ince first being recognized in the United States in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has posed a serious threat to horses and humans alike. In the equine population, the virus is transmitted when a mosquito takes a blood meal from a bird infected with WNV, then feeds on a horse. While many horses exposed to WNV experience no signs of illness, the virus can cause inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. In some cases, especially in older horses, WNV can be fatal.

To our extended Irongate Equine Family,

Your health, our health, the public health, and the health of your horse(s) are all critical to us during this unprecedented time. We want you to know that we are still here to take care of your horse's health care needs despite what is going on around us all. We will be seeing patients with changes to our normal spring operating procedures that will depend on your individual situation and horses needs. Many elective and routine care procedures may be scheduled at a later time in order for us to ensure continued care for all our patients during this time frame.

If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy, you’re almost home free. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uneventful. In most cases, you will simply need to be a quiet observer – if, that is, you are lucky enough to witness the birth. Mares seem to prefer to foal at night in privacy, and apparently have some control over their delivery.  Because most mares foal without difficulty, it is usually best to allow the mare to foal undisturbed and unassisted.