The Fallen Horses of Baguio City
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The horses of Baguio City’s Wright Park (Photo courtesy of Baguio English Schools Association)
Since March last year, 27 horses have died. The mystery prompted the City’s Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) to conduct an investigation. As a result of laboratory examinations on 58 horses, 21 have tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) while four had bacterial infections.
It was then recommended that infected animals be euthanized or permanently isolated at a distance of 200 to 500 meters away from other horses. This has prompted Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to issue an Executive Order requiring the mandatory isolation of all sick horses in Baguio.
This situation adds more frustration to horse owners and assistants alike who, in the past year, have already experienced a huge slump in their only means of livelihood. With Covid-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions, no tourists have been able to visit the city.
When leisure activities at public venues were finally allowed back, the horsemen relied primarily on local residents for a significantly decreased amount of earnings. In pre-Covid times, individual income could reach P1,000 a day and more during peak season, notably the summer months. At this time, the attendants are lucky to have at least one rental all day, at a set price of P250-300 per hour.
The horse deaths and infections have definitely made things worse.
Although EIA is not transmissible to humans, it is incurable and could be transferred easily to other horses through biting flies. It is a notifiable disease listed in the World Health Organization and must be reported to public health authorities due to health risks, the EO stated.
Renz Cruz and Jonathan B. are among the attendants at the park. They do not own their horses but are just paid as guides. Both have been doing this for five years now.
Jonathan B., left and Renz Cruz, right (Photo by Rene Astudillo)
Asked about the deaths, Jonathan says they have not seen any signs or symptoms of disease in the horses. Some have literally just “dropped dead.”
Renz thinks the deaths and infections are overblown and considers it “fake news,” saying that many of the deaths have happened some time ago and mostly among “older” horses.
Both also lamented the fact that local residents, including their regular customers, have shunned horseback-riding altogether, fearing they could also get infected by the horses. Some, they say, have the mistaken notion that the horses have been infected by the coronavirus.
While greatly saddened by what they are experiencing right now, Jonathan and Renz are keeping faith, hoping that Covid-related restrictions will be lifted soon so they could again welcome the tourists. They are also confident that the health crisis affecting the horses will come to pass.
Horses have fallen, but like they say in the equestrian world, fallen horses always rise up. Those lucky to be spared from the mysterious disease will ride on, and so will the horseback-riding enthusiasts, myself included.
Rene Astudillo is a writer, book author and blogger and has recently retired from more than two decades of nonprofit community work in the Bay Area. He spends his time between California and the Philippines.
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