b'TheISLAND LifeThe disease, nutrition, and management challenges island horses faceCHRISTA LEST-LASSERRE, MAISTOCK.COMT heyve never had a case of strangles,Iceland. Horses that leave can never come back. equine influenza, or equine infectiousIsland life can present other drawbacks, as well, such as anemia. Never any Lyme or piroplasmo- increased risks of natural disasters and reduced access to resources such as food, water, and veterinary care. sis, either. And theyve never had to dealWhile each island presents its own challenges and benefits with Rhodococcus equi in their newborn foals. for horse health and welfare, they all have one major point in common: isolation. Join us as we island-hop across the globe, Isolated hundreds of miles from their nearest neighbors,exploring the unique world of island horse health.Iceland and its residents benefit from inherent biosecurity. The vast expanse of ocean around the 40,000-square-mileInfectious-Disease-Free Havens island provides a natural barrier against most infectious dis- Its near-impossible to eliminate or prevent all equine infec-eases. By maintaining strict import rules in place well beforetious diseases, but veterinarians and animal health officials the first air travel into Reykjavik, Icelandic veterinarians andindeed benefit from the geographic advantages island life horse owners have so successfully kept pathogens at bay, theyoffers. Iceland has arguably been the most successful, having dont even vaccinate their horsesfor anything. sustained a disease-free status for all major equine infectious But that kind of island paradise comes at a price. No horse,diseases, says Sigridur Bjrnsdttir, DVM, PhD, veterinary equine reproductive material, or blood product can enterofficer for equine health and welfare in Iceland. 22August 2020The Horse|TheHorse.com'