GA Horse Events

Webinar June 18th at 4:00 PM

Does it look slow or do you see the progress?

One of the hardest things for riders to accept in developing or retraining horses is this:
Correct work often looks slow, quiet, and even a little boring for a long time.
Young horses and retraining horses should not be rushed into bigger movement, faster tempo, or more expression before they have the balance and strength to carry it.
If the horse is constantly pushed in front of his natural balance, the hind legs never truly learn to step under and carry weight. Rather, the horse learns to run forward to avoid falling.
This is where so many problems begin:
• Quick, hurried rhythm that looks stiff
• Heavy shoulders
• Hollow backs
• Tight under-necks
• Leaning on the hand
• Lack of true throughness
• Difficulty collecting later
The horse may look flashy for the moment, but underneath, he is running on imbalance rather than developing strength and confidence in his own biomechanics.
In correct development, the rider allows the horse time to organize his body.
That means:
• Slower tempos
• Smaller steps
• Relaxed repetitions
• Long periods of stretching
• Transitions done without rushing
• Allowing the hind leg time to catch up to the front end
Especially in the beginning, the work should almost feel boring and overly simple.
Gymnastic development is not created through energy it is created through relaxation, balance, and repetition of basic skills.

As the horse becomes stronger and more confident in his balance, he naturally begins to offer more.
More reach.
More suspension.
More power.
More self-carriage.
More expression.
Without the need for the rider to keep trying to produce it. His body became capable of producing it honestly and without pressure.
The best movement is developed patiently.
Not manufactured prematurely.

And summer has arrived!

What is the primary source for rules regarding international dressage competitions?

The muscle and skeleton painted horses are super educational! Watch how everything moves when the horses are moving...

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EEGbdRobF/

Equinety helps your horse shine from the inside out! Onyx sure looked great during a Paralympic selection trial earlier this year at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival
with 's Noni Hartvikson.

Shop Roo's TeamEquinety sales channel: http://TeamEquinety.com?aff=44

or pick some up at one of these stores in Georgia:

Acworth Feed
Acworth, GA 30101
(770) 529-0319

Wildhorse Tack and Feed
Powder Springs, GA 30127
(770) 943-5493

June 30: Deadline for USDF Volunteer of the Year Award Nominations.

https://bit.ly/2LhRnm2

USDF, Your Connection to the American Dressage Community Promoting and encouraging a high standard of accomplishment in dressage throughout the United States, primarily through educational programs.

Top hunter rider Kristy Herrera teaches you how to build a mental speedometer to control your pace on course to find better distances.

https://bit.ly/3VZ2Wkh

How to Pick the Best Pace for Your Courses Top hunter rider Kristy McCormack teaches you how to build a mental speedometer to control your pace on course to find better distances.

We need to pay attention.

🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝟔𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐨 𝐈𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 🪰

I am sure if you have been paying attention lately, your feed has been flooded with news about the New World screwworm. So let's take a moment to discuss what it is, why it matters, and where things currently stand.

The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly, native to the Americas, whose larvae infest and consume the flesh of their hosts. Unlike other maggots, screwworms eat healthy, living tissue using sharp mouth hooks that can create extensive tissue damage and result in large pockets of decay.

Animals at risk include any warm-blooded mammal with a wound as small as a thorn prick, which can serve as a site of infestation.

Left untreated, screwworm infestations can cause severe tissue destruction and become fatal within as little as 7 to 14 days. The resulting damage may lead to secondary bacterial infections, sepsis, or vital organ damage, making early detection critical.

🦠 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝

While the larvae do not spread directly from animal to animal, after about 7 days of feeding, they drop to the ground, burrow into the soil, and pupate. The adult screwworm fly emerges after 7 to 54 days (depending on temperature and humidity) and seeks out a new host.

🌎 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞

New World screwworm thrives in hot and humid climates and prefers temperatures between 77 and 86°F (25–30°C) with 30–70% relative humidity. However, they experience both heat and cold vulnerability that can reduce activity or kill them entirely.

For example, adult fly activity is severely limited below 59°F (15°C) or above 95°F (35°C), and adults do not survive below 20°F (-6.6°C). Additionally, larvae dropping from the host typically die when temperatures fall below 15 to 20°F (-9 to -6°C) and pupal development halts when temperatures exceed 110°F (43°C),

This means year-round populations have historically been restricted to the lower quarter of Texas, southern New Mexico, Arizona, California, and parts of Florida. However, seasonal expansion can occur during spring and summer, with transportation of infected animals representing the greatest risk of introduction into northern regions.

📜 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

Historically, the screwworm was endemic from the southern United States through South America and created a tremendous economic burden for the livestock industry. As a result, controlling it became a national priority.

In the 1930s and 1940s, USDA scientists Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland developed the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT).

This process proved successful because female screwworms only mate once. Scientists sterilized male flies using radiation and released them into the wild, effectively collapsing the breeding cycle. The technique was first successfully tested in 1954 on the island of Curaçao, located 40 miles (64 km) off the coast of Venezuela. By steadily increasing the release of sterile flies, complete eradication was achieved in just 7 weeks.

The technique was later used to eradicate New World screwworm from the United States by 1966. The SIT barrier continued progressing south through Mexico and Central America until a Panama-based biological barrier was established at the Darién Gap, and Panama was declared screwworm-free in 2006.

The Darién Gap is significant because it is a dense, mountainous jungle between Colombia and Panama. Not only is the forest vast, but its lack of roads creates a natural geographic barrier that limits the movement of wild host animals and helps contain the parasite.

To support this barrier, the binational Panama – United States Commission breeds and releases approximately 15 to 20 million sterile New World screwworm flies each week over the Darién Gap.

🦌 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤

However, sporadic reintroductions have occurred and resulted in outbreaks within the United States.

In July 2016, an outbreak occurred in the Florida Keys and affected the endangered Key deer population. Officials successfully used SIT to eradicate the parasite, but the process took approximately 7 months and impacted roughly 15% of the Key deer population before the outbreak was contained.

The geographic origin and method of introduction remain unknown. However, because adult screwworm flies cannot travel long distances across open ocean, investigators concluded the outbreak likely resulted from an accidental human-assisted introduction involving an infected animal.

🚨𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤

While you may just be recently hearing about New World screwworm, the current outbreak actually dates back to 2022. At this time, the New World screwworm breached the biological barrier at the Darién Gap, and cases in Panama surged from approximately 25 annually to more than 6,500.

This increase is believed to be associated with increased animal movement as well as exponential growth in human crossings through the Darién Gap, which increased from approximately 24,000 migrants in 2019 to more than 520,000 in 2023.

Since then, the outbreak has surged north through Central America and Mexico, driven primarily by unregulated cattle movement.

The United States has attempted to reduce the risk of introduction through suspended imports of live animals, implemented periodically since November 2024. Additional measures have included preclearance inspection and treatment protocols, as well as increased funding for screwworm response activities.

Despite these preventative measures, the first cases of New World screwworm were identified in the United States in June 2026.

🏭 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭?

Screwworm control relies heavily on sterile fly production.

To support these efforts, the USDA is opening a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. However, the facility is not expected to become operational until November 2027, when it will be capable of producing approximately 100 million sterile flies per week.

The USDA has also invested $21 million to modernize a sterile fly facility in southern Mexico, which is expected to begin operations later this month in June 2026.

✅𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨?

It may feel like a problem far beyond the control of any individual owner, but the reality is that early detection and reporting are our first line of defense. Here are some practical ways you can do your part:

🔹 Preventative care for animals – Treat all wounds and umbilical cords immediately, inspect pens and housing for sharp or potentially harmful objects, and avoid scheduling elective procedures such as dehorning or branding when in or near an infested area.

🔹 Be observant and report suspected cases – Monitor animals daily, carefully inspect wounds, and immediately contact your local State Animal Health Official or USDA APHIS office if you suspect screwworm.

🔹 Travel safely – Inspect pets and livestock traveling internationally or from infested regions, and check vehicles for screwworm flies when leaving an infested area.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

The New World screwworm is a reminder that disease and parasite control is never truly finished. Decades of scientific innovation and international cooperation successfully pushed this parasite out of the United States, but maintaining that success requires constant vigilance.

While the current situation can feel alarming, it is important to remember that we have defeated screwworm before and we understand how to control it. Early detection, rapid reporting, responsible animal movement, and continued investment in surveillance and sterile fly programs will all play a critical role in limiting its impact.

Whether you own one horse, a small hobby farm, or a large livestock operation, staying informed and paying close attention to wounds may be one of the most important things you can do to help protect your animals and prevent further spread.

Cheers,
Dr. DeBoer