While a standard vaccination program for all horses does not exist, spring vaccinations are an important component of ensuring horses’ immune systems are optimized during the highest risk period for disease exposure. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners vaccination guidelines, the five core vaccinations that all horses need include: West Nile virus, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis (EEE and WEE), tetanus, and rabies*.
Source: Paulick Report, March 5, 2026. Link
For adult horses, “spring shots” should be performed mid-March to mid-April to make sure immunity is boosted before likely exposure to insect and animal vectors.”
*INSIGHTS: Various sources present rabies vaccination rates to be well below 50 percent. Yet, horses are nearly four times as likely as dogs to get rabies because they can be exposed to rabies through infected wildlife; commonly bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks. Whether kept in a barn or pasture, the risk is real for all horses <Link>.
Unlike dogs and cats, horses are not legally required to receive rabies vaccines in most states, and there is no federal or state-level tracking system for equine vaccination rates.
Vaccination by a licensed veterinarian may be required by state law for the rabies vaccine to be considered valid. Most states require rabies vaccinations to be administered by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian <Link>.
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