Although the stress of exposition environments might be unavoidable, according to several exposition professionals, its effects on horses can be reduced through careful selection of the horses that will be participating and management at the event.

Transportation, unfamiliar surroundings, and crowds of people can place horses at greater risk for injury and illness, such as colic, said Anke Rüsbüldt, DVM, clinician and official veterinarian of the four-day HansePferd Expo in Germany. This is especially true for horses with little or no expo experience, she said.

To help the horses stay healthy while on display, Rüsbüldt said she recommends the use of an immunomodulator (which stimulates the immune system in order to prevent or mitigate disease), such as Zylexis