Horse Preventive Healthcare: Vaccination and Worming Welfare

Overview of preventive healthcare welfare for horses through vaccination and strategic worming.

Key Facts

Equine influenza and tetanus vaccination are core welfare protection measures
Equine herpesvirus vaccination is recommended for horses in contact with other horses
Strategic worming based on faecal egg counting is replacing blanket treatment protocols
Targeted selective treatment reduces anthelmintic resistance while maintaining welfare
Annual and biannual veterinary health checks enable early welfare condition detection

Welfare Considerations

Horse preventive healthcare covers vaccination against serious welfare-threatening diseases and strategic parasite management. Equine influenza, tetanus, and herpesvirus cause significant welfare harm preventable through vaccination. Strategic worming based on faecal egg counting replaces blanket treatment with a more targeted, welfare-compatible, and resistance-sparing approach. Annual health checks enable early detection of dental, metabolic, and musculoskeletal welfare conditions.

What You Can Do

Maintain equine vaccination programmes based on veterinary guidance and industry requirements
Adopt strategic worming with faecal egg counting rather than blanket treatment protocols
Schedule regular veterinary health assessments for horses throughout their lives