Southside Equine Services

12/08/2025

❄️ Winter Weather Safety for Your Horses ❄️
As the snow starts to fall, it’s important to make sure your horses stay safe, warm, and healthy through the storm.

Here are a few key tips to keep in mind:
🐴 Shelter: Provide access to a run-in shed or barn to protect them from wind, sleet, and heavy snow.
💧 Water: Make sure water sources stay unfrozen—hydration is crucial in cold weather. Heated buckets or tank heaters can help, but make sure they are working functionally before use.
🧂 Salt & Hydration Boost: Cold weather can reduce your horse’s urge to drink. Adding loose salt at 1-2 tablespoons per day (or the premade electrolyte mix of your choice) to feed or offering a separate pan of loose salt encourages better hydration. You can also add extra water to grain or soaked feeds to increase daily water intake and help prevent impaction colic.
🌾 Forage: Horses stay warm from the inside out. Offering plenty of hay helps keep their digestive system—and body temperature—steady.
🐾 Footing: Keep pathways and heavily trafficked areas cleared to prevent slipping or ice buildup.
🧥 Blankets: Not all horses need one, but if yours is clipped, elderly, or struggles to maintain weight, a well-fitted waterproof blanket can make a big difference. Change out wet blankets for dry ones regularly and blankets should ALWAYS be removed daily to check for any rubs.
🚧 Fences: Heavy snow, fallen branches, and snow drifts can damage or hide fence lines. Walk your pastures regularly to check for downed boards, loose wire, or hidden weak spots to prevent escapes or injuries.

If you have questions about winter care or notice your horse behaving differently during cold snaps, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help your equine partners stay healthy all season long! ❄️💙

11/29/2025

For those who may not know, Elmer Glick, the farrier, is still hospitalized. In the meantime, local farriers are coming together to make sure his clients and their horses are taken care of.

If Elmer is your farrier and you currently need farrier services, please reach out to Matt Grimm (Rafter MG Shoeing) or Tim Meadows to get set up with one of the local farriers.

It’s truly heartwarming to see our community step up in support. Please keep Elmer in your thoughts, and don’t forget to send Cindy all your love. ❤️

Hello everyone, we have some difficult news to share: over the weekend, Cindy's lifelong partner, Elmer, suffered a stroke. Upon admission to the hospital, multiple blood clots were discovered in his brain, leading to his transfer to Roanoke Hospital, where he experienced two additional strokes and underwent two surgeries. Elmer is currently on a ventilator and has been unconscious since Saturday. Cindy will be out until further notice, with that being said, we are collecting donations here at Steph's, with all proceeds from nail trims going directly to support them. Anything can help & will be greatly appreciated.

Our address is: 27 Green Hill Drive, Forest VA, 24551

11/27/2025

In case you haven't seen it yet, here is the link to Tues' webinar presented by the EDCC and leading veterinary infectious disease experts on the current EHV outbreak. It includes information about the outbreak and lots of great information on EHV.

This is the recording of a webinar held November 25, 2025. Please note that the current EHV-1 situation is changing rapidly. To get the most updated informat...

11/24/2025

Holiday Closing! Southside Equine Services will be closed Thursday, November 27th, and Friday, November 28th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We are so very thankful for our clients and wish you all a happy and safe holiday!

11/21/2025

Due to the recent outbreak, we have been notified that all active extended Health Certificates (6 month) have been voided and will not be issued during this health crisis. 30 day certificates are still available. Please check your dates of the 6 month certificate and make sure, if you still have months remaining, that you call to get an updated certificate issued for travel. Please call us if you have any concerns or questions regarding traveling out of state with your horse. Stay safe!

11/21/2025

The Equine Disease Communication Center is monitoring an outbreak of EHM that originated at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event Nov 5-9. To date, officially confirmed cases have been reported in the following states-

11/20/2025

We are aware of the Equine herpes virus outbreak that is currently going on in Texas which has been linked to a rodeo event in Waco. So lets talk about equine herpes virus (EHV) and the neurologic form "equine herpes myeloencephalopathy(EHM).

What is equine herpes virus?
Equine herpesvirus (EHV), also known as equine rhinopneumonitis, is a family of highly contagious viruses found in horses worldwide. Of the nine known herpesviruses, EHV-1, EHV-3, and EHV-4 pose the highest disease risk to U.S. horses. They do not pose a risk to people.

EHV-1 primarily causes upper respiratory disease and abortions/stillbirths in horses. In rsre cases, it causes a neurological disease called equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) that can be fatal. EHV-3 causes a venereal disease called co**al exanthema. EHV-4 primarily causes respiratory disease in foals and abortion in mares but can also produce cases of EHM. EHV-infected horses that don't develop EHM generally recover with no side effects.

How is equine herpes spread?
EHV-1 and EHV-4 are spread via nose-to-nose contact; contaminated equipment (water and feed buckets, tack and grooming supplies, and shoes); and respiratory secretions within stalls and stables. Aborted fetuses and afterbirth can also contain these viruses. EHV-3 is spread through breeding or contaminated equipment used for breeding.

What are the symptoms of EHV and EHM?
EHV-1 and EHV-4 most often cause a respiratory disease which is usually mild and self-limiting, some horses may not show any signs of illness. In rare cases EHV 1 and 4 can cause EHM
In clinically affected horses, look for:
MOST COMMON EHV SYMPTOMS
•Fever (101.5°F or higher)
•Nasal discharge and cough
•Depression
EHM SYMPTOMS
•Head tilt
•Difficulty urinating
•Loss of tail tone
•Stumbling or weakness in the hind limbs that progresses to all limbs
•Down and unable to rise
REPRODUCTIVE SYMPTOMS
•Loss of pregnancy in mares

How do I prevent it?????
☆Vaccinate your horses!!!!!!Vaccines are available to prevent the forms of EHV that cause respiratory illness and abortion. This vaccine is commonly known as the "rhino" vaccine. These vaccines reduce the severity of symptoms and viral shedding. They also reduce the risk of abortions. These vaccines are strongly recommended to give given eveey 6 months in horses that travel, show, or interact with other horses. None of the vaccines are effective against the neurologic form of the disease (EHM).
☆☆Isolate new or returning horses. Isolate new horses and horses returning to the farm after an event/training for at least 21 days. Monitoring temperatures twice daily can alert you to fevers early. Monitor them for signs of disease. Keep pregnant mares with foals at their side in small groups away from new or returning horses.
☆☆☆Always practice good hygiene and biosecurity. Regularly clean and disinfect all water/feed buckets, mucking equipment, tack, and any other equipment. Do not share or borrow tack or equipment at shows, events, or boarding facilities.
Below is an excellent video on show biosecurity and as always, if you have concerns that your horse may be ill, contact the office at 434-248-5880
Outbreaks of herpes, EIA, strangles, and other important infectious diseases can be tracked at https://www.equinediseasecc.org

https://youtu.be/X_TDTg6h6JI?si=Nl-syFC7P6kyYzpK&sfnsn=mo

Presented by Katie Flynn, BVMS (USEF Equine Health and Biosecurity Veterinarian), this is an educational video about keeping your horse healthy and safe duri...

11/14/2025

Updated date

Important Announcement! Due to schedule conflicts with a number of local events, we have rescheduled our annual Open House for December 13th! This event is going to be the best yet. We will be decking the stalls, serving Jorg's fabulous chili, petting lots of horse noses, playing games, holding demos, raffles, and silent auction, and rocking to the musical stylings of Mary Saunders live! And it's all free! So, come on out and please help us spread the word by sharing this post. See you soon!

11/11/2025

Happy Veterans day! Thank you to our 2 legged and 4 legged service members!

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween! Lets see your equine costume pictures

10/28/2025

We have been notified that one of our emergency referral hospitals, Blue Ridge Equine Clinic, will temporarily not be seeing emergencies staring Nov. 1, 2025, from 6 pm Friday to 8 am Monday. Emergencies will still be seen Monday through Friday as needed. They will notify us as soon as they are able to resume these services. The other two referral hospitals will still be available - Virginia Tech 540-231-4621 and NC State 919-513-6500. Please update your contacts accordingly. Thank you.

10/20/2025

UPDATE: We have been notified that the White Bird Appaloosa Horse Rescue Open House has been changed to December 13, 2025. Please adjust your calendars accordingly!! Thank you!

Come on out December 6th, 2025, and help support a great rescue and have a great time!