Sick horses at Hastings Racecourse forces race cancellations this weekend

A number of horses kept at Hastings Racecourse have come down with a flu-like virus, and several races have been cancelled this weekend as a result.

The virus appears to have spread quickly through the barn, and the horses affected are experiencing similar symptoms that people do when they get the flu – fever and a cough, with some eating and some not.

Dr. Ed Weibe said this is the annual epidemic of a viral infection, like the flu bug.

“It got to about a quarter of the horses here, and our population is not very high, so that’s why it’s affected the racing cards.”

Weibe said he does not remember officials having to cancel races in the past.

The horses are monitored about three times a day, with their temperature being taken, so that trainers do not exercise one who may have the flu.

“It takes them 10 to 14 days to stop coughing,” said Weibe. “They don’t lose much condition in two weeks, they probably start losing condition after about three weeks if they aren’t trained, but in two weeks they don’t lose much.”

He said the virus is not life-threatening at all.

Lenore Dubois takes care of 17 horses at the racecourse. She said about three weeks ago she started to notice the virus spreading between the horses.

“If you cough, you can’t run them.”

She said they had a similar outbreak last year, but thinks this year has affected more horses.

– With files from Geoff Hastings.