Vaccination Schedule and Guide for Horses

With the autumn right around the corner, it's time to get ready for vaccinations. While the easiest way to have your horse vaccinated is to call your vet, it is also the most expensive. For that reason, you may choose to administer vaccinations yourself, so we have provided a vaccination guide to help you decide what you need and when.

For Hobby Horses, the recommended schedule goes as follows:
Spring: Prestige V or Encevac TC-4
Fall: Prestige II

For Performance Horses, we recommend
Spring: Prestige V or Prestige V+VEE
Summer: Prestige II
Fall: Prestige II
Winter: Prestige II

For Mares, we recommend
Pre-breeding/Spring: Prestige V
5 Months: Prodigy
7 Months: Prodigy
9 Months: Prodigy
10 Months: Prestige V

For Foals, we recommend:
6 Months: Prestige V
7 Months: Prestige V
9 Months: Prestige V
12 Months: Prestige V


Always check with your vet to be sure that you have chosen the program that is right for you, and don't forget to have your vet out for Spring check-ups and Rabies, Potomac Horse Fever, and West Nile prevention.

Not sure how to vaccinate your horse? Here is a step by step injection guide:

1. Choose the injection site
a. Neck Region: most frequently used. Must hit the safe area of muscle which is BELOW the large ligament (ligamentum nuchae) and ABOVE the cervical vertebrae (neck bones). Also, avoid the jugular area.
b. Hindleg or Hamstring Region: easy to reach, but may incite kicking.
c. Chest or Pectoral Region: easy to reach, but may incite striking or cause swelling.

2. Use a 20-22 gauge, 1.5 inch needle.

3. Use a new, sterile needle for each dose of vaccine and for each horse.

4. Keep needle sheathed until immediately before use.

5. Disinfect skin with alcohol. Tap skin a few times and thrust needle in quickly, deep into the muscle, straight all the way to the hub.

6. Carefully attach syringe to inserted needle. Pull back plunger slightly to insure you are not in a blood vessel. Blood will appear if you are. If so, withdraw and try again. If not, administer the vaccine.

7. After withdrawing needle, massage area for 30 seconds after injection to distribute vaccine and help avoid soreness.

8. Allow horse to rest and get free exercise for 2-3 days following vaccination, during which time horse may experience slight soreness and lethargy.




*This post is based on the Safe-Vac program by Intervet.