Can Horses Get COVID-19?

By Dr Duncan Houston

What horse owners should know about SARS-CoV-2 risk, testing, barn biosecurity and why most coughing horses probably have something else.

COVID-19 is mainly a human disease, but the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, has been detected or shown to infect a range of animal species.

That naturally raises the question: can horses get COVID-19 too?

The short answer is that horses appear to have low susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Studies have found evidence that some horses can be exposed or infected after close contact with infected people, but current evidence does not suggest horses commonly become clinically ill from SARS-CoV-2 or play a major role in spreading the virus back to people. In other words, this is worth understanding, but not worth panicking about.

The bigger practical risk in a barn is still human-to-human transmission, poor biosecurity, and missing more common equine respiratory diseases because everyone is focused on COVID.

Quick Answer

Horses can show evidence of exposure or infection with SARS-CoV-2, usually after close contact with infected people, but published studies have not shown COVID-19 to be a common cause of illness in horses. In one UC Davis-associated study, 667 equids with fever and respiratory signs all tested negative by qPCR for SARS-CoV-2, while 5.9% of healthy racehorses exposed to infected people had antibodies, suggesting occasional silent spillover rather than obvious horse disease. (PMC)

If your horse has fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy or breathing difficulty, do not assume it is COVID-19. More common equine diseases such as equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, strangles, equine coronavirus, pneumonia, or, in Australia, Hendra virus, may be more important to rule out.

COVID-19 vs SARS-CoV-2: What Is the Difference?

COVID-19 is the disease name used in people.

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus.

That distinction matters because horses may show evidence of exposure to the virus, but that does not automatically mean they develop the human disease syndrome we call COVID-19.

In veterinary writing, it is more accurate to say:

• Horses may be exposed to SARS-CoV-2
• Horses may occasionally show serological evidence of infection
• Horses have not been shown to commonly develop clinical COVID-19 disease
• Horses are not currently considered major spreaders of SARS-CoV-2 to people

CDC states that the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered low and that animals do not appear to play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people. (CDC)

That is the key reassurance.

Your horse is not the barn’s secret pandemic mastermind.

The human with symptoms coughing in the tack room is a much bigger concern.

Can Horses Become Infected With SARS-CoV-2?

Yes, horses appear capable of occasional infection or exposure, but the evidence points toward low susceptibility and no clear clinical disease pattern.

The most useful equine study tested two groups:

• 667 horses with acute fever and respiratory signs
• 587 healthy Thoroughbred racehorses with possible exposure to infected track personnel

None of the 667 sick horses tested positive by qPCR for SARS-CoV-2. However, 35 of 587 healthy racehorses, or 5.9%, had detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The authors concluded that horses appear susceptible after close contact with infected humans, but clinical disease was not observed in the study horses. (PMC)

Another study of 1186 equids presented to a California veterinary teaching hospital found that 42 horses, or 3.5%, had detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The study suggested that horses can become infected through occasional spillover from people, but that clinical disease expression appears subclinical, making horses an unlikely contributor to spread. (Semantic Scholar)

A 2024 Swiss study also found low evidence of exposure in horses. It tested 1110 horses and 830 cattle, found low serological signals in horses, and all tested respiratory, fecal and bronchoalveolar samples were negative by RT-qPCR. The authors concluded that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in horses and cattle in Switzerland was low during the study period. (PMC)

Do Horses Get Sick From COVID-19?

Current evidence suggests that horses generally do not develop obvious clinical illness from SARS-CoV-2.

That is an important difference from some other species. Cats, mink, deer and some zoo animals have shown clearer susceptibility or population-level infection patterns. Horses appear to be much lower risk.

A 2024 review of horses and cattle reported that no COVID-19 outbreaks due to SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic horses had been officially reported to WOAH, and that horses in contact with infected humans, as well as a single experimentally infected horse, showed no clinical signs or detectable shedding in nasal secretions, blood or feces by RT-qPCR. (PMC)

So if a horse is coughing, febrile or unwell, SARS-CoV-2 should not be the first assumption.

In practice, the more useful question is:

What common equine disease could this actually be?

That is where proper veterinary assessment matters.

Can Horses Spread COVID-19 to People?

There is currently no good evidence that horses are spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people.

CDC states that the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low and that there is no evidence animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people. APHIS also states that the risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people is low. (CDC)

WOAH similarly notes that animal infections have been reported in a range of species, often after contact with infected humans, but the pandemic is being sustained by human-to-human transmission. (WOAH)

For horse owners, that means the practical priority is:

• Keep infected people away from close horse contact where possible
• Protect other staff and handlers
• Maintain normal infectious disease biosecurity
• Call a vet for sick horses rather than assuming COVID explains it

The horse is not usually the problem.

The people sharing the feed room, wash bay, ute, tack room, coffee mugs and questionable life choices are more likely to be the problem.

How Would a Horse Be Exposed?

The most likely source is close contact with an infected human.

Possible exposure routes include:

• Infected handlers coughing or breathing close to the horse
• Close face-to-muzzle contact
• Contaminated hands touching the horse’s face, nostrils, feed tubs or equipment
• Shared enclosed spaces with poor ventilation
• Busy training barns, show barns or racetracks with many staff
• Multi-person handling of the same horses during a human outbreak

UC Davis advised that people with COVID-19 should probably avoid contact with horses after studies showed some seropositive horses had exposure to infected people. (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

This is a sensible precaution, not a reason to panic.

If you have COVID-19, arrange for another healthy person to care for your horses if possible. If that is not possible, reduce close contact, wear a well-fitting mask, wash your hands, avoid kissing or breathing over the horse’s face, and clean commonly touched equipment.

COVID-19 Risk Framework for Horses

Risk level	What it looks like	What it likely means	What to do
Low risk	Horse is healthy, no known human COVID exposure, no respiratory signs	Routine risk is very low	Use normal barn hygiene
Moderate risk	A handler has COVID-19, but the horse is healthy	Possible human-to-horse spillover risk, still low	Keep infected people away from horses where possible
High risk	Human COVID outbreak in a busy barn plus horses with fever or respiratory signs	SARS-CoV-2 is possible, but common equine diseases are more likely	Isolate sick horses and call your vet
Critical	Horse has severe breathing difficulty, neurological signs, collapse, high fever, severe depression or rapid deterioration	Serious equine disease must be ruled out urgently	Seek immediate veterinary care

The key decision point is this:

A healthy horse exposed to a COVID-positive person is usually not an emergency. A sick horse with fever, coughing or breathing difficulty needs veterinary assessment, regardless of COVID exposure.

What Signs Should Horse Owners Watch For?

Because SARS-CoV-2 has not been shown to cause a clear clinical disease syndrome in horses, there is no reliable “COVID in horses” symptom list.

However, if a horse has had close contact with a COVID-positive person, monitor for general illness signs, including:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Reduced appetite
• Nasal discharge
• Coughing
• Increased breathing effort
• Unusual respiratory noise
• Diarrhoea
• Colic signs
• Poor performance
• Sudden behaviour change

APHIS lists possible signs in animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 as fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, vomiting and diarrhoea, while also noting that some infected animals may show no signs. (APHIS)

In horses, these signs are not specific for SARS-CoV-2.

They are a reason to call your vet and rule out the diseases horses actually do get.

What Else Could It Be?

This is the most important clinical section.

If a horse has fever, nasal discharge, coughing or breathing difficulty, COVID-19 should usually sit low on the list compared with common equine conditions.

Important differentials include:

• Equine influenza
• Equine herpesvirus 1 or 4
• Strangles
• Equine rhinitis virus
• Equine coronavirus
• Bacterial pneumonia
• Pleuropneumonia
• Dust-related airway disease
• Inflammatory airway disease
• Recurrent airway obstruction
• Allergic airway disease
• Choke with nasal discharge
• Smoke or irritant exposure
• Hendra virus in relevant Australian regions
• Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in performance horses

That first UC Davis-associated study is a good reminder of this. Of 667 equids with fever and respiratory signs, 36% tested positive for at least one common equine respiratory pathogen, but none tested qPCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. (PMC)

Equine coronavirus also deserves special clarification. Equine coronavirus, or ECoV, is not the same as SARS-CoV-2. ECoV is mainly an enteric disease of horses, spread primarily by the fecal-oral route, and can cause fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, soft manure, diarrhoea or colic. (Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS)

University of Kentucky also emphasises that SARS-CoV-2 is distinct from equine coronavirus, and that equine coronavirus has not been shown to infect humans. (Equine Programs)

Special Australian Note: Do Not Miss Hendra Virus

For Australian horse owners, especially in regions where Hendra virus is a consideration, do not dismiss fever, nasal discharge, respiratory distress or neurological signs as “probably COVID.”

Hendra virus can cause acute, serious respiratory or neurological disease in horses and can spread from infected horses to humans through close contact with body fluids. Queensland Government guidance says horse owners should contact a veterinarian immediately if Hendra virus is suspected, and vaccination is the most effective way to help manage Hendra virus disease in horses. (Business Queensland)

This is one of those moments where veterinary caution matters.

If a horse is sick, especially with fever, respiratory signs, neurological signs or rapid deterioration, your vet needs to decide what precautions and testing are appropriate before close handling continues.

Should Horses Be Tested for SARS-CoV-2?

Most horses do not need SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Testing may be considered when:

• A horse has compatible signs and known close exposure to a COVID-positive person
• More common equine respiratory diseases have been considered
• There is a public health or animal health investigation
• A veterinary authority recommends testing
• The horse is part of a research or surveillance program
• The facility has high-risk human contacts, such as immunocompromised people

Testing should not be used casually because a horse coughed once after eating dusty hay.

In Australia, Wildlife Health Australia notes that diagnostic testing and surveillance in animals for COVID-19 is recommended only on the advice of human and animal health authorities, and that veterinarians considering testing animal patients must consult state or territory animal health authorities first.

APHIS also provides SARS-CoV-2 testing strategy and reporting guidance for veterinarians and animal health officials. (APHIS)

What Tests Are Used?

Testing may include:

• PCR testing of nasal or respiratory samples
• Serology for antibodies
• Whole genome sequencing in surveillance or confirmed cases

PCR is used to detect viral RNA and is most useful when active infection is suspected. Serology detects antibodies and is more useful for showing previous exposure, but it does not necessarily prove the horse is currently infectious.

WOAH’s scientific commission noted that reliable diagnostic tools exist for SARS-CoV-2 in animals, including RT-PCR, whole genome sequencing and antibody detection tests.

In practice, testing should answer a useful question.

Bad question: “Can we test because I am curious?”

Better question: “Does this horse have signs, a genuine exposure risk, and a reason for testing that changes management?”

That is the difference between surveillance and noise.

When Is This an Emergency?

COVID exposure alone is not usually an equine emergency.

The horse’s clinical signs determine urgency.

Call a veterinarian urgently if your horse has:

• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid breathing at rest
• Blue, grey or very dark mucous membranes
• Severe depression
• High fever
• Refusal to eat or drink
• Neurological signs
• Collapse
• Severe coughing
• Foul nasal discharge
• Blood from the nose
• Colic signs
• Sudden severe diarrhoea
• Rapid deterioration over hours
• Any signs compatible with Hendra virus risk in Australia

These signs need veterinary care whether the cause is viral, bacterial, inflammatory, toxic, neurological or something else.

Do not spend two days wondering whether your horse has COVID while the real disease gets worse in the background.

That is the clinical danger here.

What Should You Do If Someone at the Barn Has COVID-19?

1. Keep the infected person away from horses if possible

This is the cleanest option.

Have another healthy person feed, rug, medicate and manage the horse temporarily.

WOAH recommends that people suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 avoid close contact with companion animals and have another household member care for them where possible. (WOAH)

2. If contact is unavoidable, reduce close exposure

If the infected person must care for horses:

• Wear a well-fitting mask
• Wash hands before and after handling
• Avoid touching the horse’s muzzle and nostrils
• Avoid kissing or close face contact
• Avoid coughing near the horse
• Use dedicated equipment where practical
• Clean high-touch surfaces
• Keep contact brief and practical

This is not horse panic. It is basic One Health hygiene.

3. Protect barn staff

Human-to-human spread is still the bigger risk.

Do not let infected staff sit in enclosed tack rooms, share vehicles, share meals, or work closely with others without precautions.

4. Monitor horses without overreacting

Check for:

• Fever
• Coughing
• Nasal discharge
• Reduced appetite
• Lethargy
• Diarrhoea
• Poor performance

If signs appear, isolate the horse and call your vet.

5. Do not request random testing without veterinary advice

Testing should be coordinated through a veterinarian and relevant authorities when indicated.

What Should You Do If Your Horse Is Sick After Human COVID Exposure?

Step 1: Isolate the horse from other horses

This protects the rest of the property while your vet works through the likely causes.

Even if SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely, equine influenza, EHV, strangles and equine coronavirus can spread through barns.

Step 2: Take a temperature

A rectal temperature gives your vet useful information.

Record:

• Temperature
• Time taken
• Heart rate if you can safely measure it
• Respiratory rate
• Appetite
• Manure output
• Nasal discharge
• Cough frequency
• Any known human COVID exposure

Step 3: Call your veterinarian

Tell your vet:

• The horse’s signs
• When signs started
• Whether a person with COVID had close contact
• Whether other horses are sick
• Vaccination history
• Travel or show history
• Strangles or EHV exposure risk
• Hendra risk if relevant
• Whether the horse is eating and drinking

Step 4: Do not medicate blindly

Do not give leftover antibiotics, human medication, or random anti-inflammatories without veterinary advice.

Medication can mask fever, delay diagnosis, and complicate infectious disease control.

Step 5: Follow biosecurity until you know more

Use separate equipment, handle the sick horse last, wash hands, clean surfaces and avoid unnecessary movement.

Common Mistakes Horse Owners Make

Mistake 1: Assuming COVID explains a sick horse

Most sick horses with fever or respiratory signs will have another cause. COVID exposure may be relevant, but it should not distract from common equine diseases.

Mistake 2: Letting COVID-positive staff keep working closely with horses and people

The bigger risk is still human-to-human spread. If someone is actively unwell, reduce their barn contact.

Mistake 3: Confusing equine coronavirus with COVID-19

Equine coronavirus is a different virus from SARS-CoV-2. ECoV is mainly fecal-oral and causes fever, lethargy and gastrointestinal signs in horses. (Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS)

Mistake 4: Testing without a plan

A test should change management. If a result will not change isolation, care, reporting or treatment decisions, speak to your vet before testing.

Mistake 5: Ignoring serious respiratory signs

Breathing difficulty, high fever, depression, neurological signs or rapid deterioration are urgent, regardless of COVID status.

Mistake 6: Forgetting basic barn hygiene

Handwashing, clean equipment, quarantine for sick horses and limiting shared gear still matter more than arguing about whether the horse has COVID.

How To Reduce Risk in Barns and Training Facilities

Good barn biosecurity protects against more than SARS-CoV-2.

It helps reduce spread of strangles, influenza, EHV, equine coronavirus, salmonella and other infectious problems.

Practical steps include:

• Keep sick people away from horses and staff where possible
• Keep sick horses away from healthy horses
• Improve ventilation in enclosed barns
• Avoid sharing buckets, nose cloths and grooming tools
• Wash hands between horses
• Clean high-touch equipment
• Quarantine new arrivals
• Monitor temperatures during outbreaks
• Handle sick horses last
• Keep records of horse movement and illness
• Call your vet early when multiple horses develop fever

APHIS describes biosecurity as management practices that reduce the risk of disease agents being introduced and spread, and recommends measures to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk on farms. (APHIS)

The helpful thing about good biosecurity is that it is boring.

Boring biosecurity is good biosecurity.

Exciting biosecurity usually means something has already gone wrong.

Myth vs Reality

Myth	Reality
“Horses cannot be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 at all.”	Horses can show evidence of exposure or occasional infection, usually after contact with infected people.
“COVID-19 is a common cause of coughing in horses.”	Current evidence does not support SARS-CoV-2 as a common cause of equine respiratory disease.
“A horse with antibodies is spreading COVID.”	Antibodies usually indicate exposure, not necessarily current infection or infectiousness.
“Horses are a major risk to people.”	CDC and APHIS consider the risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people low.
“Equine coronavirus is the same as COVID-19.”	Equine coronavirus is a different horse virus, mainly associated with gastrointestinal disease.
“Testing every horse in a barn is the best response.”	Testing should be veterinarian-led and targeted to situations where it changes management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can horses get COVID-19?

Horses can show evidence of exposure or infection with SARS-CoV-2, but current studies suggest this is uncommon and usually subclinical. It is more accurate to say horses may occasionally be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 rather than saying they commonly get COVID-19 disease. (PMC)

Can horses spread COVID-19 to humans?

There is currently no good evidence that horses play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to humans. CDC states the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low. (CDC)

Should I stay away from my horse if I have COVID-19?

Yes, where practical. Have another healthy person care for your horse until you are no longer infectious. UC Davis and WOAH both support avoiding close animal contact when a person is infected or suspected to be infected. (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

Should my horse be tested for COVID-19?

Usually no. Testing should be discussed with your veterinarian and local animal health authorities, especially if the horse has compatible signs, close exposure to a COVID-positive person, and more common equine diseases have been considered.

Is equine coronavirus the same as COVID-19?

No. Equine coronavirus is a different coronavirus that affects horses, usually through fecal-oral spread and intestinal disease. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. (Equine Programs)

The Bottom Line

Horses are not considered a major COVID-19 risk.

The best current evidence suggests they can occasionally show signs of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 after close contact with infected people, but they do not commonly become clinically ill, and there is no strong evidence that horses are important spreaders of the virus to humans.

For horse owners, the practical message is simple:

Do not panic.

Do not ignore biosecurity.

Do not let sick people have close unnecessary contact with horses.

Do not assume every coughing horse has COVID.

And do not miss the diseases horses are far more likely to have.

If your horse is bright, eating normally and only had contact with a COVID-positive person, monitor and reduce further exposure.

If your horse has fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, diarrhoea, breathing difficulty or neurological signs, call your vet. The real job is not proving whether it is COVID. The real job is finding out what is actually making the horse sick.

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If you are unsure whether your horse’s signs are a simple monitoring situation or a true infectious disease concern, ASK A VET™ can help you organise the history, track symptoms and decide when veterinary care should not wait.