Piggy March supports Strangles Awareness Week with new video

Leading event rider, Piggy March, has teamed up with Redwings to offer her endorsement for the Temperature Check Challenge, an initiative launched as part of 2022 Strangles Awareness Week (SAW)

Leading equine welfare charities, vets, researchers, and higher education institutions have come together to organise the week, running from the 2–8 May. Now in its third year, the week aims to increase understanding of strangles among the equine industry and help to reduce the risk of outbreaks of the highly contagious disease.

This year, owners are being asked to take the ‘Temperature Check Challenge’ by taking their horse’s resting temperature each day and putting the reading into a free online checker which will help them get to know their horse’s normal range – something that fluctuates by a fraction of a degree through the day according to different factors. A high temperature is an early warning sign that your horse may have been infected with strangles – and will become infectious to other horses – so getting to know what your horse’s normal temperature variation is, could prevent an outbreak.

Piggy’s video, which aims to give horse owners tips and confidence when taking their horse’s temperature for the first time, and featuring Cooley Lancer aka Swiss Roll, has just been launched across the #SAW2022 on social media platforms.

Piggy said: “It does take a bit of pre-planning the first time you take your horse’s temperature and owners might be nervous, but it is such an easy, effective, way to monitor your horse’s health. A lot of owners only take their horse’s temperature when he’s unwell but it’s such an important indicator of his health and, whilst fever can indicate ill health for a range of reasons, it’s an early warning sign that a horse has a contagious disease like strangles, which is debilitating not just for a horse, but for a whole yard. It’s essential we take every opportunity to limit its transmission.

“That’s why I wanted to lend my support. I’ve not taken a temperature myself for a while, as normally my fabulous grooms are keeping an eye on the horse’s temperatures’. I hope it gives others confidence to do the same and use the temp check challenge to hone a new habit.”

Andie McPherson, Coordinator of SAW said: “We’re thrilled to have Piggy’s support and hope this video will help to show people who haven’t taken their horse’s temperature before how to stay safe and gain confidence. We’ve produced a SAW thermometer that people can purchase for just £5 and have produced lots of guidance on how to take your horse’s temperature safely and comfortably for the first time.”

People taking the challenge will be entered into a free prize draw and contribute to a database of temperatures that will help to understand what a normal healthy range is in horses. If you’d like to take part, visit the redwings website.