premises increases significantly. Affected farms should work closely with their veterinarian to manage the situation.

• The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has an extensive set of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) Control Guidelines that veterinarians can use as a resource.

2. What do we do if we already have a potentially exposed horse on a farm?

• The exposed horse should still be isolated, even if it may have already been in contact with other horses. Start isolation procedures to stop further exposure.

• It is very important to separate horses from different groups to accomplish this. Try to isolate the suspect horse without moving other horses from one group to another. Segregation of horse groups is the key, because this will help reduce spread if an outbreak starts.

• Check temperatures of all horses on the farm twice daily (fever spikes can be missed if you check once daily). If fevers are detected, then isolate the horse and test for EHV-1.

3. What anti-viral treatments can I use against EHM on a farm?

• If EHM is present on a farm, then the risk of other horses developing EHM at that farm is greatly increased. Stringent quarantine and biosecurity procedures must be implemented immediately.

• Treatment of horses with clinical neurological disease (EHM) is largely supportive—the use of anti-viral drugs is not known to be of value at this stage, but are often administered. Use of anti-inflammatory drugs and good nursing care with sling support if necessary is recommended.

• For horses that develop fever, test EHV-1 positive, or have been exposed to an EHM horse, anti-viral drugs may decrease the chance of developing EHM.

• Speak with your veterinarian regarding all medications and their suitability for your horse. We currently recommend Valacyclovir (Valtrex™) for prophylactic therapy at a dose of 30 mg/kg q 8 hr for two days, then 20 mg/kg q 12 hr for 1–2 weeks.

• The use of valacyclovir in horses that have already developed signs of EHM is questionable at this time. In that circumstance, the use of intravenous ganciclovir is preferable as it may have greater potency against the disease. The dose of ganciclovir is 2.5 mg/kg q 8 hr IV for one day then 2.5 mg/kg q 12 hr IV for one week.

• Administration of a zinc-containing supplements may be beneficial based on one epidemiologic study that found a decreased risk of EHM associated with owner-reported dietary zinc supplementation.

4. Is there any value to using booster vaccination against EHV-1 at this time?

• Unfortunately, there is not a licensed EHV-1 vaccination product with a label claim for prevention or control of EHM.

• EHV-1 vaccines have been shown to reduce nasal shedding and, in some cases, reduce viremia. These products may therefore have some theoretical value against EHM by reducing viremia, and certainly against spread of the virus by reducing viral shedding in the environment.

• If horses on the farm are previously vaccinated against EHV-1 then booster vaccination should quickly increase immunity, and perhaps reduce spread of EHV-1, if it is present.

• Vaccination in these circumstances is controversial, as some authorities speculate that immunity to EHV-1 may play a role in the development of EHM. While this is unproven, it remains a possibility. The use of vaccination is therefore a risk-based decision.

• Vaccination has no value as a treatment in affected horses.

Check the EDCC alerts page at https://equinediseasecc.org/alerts for updates regarding reported cases of EHM.

11/10/2025

Hey folks, in addition to my wellness products, I have the following available in my online equine store:

•Skidmore’s leather cream
•Sheepskin pads for leather care
•Handmade split reins of various lengths
•Saddle fit tool kits for making your horse’s back tracing- can be used for finding a good fitting saddle, or monitoring your horse’s change in body weight and shape.

shop here👉🏻 https://www.activatedcowgirl.com/

You can meet me in Bismarck for pick up or I can ship to you. Reach out with questions!

11/10/2025

10/14/2025

👏🏻 These gals make nice cinches.

I ride with mohair cinch with a metal buckle and never had an issue. Use the correct length for your horse. If you’re still having an issue, check your saddle fit and rigging. If your rigging is loose, or not symmetrical, how do you think that will affect your cinch and horse’s comfort? Lots of variables can come into play here. Reach out if you have questions or would like to schedule an individual saddle fit or saddle fit and saddle quality educational clinic.

Maybe this is a rant? Not sure, you decide 😂

No, we don’t use buckle covers on our cinches. No, we don’t think they are inherently ‘bad’ or unnecessary for all horses, either. (And right now, there is only one kind we can recommend in good conscience, which is made by U-Braid-It Braiding Supply Co. LLC )

There’s been a lot of information going around lately about ‘how bad a metal buckle right against the skin is’ on Mohair cinches, and some of the information just isn’t factual- honestly, in half the photos I’ve been seeing they are rusty old buckles with a cord cotton cinch that is being MISTAKEN for Mohair.

We are the first to say ‘do what’s best for your horse!’ and we truly believe that, our main concern is people not understanding the full context of what makes a fit good or bad, the purpose of buckle covers in general, and how ANY improperly adjusted or fit cinch can create issues (even those with buckle covers- yes, I’ve sored a horse with a leather buckle cover 😳.)

If you’re interested in a live or a video where we go more in depth, please comment below and I’ll try to make a couple options available. We are happy to share what we know and what we’ve learned over time, which continues to evolve as we make more gear and chat with more people.

By now we’ve made well over 7000 cinches- what we share isn’t just going to be an observation of a single horse with a single cinch shared out of context on social media, rather collective feedback and communication we’ve had with hundreds and hundreds of customers. I don’t say that because I think it makes us experts, I say that because we actually do make cinches (we are not saddle makers and don’t claim to be experts in making a saddle, which is another big piece of the ‘fit puzzle’), we continually chat with other cinch makers to problem solve and share ideas and observations, and we are fully committed to making comfortable gear so our horses can do their jobs.

So again, if you’re interested in hearing more, I will work on picking some times to make a live happen :)

10/12/2025

I’m very honored to receive the NDVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year award for 2025. It is especially sweet after returning to vet med last year after 10 years in the medical laboratory profession.

Not being in vet med just wasn’t the same. Did I question if I could still do it, if my skills were still there. Absolutely.

I became involved with NDVTA a couple years ago when I wanted to get back in the field, was craving that connection, and wanted to learn more about what was happening with the LVT profession in ND.

What I discovered was a network of peers, other individuals that were passionate about advocating for the LVT profession, and skills that were a little rusty but definitely still there. I found that some things haven’t changed, some things have, but there are still others fighting for this profession.

So if this relates to you at all, if you’re passionate about vet med, even if you’re not currently working in it, there’s still a place for you here. There are many avenues available to pursue in vet med. I am proof. Pursue what fulfills you. Have confidence in your skills, negotiate your pay, take care of your own health, and never stop learning.

Liz Bouta, LVT, MLT(ASCP)cm

10/07/2025

Haul in saddle fit appointments available as long as the weather is decent!

Now booking clinics or individual fittings over the winter if you have an indoor arena available.

Western Saddle fit
BEMER therapy
Holistic horse care consults

10/05/2025

Oiling your leather and why you shouldn’t use so much. Clinton Langerud Saddlery riding

10/02/2025

As a LVT, BEMER is the most versatile device you can purchase for your horse. It’s one of a kind and can give you the most bang for your buck. There’s no other device on the market with BEMER’s signal and the residual benefits.

I’ve been a veterinary professional for over 20 years and a BEMER partner for 5 years. Want more information or have specific questions about how BEMER can help your horse? Send me your email for info or contact me to schedule a call!