{"id":1119,"date":"2017-11-08T02:40:39","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T02:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/?page_id=1119"},"modified":"2017-11-08T02:40:39","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T02:40:39","slug":"epm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/?page_id=1119","title":{"rendered":"EPM"},"content":{"rendered":"
9\/4\/2012 cfulton<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Dear All OHA,<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
For those interested below is a recent update concerning EPM<\/span>. \u00a0Fortunately since fencing off the two ponds and taking other precautions we have not had an apparent case of EPM<\/span> for 2 years. \u00a0However in checking the herd in the Forest Meadow yesterday it is clear that the horses are drinking out of an overflow of the FM pond. As the article below points out:<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

Fence horses away from ponds, rivers, and the edge of woods (all prime opossum habitats). Be on the alert for any early signs and seek immediate veterinary attention.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

EPM<\/span> Update<\/h1>\n

by:\u00a0Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM<\/a>
\nMay 01 2012<\/span>, Article # 20010<\/p>\n

This neurologic disease continues to pose diagnostic and treatment challenges<\/div>\n

Few equine conditions cause as much consternation as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM<\/span>). First reported in 1968, EPM<\/span> represents both amazing scientific progress and extraordinary clinical frustration. Its causative agents are widespread in the Americas, and affected horses display neurologic signs such as ataxia (incoordination) and asymmetric atrophy (muscle wasting on one side of the body). However, disease is sporadic and veterinarians cannot diagnose it definitively yet in the live horse.<\/p>\n

So why is a disease that is one of the few treatable equine neurologic conditions and for which scientists have identified the causative organisms (now down to the genomic level) so frustrating? To address these questions, let’s first take a look at the disease and these organisms, along with EPM<\/span>‘s mechanisms of action, diagnosis, and treatment.<\/p>\n

The Troublemakers<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to a 2009 Equine Research Coordination Group White Paper, a protozoon (single-celled parasite) known as\u00a0Sarcocystis neurona<\/i>causes an estimated 95% of EPM<\/span> cases. Researchers have also identified another protozoal organism,\u00a0Neospora hughesi<\/i>, associated with some cases. While\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0N. hughesi<\/i>\u00a0are “somewhat closely related,” says Daniel Howe, PhD, a molecular parasitologist at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, in Lexington, the parasites’ geographic distribution appears to be different. He saysN. hughesi<\/i>\u00a0is “more common on the West Coast, with\u00a0Neospora<\/i>-positive samples seemingly pretty rare in the Midwest and East.”<\/p>\n

Like most other parasites,\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0develops through several life cycle stages during which it relies on various hosts.\u00a0S.\u00a0<\/i>neurona<\/i>‘s final, or definitive, host is the opossum, which sheds the parasites when they reach their infective stages (sporocysts) in its feces. Intermediate hosts (including raccoons, armadillos, sea otters, skunks, and cats) become infected by eating food contaminated with the sporocysts. In true intermediate hosts (in which the parasite develops through several life cycle stages, as opposed to a “dead-end” host such as the horse) the sporocysts mature after several cycles to bradyzoites (another stage of maturity) that form sarcocysts in the muscle. The definitive host becomes infected by eating sarcocyst-infected muscle of one of these various intermediate hosts. The parasites reproduce in the opossum’s intestine to produce the sporulated oocysts (the “egg” stage containing the sporocysts) the opossum then excretes.<\/p>\n

Got that? Scavenging opossum eats parasite encysted in roadkill; parasites party in the opossum’s intestines; and opossum poops parasite eggs. This, presumably, is where the horse comes in–and unfortunately, the horse is not a natural host for\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>. Sarcocysts do not encyst in the muscle; instead, parasite stages travel to and lodge in the brain and spinal cord.<\/p>\n

A Little Anatomy Lesson<\/b><\/p>\n

Everything that happens in the body, from eating to walking to breathing and even muscle development, depends on the appropriate relay of signals along nervous system pathways. Break one connection, and everything after that point goes awry.<\/p>\n

A basic understanding of the horse’s neuroanatomy is critical to understanding EPM<\/span> simply because\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0can strike anywhere along the central nervous system (CNS). Working from front to back (nose to tail) of the horse’s CNS, we see the forebrain, hind brain (brainstem) and cranial nerves, and spinal cord. Nerves then branch off from the spinal cord, flowing like minor tributaries throughout the body.<\/p>\n

The forebrain regulates intrinsic and learned behaviors, vision perception, and sense of touch. The upper motor neuron system (UMN) encompasses parts of the forebrain and brainstem and is responsible for voluntary movement (that which the horse decides to do) and postural support against gravity. The brainstem regulates physiologic mechanisms such as body temperature, chemistry, pH, blood pressure, hydration, etc., as well as consciousness, some eye function, facial movements (chewing and swallowing), and trunk and limb coordination.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

Information travels along the spinal cord in specific directions in specific regions, with upper motor neurons relaying information from the brain to lower motor neurons (LMN, nerves traveling from spinal cord to muscle) and the LMNs conveying the message to muscles and tendons.2<\/sup>\u00a0But sometimes you don’t have to take the message all the way to the boss–and it’s faster if you don’t. In the case of spinal reflexes, sensory neurons relay the message (pain, tickle, heat, etc.) to the spinal cord, then contact the LMN and then the motor neurons. Thus, as in the classic scenario from human biology class, the hand jerks away from the stove before the brain realizes the burner is glowing.<\/p>\n

The Protozoa’s Progression<\/b><\/p>\n

Horses become infected with\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0by eating feed or drinking water contaminated with sporocyst-laden opossum feces. Yet, while many horses show immunologic evidence of exposure on blood tests, only a handful develop neurologic disease. And among those horses, the clinical signs and their progression vary widely.<\/p>\n

Robert MacKay, BVSc, PhD, Dipl\u00a0ACVIM, professor of Large Animal Medicine at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says many variables could cause variation in EPM<\/span>‘s progression and appearance among horses, including:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0The part of the central nervous system affected:<\/i>\u00a0If muscle-supplying parts of the CNS are infected, severe muscle atrophy can result. Horses seem much less able to recover from this kind of damage than damage to a part of the brain, for example.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Immune status:<\/i>\u00a0Each horse’s immune system and ability to fight off EPM<\/span> infection varies greatly.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0The time that elapses<\/i>\u00a0between onset of clinical signs and beginning of \u00actreatment–the longer the lag before treatment, the poorer the clinical \u00acresult.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0The duration and type of treatment.<\/i><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0The strain of S. neurona:<\/i>\u00a0Some strains might be more virulent than others.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0The infective dose<\/i>\u00a0(i.e., the number of protozoal sporocysts the horse ingests). A big dose or series of moderate doses are more likely to cause rapid disease progression than a single moderate dose or series of small doses.<\/p>\n

Signs of EPM<\/span> can range from subtle and atypical lameness to seizures. MacKay says this variability is most likely due to the fact that “the organism can invade any part of the spinal cord or brain, causing from one to several foci of damage; thus, the signs can be brain signs (facial paralysis, head tilt, and staggering), weakness and incoordination in one to all limbs, or wasting of muscles anywhere in the body.”<\/p>\n

Like MacKay, Amy Johnson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, lecturer in clinical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, believes some of this discrepancy between affected and exposed horses might be due to factors affecting the horse itself, particularly genetics: “As we learn more about the genetics of immunity I think we will realize that certain horses’ immune systems are ‘programmed’ to behave in ways that make them more susceptible to EPM<\/span>, while others are relatively resilient to infection.”<\/p>\n

The protozoa’s journey in the horse is not yet entirely clear. One might expect, looking at the brain or spinal cord of an EPM<\/span>-affected horse, to see legions of parasites. However, this is not the case.<\/p>\n

According to Howe, while “parasites are there and will damage some cells because they live inside the cell and will rupture it, not many parasites are found in the CNS, but there is a very strong (local) immune response.” Howe suggests that the inflammation resulting from the localized \u00acimmune response causes more tissue damage than the parasites themselves.<\/p>\n

This raises the question of the immune system’s role in EPM<\/span> development. “In horses that come down with EPM<\/span>, is it because they have too robust a response, causing damage to the CNS?” asks Howe. Or, do horses develop EPM<\/span> because they are immune-suppressed and unable to clear the initial stages of the parasite from the body? Howe believes some horses develop EPM<\/span> due to more than one factor.<\/p>\n

Further, the parasite itself might influence the horse’s ability to combat the disease. In a 2004 study published in the\u00a0Journal of Parasitology<\/i>, for instance, researchers noted EPM<\/span>-infected horses had decreased immune responses to parasite-specific antigens (surface proteins on the organism) of\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>. “There is definitely strain variation among\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>,” notes Johnson. “What we don’t know is exactly what this strain variation means. I suspect that different strains may have different degrees of virulence (ability to cause disease) but we are still in the early stages of working out how parasite strain affects the likelihood of CNS infection, the signs the horse may or may not show, and the susceptibility to different types of treatment.”<\/p>\n

Does My Horse Have EPM<\/span>?<\/b><\/p>\n

Diagnosing EPM<\/span> in the live horse is far from straightforward; veterinarians use tests designed to detect antibody to the various\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0antigens. MacKay states that one of the common misconceptions he hears regarding EPM<\/span> is that veterinarians can diagnose the disease reliably with a blood test. “Unfortunately, this probably is not true,” he says. “Negative blood tests have value but there are frequent false-positive blood tests. The best test currently available (SnSAG2,4\/3 ratio) requires simultaneous spinal fluid and blood samples.”<\/p>\n

Because diagnosing the disease accurately has been so difficult, many owners and veterinarians base their diagnosis on whether the horse responds to EPM<\/span> treatment after ruling out other causes of lameness or neurologic disease. MacKay calls this approach “a defendable strategy based on the notion that instead of spending money on diagnostics you may as well spend it on treatment and just see what happens. This was especially true when diagnostics were quite unreliable.”<\/p>\n

However, “This calculus may have changed with the advent of the very promising SnSAG2,4\/3 ratio test that seems to have high sensitivity and specificity (ability to correctly identify an affected animal positive and an unaffected animal negative–reducing false positives and negatives) for EPM<\/span> diagnosis,” he adds. “Also, in light of the fact that only about 60% of EPM<\/span> horses respond to treatment, the other 40% would be wrongly considered EPM<\/span>-negative using the treatment-response approach to diagnosis.”<\/p>\n

As MacKay noted, the SnSAG2,4\/3 ratio measures the\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0antibody concentration in both the bloodstream and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Previously, scientists thought\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0antibodies found in the CSF indicated the protozoa’s presence in the CNS and, therefore, represented a positive EPM<\/span> status. However, it turns out that antibodies to foreign proteins, such as certain\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0antigens, present in the blood can also be found in proportionate levels in the CSF, even in healthy horses.2<\/sup>S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0appears to produce several surface antigens, and it seems that not all strains of the parasite express these same antigens. The test Howe referenced checks for SnSAG2, 4\/3 antibodies. In a 2010 study by Johnson et al., a test for SnSAG1 revealed only a 12.5% sensitivity (in other words, it declared 12.5% of EPM<\/span>-affected horses positive), whereas the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT, which reveals the concentration of antibodies in the horse’s blood) had a sensitivity of 94.4%. On the other hand, the SnSAG1 had a higher specificity (97.1%), or ability to declare an unaffected horse negative, than the IFAT (85.2%) on serum.<\/p>\n

The SnSAG2,4\/3 ratio and the IFAT both offer an advantage over the older Western blot testing method (which indicates whether antibodies are present in either blood or CSF, but does not quantify to what extent) in that both give a quantitative analysis. This means these tests produce specific number values, giving researchers and practitioners a more accurate basis for comparing cases. According to Howe, the SnSAG2,4\/3 ELISA might be “more sensitive analytically than the IFAT–you’re able to detect smaller amounts of antibody.” However, he cautions that veterinarians should base diagnosis not just on the assay, but also on how they use it and interpret the result.<\/p>\n

Given that no test can identify the presence of\u00a0S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0organisms themselves in the CNS of the live horse, veterinary consensus seems to be that diagnosis requires a multifaceted approach including complete physical and neurologic exam, diagnostics such as radiographs (X rays) to rule out other causes of clinical signs, and a careful interpretation of serum and CSF antibody levels.<\/p>\n

Prevention and Treatment<\/b><\/p>\n

“Unfortunately,” says MacKay, “there is no vaccine (against EPM<\/span>), and it is not practical for a horse to be on lifelong EPM<\/span> treatment, so the only preventative strategy that we know of is to reduce exposure to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>S. neurona<\/i>\u00a0‘eggs’ (sporocysts). The best way to prevent accidental ingestion (of these sporocysts) by horses is to keep opossums away from horse feed and water. Do not store hay for long periods of time (where they might become home to opossum nests); keep feed inside galvanized containers; and do not leave fruit (lying around or) pet or bird feed on the ground. <\/span><\/span>Fence horses away from ponds, rivers, and the edge of woods (all prime opossum habitats). Be on the alert for any early signs and seek immediate veterinary attention.”<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding the various drugs approved for treating EPM<\/span>, MacKay says, “On the basis of multi-center studies, there is no evidence for better outcomes by any of the approved treatments available.” However, he explains each treatment has something different to offer:<\/p>\n

1. The traditional EPM<\/span> combination sulfadiazine\/pyrimethamine (available as a compound from pharmacies) is relatively inexpensive, although it’s associated with potential toxicity problems;<\/p>\n

2. Ponazuril (Marquis) rarely presents toxicity problems and is marketed in a palatable, easy-to-administer paste;<\/p>\n

3. Diclazuril (Protazil) is formulated as a pellet that can be top-dressed easily on a horse’s regular feed. It also presents a very low risk of toxicity.<\/p>\n

However, says MacKay, “On the basis of the rather low cure rates cited above, it is clear that the ideal EPM<\/span> treatment has not been found yet.”<\/p>\n

In conclusion, says MacKay, “because there is no foolproof method of prevention, early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to a good outcome in a horse that shows the signs of EPM<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

References:<\/p>\n

1. MacKay R. Diseases of the Brainstem and Cranial Nerves of the Horse: Relevant Examination Techniques and Illustrative Video Segments.\u00a0Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners\u00a0<\/i>(2011); 353-357.<\/p>\n

2. Furr M, Howe D, Reed S, Yeargan M. Antibody Coefficients for the Diagnosis of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis.\u00a0Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine<\/i>. (2011); 25; 138-142.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

EPM Testing<\/h2>\n
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Cheryl Ann Fulton<\/span> <<\/span>harpnhorse@sonic.net><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n

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10\/19\/12<\/span><\/p>\n
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to liz<\/span>, Lisa<\/span>, OHA<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Excellent points Lisa. \u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
Dr. Pusterla did speak to our group. \u00a0More details concerning water testing were determined later via email correspondence with him.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
All the more reason that it is better to be safe than sorry.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
Cheryl<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
On Oct 19, 2012<\/span>, at 12:36 PM, liz fowler wrote:<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

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That’s the impression I took from the talk also. I think our speaker was Dr Pusterla.\u00a0 Thanks Lisa<\/span><\/div>\n
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– liz f –<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span>star gazer\u00a0<\/span>
\nearth keeper\u00a0<\/span>
\ncreature kin I am…<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
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From:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Lisa McLaughlin <lisabmclaughlin@sbcglobal.net<\/a>>
\nTo:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Ajohnsonemail <ajohnsonemail@comcast.net<\/a>>; steven feldman <spfcrs@aol.com<\/a>>;\u00a0<\/span>morrisolder@comcast.net<\/a>;\u00a0<\/span>all@orindahorsemen.org<\/a>
\nSent:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Fri, October 19, 2012<\/span> 9:51:39 AM
\nSubject:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Re: Capital Improvements-forest pond options
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
As I recall from the EPM<\/span> presentation by the UC Davis vet (forgot his name) we could test the water, but the result would be valid only for that specific point in time and would it tell us the safety level of the water for any given horse. It would not give us a long-range, herd-wide view of the safety of the pond water.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In other words, if we pull a sample (or a bunch of samples) on a Monday, the test might find the water is\u00a0protozoan-free. However, if it then rains on Tuesday, a bunch of new material would wash into the pond — samples from\u00a0post-rain\u00a0Tuesday could be loaded with protozoa and have a very different result from the Monday test. Then, by Friday, all that stuff may go downstream and the pond water might test ‘clean’ again.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Second, water quality (good or bad) is not a predictor of any given horse’s resistance to EPM<\/span> infection. A horse with repeated low-level exposure MIGHT be more immune than a new-comer to the pasture. However, that same multi-exposed horse might become vulnerable to EPM<\/span> if their immuno-<\/span>resistance\u00a0is lowered by, say, an minor wound infection or even cold weather.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
So even if we\u00a0test the water frequently, and test each horse (titer test), these types of assessment would not provide\u00a0<\/span>definitive<\/span>,\u00a0actionable\u00a0information.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Lisa McL<\/span><\/div>\n
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From:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Ajohnsonemail <ajohnsonemail@comcast.net<\/a>>
\nTo:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>steven feldman <spfcrs@aol.com<\/a>>;\u00a0<\/span>morrisolder@comcast.net<\/a>;\u00a0<\/span>all@orindahorsemen.org<\/a>
\nSent:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Thu, October 18, 2012<\/span> 8:11:06 AM
\nSubject:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Re: Capital Improvements-forest pond options
\n<\/span>
\nWhere did UCD suggest we go to filter the water?<\/p>\n

Anna Johnson, SPHR
\nSent From My Android<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

steven feldman <spfcrs@aol.com<\/a>> wrote:<\/p>\n

Heather is correct. \u00a0The filtering needed to get the water to the point where UCD could test it was the issue. \u00a0Joe stated that they did not have the equipment to filter it. \u00a0The project stopped there. \u00a0Maybe there is new technology now.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Bronwyn
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/span><\/p>\n
—–Original Message—–
\nFrom: Morris Older <morrisolder@comcast.net<\/a>>
\nTo: ‘AllOHA’ <all@orindahorsemen.org<\/a>>
\nSent: Wed, Oct 17, 2012<\/span> 11:41 pm
\nSubject: FW: Capital Improvements-forest pond options<\/p>\n
\n
\u00a0Dear OHA members,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I sent the message below\u00a0to the Board, and our President’s response is below. I am sending it to you now so that you are aware of this conversation.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It seems to me that EBMUD is involved in the business of testing water, so it is hard to understand that they don’t have the equipment to take samples of our water. If for some reason they cannot do it, they certainly can explain how it should be done, and can refer us to people with the expertise to do so. I would urge us to explore this opportunity, even if we have to pay for it ourselves.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Morris<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span>—–Original Message—–
\n<\/span><\/div>\n
On Sun, Oct 14, 2012<\/span> at 11:30 PM, Morris Older\u00a0<\/span><morrisolder@comcast.net<\/a>><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wrote:<\/p>\n

<\/u><\/p>\n

\n
Dear board members<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Yesterday when we serving lunch to about 40 volunteers and park staff at the Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance project, which I helped coordinate for the Park District under their contract with Volunteers for Outdoor California, I looked up to find Joe Sconaienchi, OHA’s EBMUD ranger standing there. We had been working on the Willow View Trail, and had used EBMUD’s Chabot Staging Area as our parking lot and lunchroom, so while I was surprised to see Joe, it didn’t seem to be too surprising. Actually he was about to go buy a burrito, so we served him the lunch we had provided, from Cactus Taqueria, for the volunteers. He was quite appreciative.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
After he asked, and I explained, the nature of our project yesterday, he asked me if I had seen the forest pond and what I thought of the work they had done. I of course said that I thought they had done an amazing job–enough so that I had driven the people\u00a0 I was feeding the herd with over to the pond on three occasions. He wanted to know what they thought.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So I told him that we all were very impressed with the pond, and he said that he was amazed at how much and how quickly it had filled up.\u00a0 I\u00a0reminded him that originally, when he had first proposed fixing it up, a\u00a0 number of years back, we had talked about lining one side of it with rocks so that the horses could drink from it, and that some of\u00a0our members\u00a0who had looked at it last week wanted to do just that, while others wanted to strengthen the fence, because, as one person put it, this is the biggest EPM<\/span> danger zone. We agreed that the shoreline along the road needed to be fenced off because the horses, if allowed access there, would crumble the banks, but that the shoreline perpendicular to that was built like a beach, and if sufficient rock were added would make for great horse access.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>He thought that would be pretty neat (more or less his words)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I asked him specifically whether they would even allow that, after all the effort they had put into developing the spring in the forest meadow, and he said he didn’t see any reason why not. I mentioned the EPM<\/span> factor, and he said that basically it was up to us to decide what we wanted to do.\u00a0 He said the same was true of Baby Bottle Pond, that if we wanted to take the fence down, EBMUD would not object, and he agreed that the horses had previously done a good job over the years keeping the reeds in control.\u00a0 I told him that removing either fence would probably be controversial in our group, with some people wanting to restore horse access, and others worried about EPM<\/span>. I asked him what had happened to the idea of testing the water, which, at our EPM<\/span> meeting at EBMUD Watershed HQ, they had said they would help with, and he replied that he did not know why that had never happened.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
As you might guess, I am one of those who would love to see the fences removed, but I also recognize that others are horrified by the idea. But perhaps we could agree on testing the water, in both ponds, and seeing what we can learn about it, to inform future decisions about pond fencing.\u00a0 Since some people have said the cost is prohibitive, perhaps EBMUD, if not wiling to foot the bill, would be willing to let us apply some of our Capital Improvements credits for this purpose. Can we please add this to the capital improvements list?<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Thanks,<\/span><\/div>\n
Morris\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
From:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Heather Pineda [mailto:heather.pineda@gmail.com<\/a>]
\nSent:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Monday, October 15, 2012<\/span> 12:53 PM
\nTo:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Morris Older
\nCc:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>OHA Board
\nSubject:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Re: Capital Improvements-forest pond options<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

EBMUD has said in the past that testing the water is not a capital improvement – In fact I believe Joe told me that.\u00a0 My understanding of why the water wasn’t tested is because it would require an expensive, specific\u00a0type of filter that UC Davis was not willing to supply, and EBMUD did not have.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I believe that Bronwyn and someone else – I can’t remember who it was, maybe Cheryl?\u00a0– did the research on the water filtering.\u00a0 If someone wants to take it up and present a proposal to the Board for consideration, that would be fine with me, but it would\u00a0be funded by OHA, not EBMUD.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Heather<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

9\/4\/2012 cfulton Dear All OHA, \u00a0 For those interested below is a recent update concerning EPM. \u00a0Fortunately since fencing off the two ponds and taking other precautions we have not had an apparent case of EPM for 2 years. \u00a0However in checking the herd in the Forest Meadow yesterday it is clear that the horses… Read More »EPM<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1089,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1119"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1119"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1120,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1119\/revisions\/1120"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orindahorsemen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}