09/01/2026
Core vs. Risk-Based Vaccines — What Does Your Horse Actually Need?
Vaccines protect against diseases that can be devastating neurologic disease, respiratory outbreaks, fatal infections.
But not every horse needs every vaccine.
At Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals, we divide vaccines into two categories: core and risk-based.
CORE VACCINES:
These are recommended for every horse, regardless of lifestyle.
They protect against diseases that are:
• Widespread
• Severe or fatal
• Public health risks
• Not dependent on travel or exposure
Core vaccines include protection against:
• Tetanus
• Eastern & Western Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus
• Rabies
Even the retired pasture horse needs these.
RISK-BASED VACCINES
These depend on your horse’s exposure and lifestyle.
We consider:
• Travel frequency
• Show participation
• Boarding environment
• Breeding status
• Geographic disease prevalence
• Herd turnover
Risk-based vaccines may include protection against:
• Strangles
• Influenza
• Rhinopneumonitis (EHV)
• Potomac Horse Fever
• Botulism
A traveling show horse has different needs than a retired companion.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Vaccination isn’t a checklist.
It’s a risk assessment.
We tailor each protocol based on:
• Age
• Health status
• Metabolic or endocrine disease
• Pregnancy status
• Exposure risk
And yes — timing matters too.
Boosters given too late reduce protection.
Over-vaccinating without risk assessment doesn’t improve immunity.
The goal is smart protection.
