Many western states are taking measures to confine the spread of equine herpes. Last week the Wyoming Livestock Board made it mandatory for every horse entering the state to have been checked and cleared by a veterinarian within 72 hours of entering the state. All rodeos scheduled to take place in Wyoming this summer are still a go according to the Associated Press, but other states have not been able to contain the disease and have had to result to drastic and somewhat weird measures.

Let's just say things got a little strange at the Davis County Sheriff's Mounted Posse Junior Queen Contest in Framingham, Utah after an outbreak of horse herpes forced the contestants to show off their equestrian skills on stick ponies.

Although equine herpes poses no threat to humans, the deadly disease is highly contagious among horses, and the animals are generally quarantined during outbreaks. (Which is why live horses weren't available for the Junior Queen Contest.)

"With a stick horse it's a lot different because you have to do all the work, and I think it's going to be a lot more tiring than with a real horse," said contestant Kylie Felter, anticipating what was going to be like to display her horsemanship with only an inanimate object between her legs.

Read on see of video of the contestants in action.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

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