Yes, your obviously healthy horse does need a health certificate and negative Coggins test before he can show in a neighboring state. Laws regarding animal health and equine transport are put in place to protect your horse and others.

Some health problems, such as colic, affect just one horse at a time. But many diseases can be transmitted to other horses, other animals, and even people. To prevent the spread of certain diseases, the federal and state governments have created laws concerning the handling and transportation of potentially exposed or diseased animals.

Katie Flynn, BVMS, equine staff veterinarian with the California Department of Food and Agriculture spoke at the 2016 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Orlando, Florida, about the role of state animal health officials (SAHOs), the people who get involved when equine problems of regulatory concern arise.

She said one of the SAHOs’ roles is to develop and maintain animal health laws to control and prevent equine disease that pose a regulatory concern