Steps of Spring Horse Care

For a horse owner there are few sights more welcome than the first signs of spring. As the snow melts away and the pastures begin to turn green horse owners are glad to see the end of short days frozen water buckets and woolly coats. Springtime means longer warmer days to spend working in the arena or hitting the trails. The season is also an ideal time to catch up on your horses healthcare needs. By ensuring that your horse is in tiptop shape coming out of the winter you will be able to make the most of the upcoming riding showing and breeding season.

1 Vaccinations
Vaccines are a fundamental part of keeping your horse healthy. The beginning of springtime is a perfect time of year to book your horses annual vaccination appointment. By having your horses vaccinations done in the early spring his immune system will be primed and ready to protect him from dangerous viruses or bacteria to which he may be exposed during the spring and summer months. Some of these diseases are passed from horse to horse such as at a horse show and others are passed from mosquitoes to horses. In both of these circumstances the likelihood of exposure to equine infectious disease increases in the spring and summer.
When deciding which vaccines should be given to a particular horse each case must be assessed individually. Your veterinarian will consider factors such as geographical region lifestyle and use of the horse and current or previous medical issues. The American Association of Equine Practitioners AAEP recommends that all horses in North America be vaccinated against five diseases tetanus West Nile virus Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis and rabies. Each of these diseases are endemic in many geographical areas of North America and each has the ability to cause fatal neurological disease in horses. Because of the prevalence and severity of these diseases the AAEP has deemed them to be core vaccinations for horses and there is a high likelihood that these vaccines will be recommended for your horse.
There are many other vaccines available and your veterinarian may recommend them depending on your horses risk of exposure. Two common examples are Equine Influenza virus and Equine Herpesvirus1 and 4. These viruses can cause fever and respiratory symptoms and result in an extensive recovery period for your horse. They are often spread when groups of horses come together at racetracks