Each state will have its own regulations requiring Coggins tests (for the viral disease Equine Infectious Anemia or EIA) for horses traveling in and between states. Although it is not likely that new horses will have a positive Coggins, you must think about the stipulations in your contract and how that affects all other boarders. You should require a negative Coggins and maybe even a health certificate for a horse before accepting it at your boarding and training facilities. Remember, a horse with EIA can be asymptomatic. This protects both your personal horses and other boarders already at the facility. If you make an exception or fail to uphold your existing contract requirements, then your entire contract may be considered null and void and become useless in legal cases. From a business perspective, we would recommend asking the boarder to provide a negative Coggins.  Overall, if the expense of contacting a veterinarian and getting a Coggins test is too high for this horse owner, then taking them on as a boarder may be more of a liability than an asset.

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