About African Horse Sickness

The Story Behind African Horse Sickness

African Horse Sickness began as a focused information resource about one of the most serious diseases affecting horses in Southern Africa. Its original purpose was practical: help owners understand disease risks, support better reporting and make reliable information easier to find.

The wider subject

Horse health is connected to stable management, transport, training, breeding, competition, racing and responsible ownership.

Over time, the project’s subject naturally became wider. Horse health is connected to stable management, transport, training, breeding, competition, racing and responsible ownership. Readers looking for information about African horse sickness often need answers about many other parts of equine life as well.

That is why the site has developed into an independent publication covering horses from several connected perspectives: health, care, breeds, sport, racing and betting culture.

Why We Kept the Name

The African Horse Sickness name carries the history of the project.

Removing it would erase the specialist subject that shaped the site and gave it a clear place within the Southern African horse community.

The name also keeps health and welfare visible as the publication expands.

Racing results, breed characteristics and training methods matter, but they should never be separated from the condition and treatment of the horse.

We therefore chose evolution rather than a complete break.

African horse sickness remains an important section of the site, while the broader publication follows the full environment around horses.

What the Site Covers Today

African Horse Sickness now publishes English-language articles for horse owners, riders, racing followers, equestrian fans and readers who are simply beginning to learn about horses.

Our main areas of coverage include:

  • horse health, diseases and prevention;
  • breeds, temperament and typical uses;
  • feeding, grooming, hoof care and stable management;
  • ownership, transport and welfare;
  • horse racing news and major events;
  • show jumping, dressage, eventing, endurance and polo;
  • jockeys, riders, trainers and notable horses;
  • racing odds, betting formats and rules by country;
  • regulation and responsible gambling information.

These subjects are treated as parts of the same ecosystem. A racing horse is also an animal with health, recovery and welfare needs. A breed profile is more useful when it explains care and suitability rather than listing appearance alone. A betting article needs sporting context, legal clarity and an honest explanation of risk.

How We Handle Horse Health Information

Health reporting requires more care than general entertainment or sports content. Veterinary recommendations can change, outbreak information can be regional and advice that applied years ago may no longer reflect current practice.

When preparing health-related material, we aim to:

  • identify the date and geographic relevance of the information;
  • distinguish confirmed guidance from early reports or general observations;
  • use reliable veterinary, government or research sources where available;
  • avoid presenting symptoms as an online diagnosis;
  • update articles when newer evidence materially changes the subject.

Historical content may still be useful, especially for understanding previous outbreaks, vaccination programmes and disease-control efforts. However, old statistics and instructions should not automatically be treated as current advice.

African Horse Sickness provides educational information. It does not replace direct examination, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified veterinarian.

How We Approach Racing and Equestrian Sport

Our sports coverage looks beyond a final placing or headline result. We consider preparation, distance, surface, weather, recent form, recovery and the conditions surrounding an event.

Different disciplines place different demands on horses.

Racing, endurance, dressage and show jumping should not be discussed through the same performance criteria. We structure articles around the realities of each sport rather than forcing every event into a generic format.

Coverage may include race previews, results, profiles, event explainers and analysis of wider issues affecting equestrian competition.

Welfare remains part of that reporting, particularly where workload, transport, injury or recovery are relevant.

Our Approach to Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing betting is part of the industry surrounding the sport, but it is also a regulated activity that carries financial risk.

Our articles explain common bet types, odds, form, draw, going, pace and market movement. We may also compare how horse racing betting works across different countries, since legal age, licensing, taxation, promotions and operator availability vary by jurisdiction.

We do not publish guaranteed winning systems or imply that previous results predict future outcomes. Betting content is intended for adults and should be read as information rather than financial advice.

Promotions, odds and regulatory details can change quickly. Time-sensitive articles should therefore include a clear date or market context.

Sponsorship Without Editorial Control

Aviator by SPRIBE is an official sponsor of African Horse Sickness and supports the project’s coverage of horses, equestrian sport and racing.

SPRIBE is the developer of the Aviator game and has established partnerships across international sports entertainment, including AC Milan, UFC and WWE.

Aviator is a crash game and is not a horse racing product. Its presence on the site relates to sponsorship and the wider connection between gaming, betting audiences and sports entertainment.

Commercial support does not determine our health reporting, race analysis, editorial priorities or conclusions. Sponsored placements should be clearly recognisable so that readers can distinguish them from independent editorial content.

Aviator by SPRIBE sponsor feature in equestrian sport and regulated gaming context
Editorial planning for equine health, racing and care stories

How Stories Are Selected

We do not publish a topic simply because it contains a popular keyword. A story should answer a real question, explain a meaningful development or help readers understand horses more accurately.

Priority is given to material that offers at least one of the following:

  • practical value for owners or riders;
  • reliable context around a health or welfare issue;
  • clear explanation of a race, discipline or rule;
  • useful comparison between breeds, countries or racing markets;
  • correction of a common misconception;
  • timely reporting supported by verifiable information.

News and evergreen content are handled differently. News articles focus on what changed and why it matters. Reference pages, care articles and breed profiles are structured to remain useful for longer and may be updated as information develops.

Corrections and Reader Contributions

Readers can contact African Horse Sickness with factual corrections, documents, event information, photographs and relevant story suggestions.

Corrections should identify the article, explain the issue and include supporting evidence where possible. Submitted material is reviewed according to relevance and reliability, but sending information does not guarantee publication.

Regional value
This participation is particularly valuable for regional horse news, local events and subjects that may receive limited coverage from larger media outlets.

A South African Foundation, an International View

The site remains closely connected to South Africa because of its history, name and original audience. Southern Africa continues to shape our coverage of horse health, disease control, climate, ownership and regional sport.

At the same time, the horse world is international. Breeds move across borders, major races attract global audiences and equestrian rules differ between countries. Betting regulation is also highly local.

Our wider coverage reflects that reality while keeping the geographic context clear. Advice, laws and market information should never be presented as universal when they apply only to one region.

Where the Project Goes Next

African Horse Sickness will continue expanding its archive of practical and editorial content while preserving the subject that gave the project its identity.

The future of the site lies in connecting areas that are too often separated: veterinary awareness and everyday ownership, racing and welfare, breed history and practical care, sport and responsible betting information.

The publication has changed, but its central subject has not. Every section begins with the horse.