Do horses need to be vaccinated?  They do indeed. Horses are prone to infectious diseases, and if your horse shares his pasture with other horses, or you board out, then he runs the risk of picking up an infection from another horse that isn’t vaccinated.  Every year my horses get a 4-in-one vaccine that protects them against tetanus, rabies, Rhinopneumonitis/flu. 

Recently arriving on the scene is West Nile Virus, a disease that is found in mosquitos and transmitted to the horse in mosquito bites. The horse is to have his initial shot of this vaccine and then boosters are given throughout the year.

Also it is highly suggested that you take great care in getting rid of any stagnant water sources around your barn. Cut holes in old tires so the water can drain, empty out any old storage container of water, keep your watering trough clean, dump over wheelbarrows during the winter time so the rain can’t collect in them and clean out your rain gutters and dump out any tarp that is collecting water.

If you have a creek like we do, you can pour plain salad oil in the stagnant pond to cut down the mosquito larvae and still keep the creek safe. West Nile Virus is a nasty disease that causes weakness, listlessness, stumbling and uncoordinated movement, ataxia ( a nervous system disorder) partial paralysis and death.