Last year, I reported on the wellness clinic that was held in multiple counties in Kentucky. This year, we decided to focus on the Amish Community of Hardin county that we first served last year. 

Once again, this program integrated research, outreach, and student training. Moreover, this experience provided an excellent reminder of our purpose as University of Kentucky’s employees, veterinarians, researchers, and extension agents: which is to appreciate, educate, and serve equine owners.
We first served this community in 2017 with an overall wellness clinic for their horses as well as vaccination and deworming programs. 

Since then, several of them have reached out to Bonnie Jolly (4-H agent in Hardin County, as well as their neighbor) with questions regarding their horses and biosecurity. 

In 2017 we offered vaccines against flu, rhino, EEE, WEE, WNV, tetanus, botulism, and rabies. Some accepted the whole package, and some didn't accept vaccination at all, and some accepted botulism vaccine only, as they had experienced death of their horses to what they say is botulism. There is no way of knowing if it is indeed botulism because no necropsy was performed and no veterinarian had been called to attend the sick horse. However, given that botulism is very prevalent in Kentucky, and the description they provided to us, it is very possible that these horses indeed died of botulism. 

The Wellness Clinic was offered again in April 2018 to the Amish Community, and this time all horses were vaccinated against botulism, and all owners were open to learning more about equine health. In total we vaccinated 150 horses, and served over 20 owners. Amish from the Old Order that were not open to vaccination in 2017 were asking for their horses to be vaccinates in 2018. We received a donation from Neogen Animal Health fo 200 botulism vaccine doses and applied 150 on site, and left 50 doses for Bonnie to distribute as necessary. 

That community was hit very hard by tornadoes in March/April 2018 and all of them were extremely grateful that we came over to help them with their equine needs. Dr Pedro de Pedro from Ross University returned again and was able to examine several horses for other conditions that demanded veterinary medical intervention. 

According to Bonnie, they were very skeptical in 2017, but had been asking her for our team to return for the whole year. She was extremely satisfied with their acceptance of our team, and their response to what we had to offer regarding horse health. 

Overall, we are happy to start a positive relationship with that community, and hope to keep serving them for a long time. Bonnie Jolly is also very well respected among them. 

(From the 2017 parasitology research with the same community, 1 manuscript has been accepted for publication)