b'THE ISLAND LIFEWater and Air Travel weather conditions can interrupt cargomares back after a spinal injury and email When Taal erupted, owners draggedshipments, islanders know they mustthem to Floridabut, in the end, the only their horses onto fishing and motorboatsalways keep an abundant supply on hand.treatment option she had was putting the to get them across the sea to safety, saysVeterinary care can also be costlyandmare on strict stall rest for six months.Arreola.hard to come by. We dont have anyHorse owners can struggle with vet-Fortunately, most island horses haveequine vets on the island, Ramsingh- erinary care options on larger islands, as experienced travel by air and/or boataPierre says. Owners of the approxi- well, says Bjrnsdttir. We dont have a different experience from land travel, saysmately 100 horses in the Bahamas workveterinary college in Iceland, she says, Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre, president oftogether to schedule regular visits withadding that veterinary students study Equestrian Bahamas. Theres no oppor- veterinarians, farriers, and chiropractorsabroad and return home to practice. So tunity for rest stops when youre crossing(who make) the 45-minute flight fromwe do have limitations.the sea, she says. Horses often arrive onFlorida for routine care. For emergencies, boats from the import/export center inthough, they often rely on self-doctor- The Water ParadoxMiami dehydrated, disoriented, and a lit- ing, she says.Because islands are surrounded tle trembly, she adds, and they typicallyby beaches and seawater, many lack need sedation during the 13-hour trip.freshwater sources. Hawaii and the Travel to Hawaii from mainland U.S.Most drinking water forPhilippines have vast irrigation systems takes five hours by plane or five days bybringing water from lakes and occasional boat, Moniz says. Between-island bargeBermuda horses comes fromsprings throughout their agricultural land tripsfor competitions and rodeos, forrainwater collected on theareas. On smaller islands, though, drink-examplecan take up to 19 hours.ing water can be harder to come by. territorys traditional roofs,There are wells and desalination, but Hay, Feed, and Veterinary Care stored in tanks, and pumpedmost drinking water comes from collected While some islands, such as Iceland,rainwater, says Masters McDowell. Cap-are self-sufficient for forage, manyout with electricity. tured water is collected on our traditional depend on imports to provide hay for allBermuda roofs and stored in tanks under their horses. Even when they do produceour houses and electrically pumped outhay, a volcanic eruption can contaminateEven if an equine veterinarian is on anwhich is why generators are so important. it with ash, says Arreola. island, the procedures he or she can per- Before a hurricane we fill lots of buckets Hay and feed transported over waterform might still be limited because of ain case the electricity is affected. can be prohibitively expensive, sayslack of equine hospitals. Ramsingh-PierreStill, abundant seawater offers a Ramsingh-Pierre. Your classic rectangu- says she had to take her own images withsignificant advantage to island horses, lar bales cost us $48 each. And becausea portable X ray unit of her Thoroughbredsays Masters McDowell. Soaking their legs in the ocean salt water can be really therapeutic after a tough show jump-ing competition, she says. Equestrians can ride to the ocean (outside of tourist season) for some beach therapy, and the local hunt club often organizes events that take members along the shores. Take-Home MessageLaboratory Testing Service Specializing inIsland horses have the same health and Equine Infectious Diseases welfare needs as any horse, but where they live presents a unique set of advan-tages and disadvantages for their owners and veterinarians. While they benefit from the built-in biosecurity that isolation Respiratory: S. equi, EHV 1, EHV 4, Influenza, R. equi, Rhinitis, EAVaffords, owners might not have the access Neurologic: EPM, EHV 1, WNV Gastrointestinal: Clostridium difficile and perfringens, Cryptosporidium, to feed and forage and veterinary care Coronavirus, Rotavirus, Lawsonia, PHF, Salmonella, R. equithat owners on larger land masses enjoy. The geological and geographical nature Panels and individual tests availableof these horses habitats also predisposes them to natural disasters such as volcano Equine Diagnostic Solutions, LLCeruptions, earthquakes, and hurricanes. 1501 Bull Lea Rd. Suite 104 Lexington, KY 40511With careful planning and risk manage-859-288-5255www.equinediagnosticsolutions.comment, however, island horses can enjoy healthy lives.h24August 2020The Horse|TheHorse.com'