Exploring the cause of grass sickness
Recent research may have failed to identify the cause of grass sickness, but the drive to understand this often fatal disease continues, Andrea Oakes discovers
Grass sickness
Grass sickness is an often fatal condition that typically occurs in grazing horses. First recognised in eastern Scotland in 1907, the United Kingdom has the highest incidence of grass sickness in the world. It is estimated that the disease kills between one and two percent of horses in the United Kingdom annually, with cases being more common in spring.
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Disappointing news in quest for equine grass sickness vaccine
The field trial for an equine grass sickness vaccine has proved inconclusive, but has also thrown up new information about the condition
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‘The best feeling’: pony who faced death with grass sickness returns to show ring
‘When he was diagnosed I’d packed all my tack away and never expected to take it out again’
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Group aims to rebuild after devastating loss of three horses to grass sickness
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The Queen’s ponies help raise grass sickness research funds after two lost
‘We lost Balmoral Lord and Balmoral Hercules within a fortnight of each other; they were our working breeding stallions – in one swoop we lost our 10-year breeding plan’
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Owner praises ‘incredible’ fire service for trying to save her horse
‘We knew we weren’t going to get him up on our own and would need the fire brigade’
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‘Don’t give up hope’ says owner of grass sickness survivor
Joey dropped to his lowest weight of 260kg from his original weight of 420kg
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'I was heartbroken': owner shares grass sickness story
Palomino mare Summer was diagnosed with grass sickness in 2014
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Scientists find link between Alzheimer's and equine grass sickness
Similarities between Alzheimer’s and equine grass sickeness have been discovered by researchers in a ground-breaking study
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Grass sickness survivor crowned supreme champion
Piebald gelding Hercules received the accolade in World Horse Welfare's rehomed horse of the year awards
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Owner of grass sickness survivor campaigns for awareness
Yvonne Maclean’s horse was unwell for 14 weeks with the often-fatal disease
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Owner urges others to be aware after horse develops fatal condition
A rider is calling for owners to know the signs of equine grass sickness after her horse survived the condition
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Equine grass sickness survivor completes 300-mile trek
A pony who survived acute equine grass sickness has completed a 300-mile trek across Scotland with her owner to raise awareness of the condition
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Equine grass sickness survivor takes on mammoth trek for charity
A 13hh pony who survived acute equine grass sickness is taking on a 300-mile trek to help raise awareness about the condition and money for charity
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Owners warned as grass sickness cases rise
The condition — which is fatal in many cases — is most prevalent between April and September
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Equine Grass Sickness: how close are we to protecting our horses from it? [H&H VIP]
Researchers are on the brink of developing a vaccine against Equine Grass Sickness — an often-fatal disease. Jo Ireland MRCVS outlines the progress being made
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Equine grass sickness on the rise as vaccine trial gets underway
Following the deaths of 2 horses on Guernsey, a new vaccine trial by been launched by the Animal Health Trust
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Grass sickness in Scotland: why is it so common? [H&H VIP]
For reasons no one really understands, Scotland has the highest prevalence of grass sickness in the world — especially in the east between Dumfries and Inverness
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Warnings after July grass sickness spate
The late spring has caused an increase in the number of grass sickness cases for the time of the year.
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Equine grass sickness vaccine trial planned
A hundred horses and ponies in the UK’s equine grass sickness hotspots will be vaccinated against the deadly disease this winter
