02 March 2026

Horse and yard owners urged to sign up as Ambassadors ahead of Strangles Awareness Week as campaign highlights 77% increase in recorded cases

Horse and yard owners are being encouraged to get involved with this year’s Strangles Awareness Week (SAW), by signing up as Ambassadors and promoting the campaign’s important BEST practice messaging to help prevent spread of the disease.

The acronym, which stands for ‘Boost immunity with Strangles vaccination’; ‘Engage with trusted information’; ‘Separate unfamiliar horses’ and ‘Temp check routinely’, is at the centre of the campaign.

SAW 2026 takes place at the beginning of May (4th – 10th) and aims to get everyone in the horse world working together to minimise the scale and impact of a Strangles outbreak, which can be financially and emotionally costly.

Last year saw a 77% increase in the number of lab-reported cases of Strangles with 477 being logged by the Surveillance of Equine Strangles scheme in 2025 compared to 270 in 2024.

The contagious respiratory illness is the most diagnosed equine disease worldwide. Signs vary, but can include a high fever, laboured breathing, difficulty eating, depression, thick nasal discharge and painful abscesses. In severe cases Strangles can pose a risk to horses’ lives.

Kiwi had Strangles when she was rescued by Redwings

Redwings' Campaigns and Policy Manager Helen Whitelegg said: “The increase in lab-reported cases is very concerning, and we know that many more go unrecorded. There have been 64 diagnoses recorded already this year (to 19th February).

“We are better placed than ever before to reduce the risk and number of cases seen each year but a recent Dechra survey found nearly half of respondents were not aware of the vaccine and a third did not have quarantine protocols for new arrivals, despite 87% reporting that they were concerned about the risk of infectious disease like Strangles.

“Furthermore, a recent report based on the use of the vaccine during an outbreak on a yard in Sweden suggests encouraging levels of protection even in the face of confirmed Strangles cases on the property. Although two of the three unvaccinated horses with Strangles died from their infection, all 17 horses that were vaccinated remained healthy.”

Ambassadors will be sent a suite of social media assets ready to download and share during SAW, their own digital Ambassador badge and updates about the campaign.

This year also sees the launch of our latest animation, showcasing the BEST ways to protect horses and yards from Strangles. Please watch and share to encourage more people stay a step ahead of disease and help us tackle the spread of infection across the UK.

Watch the BEST animation here

SAW messages are developed from the very latest research and advice from world-leading experts, crafted into practical, accessible resources for horse owners and yard managers.

Since its inception in 2020, the Redwings-coordinated campaign has achieved international recognition, bringing together leading equine welfare charities, educational institutions and research organisations.

Several well-known riders and equestrian influencers have lent their names to the campaign since it began, including eventers William Fox-Pitt, Lucinda Green and Piggy March, dressage rider Richard Davison and equestrian influencer Riding with Rhi.

Helen said: “The SAW collaborators have created so much content to inform and inspire people to protect horses from Strangles, and we’re encouraging horse and yard owners to create some of their own, with our support.

“If we all used BEST practice, we could make a real difference to how this disease impacts our horses, and us.

“There is a comprehensive SAW web page and we’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn, and would love people to share from these and tag us.

“We must all work together to tackle this disease, everyone involved in the sector has a part to play.”

To sign up and join more than 900 existing Ambassadors who helped the campaign reach more than five million people in 2025, please click here or go to the SAW Facebook page.