Caution over strangles prompts Windsor horse show to move to Chester

A case of the equine disease strangles has prompted a spring horse show normally held in Windsor, N.S., to relocate for this year as a precaution.

The 47th annual Windsor Spring Horse Show will have an ocean backdrop as it's being held at the Coveside Stables in Chester.

"We're really fortunate to be able to access that facility, so we're really excited about it," said Rachel Bedingfield, district commissioner of the Avon Pony Club, which organizes the show.

The venue for the four-day event changed after a pony that had been at the Hants County Exhibition grounds — where the event is usually held — was later diagnosed with strangles, a contagious equine disease that affects a horse's breathing.

The horse had not shown any symptoms of being ill while it was at the exhibition grounds on April 24. Other horses there were voluntarily quarantined, according to a post on the Avon Pony Club's Facebook page.

Praise for transparency

The facility has been cleaned and the reaction to the club's posts about the situation has been positive.

"The horse community is really appreciative that we're being honest because it can be detrimental to a horse's safety," Bedingfield said.

"And the purpose of pony club first and foremost is to help and teach youth how to look after their horses safely and we really focus on youth development and horsemanship, and so that was a top priority for us."

More than 100 horses take part in event that runs from May 16-19.

And while there are many horse shows throughout the province in a year, Bedingfield the spring show is the one that usually kicks off the horse show season.

People from across Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada take part in the show every year.

The decision to move the event to a different location was only possible "because of the amazing volunteers that we have," Bedingfield said.

'Rural Nova Scotia coming together'

She said the horse community and the Windsor Agricultural Society have been helpful, too. Bedingfield said the owners of Coveside Stables — the new venue — are formerly of the Avon club.

"It shows how powerful the horse world is and specifically the pony club world and just community sport," Bedingfield said. "It's an example of rural Nova Scotia coming together to support it."

Even though the event will be held in Chester, the name of the event will still be remain the same but with the caveat, "by the sea."

"It's a beautiful venue and you can actually watch horses in the ring jumping over the fences and watch the ocean in the background," Bedingfield said. "It really is quite stunning."