On March 15 Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials released a quarantine put in place at a Denton County premises last month after a horse residing there tested positive for equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the neurologic disease linked to equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).

There are no other reported EHM cases in Texas.

The affected horse, a barrel racer, had shown signs of ataxia, loss of muscle coordination, and other neurologic signs consistent with EHM when evaluated by a local veterinarian. Prior to confirmation, the positive horse attended barrel racing events at the NRS Arena, in Decatur, Texas, on Feb. 15, and Northside Arena, in Fort Worth, Texas, on Feb. 14.

While the risk of exposure to the virus was low at the events, the TAHC encouraged owners of potentially exposed horses to take precautions