Horse Care
Vaccinations Recommended
for Adult Horses:
Pleasure Horses
• Encephalitis (Eastern & Western) and Tetanus
Vaccination should be done yearly.
• Rabies vaccination should be done yearly.
• West Nile Virus should be done every 6 to 12 months.
Show Horses
• Encephalitis (Eastern & Western) and Tetanus
Vaccination should be done yearly.
• Rabies vaccination should be done yearly.
• West Nile Virus should be done every 6 to 12 months.
• Rhino/Flu vaccination should be done every 6 months
(spring and fall).
• Strangles-optional.
Pregnant Mares
• Should be vaccinated against Rhinopneumonitis
at 5, 7, & 9 months of pregnancy ONLY with Pneumabort-K.
This helps prevent abortions due to infection with Rhinopneumonitis
.
Vaccinations Recommended for Foals:
• Same as for pleasure horses, starting at 5-6 months,
but must be boostered in 3-4 weeks after first vaccination.
• Vaccinate for tetanus within 12-24 hours after
foaling, if mare is not current on tetanus vaccination.
• May also want to vaccinate for Rhinopneumonitis
and Influenza.
Deworming Your Horse or Foal:
Parasites are a very serious health problem for horses,
and all horses need to be dewormed on a regular basis.
Deworming should be done a minimum of 4 times yearly,
depending on your individual situation. We can design
a deworming program for your horses.
Dental Care:
Horses should have their teeth assessed yearly for wear,
and other abnormalities. As horses chew, they can wear
sharp edges on their teeth, which need to be "floated"
(another name for filing the teeth down). More serious
problems can develop, especially as the horse ages, so
it is important to have your horse checked on a regular
basis.
Normal Parameters for The Horse:*
• Temperature 98-102 degrees (foals may be at the
higher end)
• Pulse 28-36 beats per minute (foals 70-100 bpm)
• Respiratory rate should be 10-24 at rest.
• Gut sounds should be present at least every 30-60
seconds.
• Gum color should be pink, and capillary refill
time should be less than 2 seconds. (Press your thumb
against the gums and see how long it takes to fill in.)
Normal Parameters for Foals After Birth:*
• Gestational Length: 315-365 days
• Time to Suckling Reflex: 20-30 minutes
• Time to Standing: less than 2 hours
• Time to Nursing: 1- 3 hours
• Able to Stand on Own: less than 3 hours
• Body Temperature : 99-102 degrees (for first four
days).
• Heart Rate: 60-80 bpm (for first five minutes).
• First Urination: 8 hours after birth
• Passage of Meconium: within 12 hours
• Mare should pass placenta within 3-4 hours.
• Foals should be given an IgG Blood Test and a
general exam by a veterinarian within 12-18 hours after
birth.
*Anything above or below these ranges can indicate a sign
of illness, and should be brought to our attention, especially
if the horse is "not acting right".
