Any horse travelling to or returning from a venue abroad could become exposed to infectious disease; particularly as it may not be obvious that apparently-healthy horses encountered at competitions may be incubating and shedding infection prior to them developing overt clinical signs. The experience of travel itself can act as a stressor and make horses more prone to infection. Therefore, all horses at or returning from competitions should be considered potentially infected and management goals should be directed towards the rapid detection and treatment of disease.