Stable manager receives abusive phone calls after outbreak of disease

After a potentially fatal horse disease broke out in an equine centre in Cumbria, abusive phone calls have been aimed at the stable manager.

According to News and Star, Sarah Richardson, who runs the livery stables, has received calls from people “threatening to kick her head in”.

Lakeland Equestrian Centre, near Maryport, has been on lockdown since a horse was diagnosed with strangles.

This disease is highly contagious and causes throat lesions, it also stops horses from eating and drinking and it can be fatal.

Once the disease was discovered Sarah announced the news on Facebook last month and was soon bombarded with abusive phone calls and messages.

She told the News and Star: “Many people keep it quiet when their horses catch this because after the horse recovers, there is a stigma about them being possible carriers. I’ve had abusive phone calls and people threatening to kick my head in about this. If people are open about the disease, more can be done to stop its spread.”

The horses at the stables have now been partitioned using tarpaulins which are in place to stop them coming into contact over the stable walls.

Visitors to the stables have now been banned, apart from owners of horses and disinfectant buckets and mats are being placed at every entrance.

One of the horses called Phoenix, in the stables was diagnosed there a few weeks ago and the owner, Anna Beattie, 32, has stopped being able to see her friends or other owners at the stables.

She said: “It’s devastating because there’s nothing you can do apart from nurse them. One of my friends won’t even visit me because she’s afraid of taking the infection back to her own horse.

“What Sarah has done here in being open about it goes totally against the grain. Strangles is one of those things that everyone keeps secret.

“I even worry that by speaking out that Phoenix will be a Pariah when he is recovered and back at shows competing but we need to be open.”

All show jumping and competition events have been cancelled indefinitely but it is hoped the centre will reopen next month.

Sarah, who says there are many unreported cases across the county, said all the horses would be blood tested to ensure they were not carriers. She is also planning an open day with vet speakers later in the year, to educate people about the disease.