Does everyone get their horses annual jabs done?

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

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Ive always had my horses jabs done every year, but its getting more and more expensive, its nearly £70 now for the visit and jabs.
My mum refuses to get her horses done as she doesn't believe in putting any toxins/drugs in them, and they have always been very healthy.
I was just wondering how many people on here do get their horses jabs done?
 
Yes, I would imagine tetanus is a pretty horrid way to die. We're lucky in that our vet offers "zone visits" on one day a week they will do vaccinations for no call out charge so it works out at £32. The only downside is that you can't specify your time so you have to wait at home all day and shoot down to the yard when they call you.
 
My 5 main show horses are done anually. The rest either don't compete or if they do go out then they only go once or twice a year locally so they don't get vacced. In the case of any of these getting a serious enough cut then the vet will give them an instant antitoxin tet shot.
 
Im just out of the area for a free zone visit from a vet in Hampshire unfortunately. I have to pay £38 just for them to come about 4 miles up the road! I only take my horse to a couple of shows a year and keep him on a very small yard, so maybe I could just have his tetanus done every other year.
 
I have to have them done as I compete at BRC and it costs a fortune!!!!!
Just for 3 ponies!!! To top it all off one of them have a bad reaction to the first jab causing him to lose all his condition :(
So now i am so worried when to next jab comes along!
 
yes mine are jabbed. I have seen a horse have tetnus and horrific isnt the word, it was put down before the end of the day. not worth it if im honest. it only takes a tiny cut and the bacteria to be in the soil.
 
I was having this disgussion with someone today.. he also didn't believe in putting unnecisary chemicals in to his horses.

(I'm 90% sure) My vet also said that he would give a tetnus jab to a horse with a cut that he was to treat regardless of weather they were UTD with their tetnus or not..

My boy has them either way because it is a requirement on our yard I think..
 
I think tetanus only has to be done every two years anyway; it's only flu that has to be done yearly and if you don't compete or go to pony camp type things then you might decide not to have it done. I would think carefully about letting it lapse as if you change your mind, you would have to start the course again.
 
Both of mine are done every year. Genie does RC teams so has to have up-to-date vacs and I hope that in the future Titchy will so she's kept up-to-date to save having to restart in the future - plus both are out competing regularly.
 
china said:
yes mine are jabbed. I have seen a horse have tetnus and horrific isnt the word, it was put down before the end of the day. not worth it if im honest. it only takes a tiny cut and the bacteria to be in the soil.
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Totally this ^^^^^^^^^^^
I too have seen a horse with tetanus, it is a horrible sight and not one I would want to see again, especially not when it is so easily preventable.
My 2 have their Tet/Flu annually. It is an absolute essential, not an optional extra, in my opinion.
FDC
 
We compete & one of the rules is that the horse's jabs are up to date. Rules or not, we would get them done anyway. We have never had our paperwork checked regarding jabs but it doesn't matter as they're always up to date. It may be costly but I see it as part of the expense of keeping a horse.
 
Olly is UTD and gets done in Nov, Millie just missed hers so will need restarting but as I don't see her leaving the yard any time soon I will wait until April so she ends up being done at the same time as Olly (April, May and November).
 
I had both of mine done until older chap took very ill after jabs/wormers done within a couple of days. Had recurring virus for a couple of years and still delicate 5 years on. RVC vet advised me not to flu jab him again.

So he just has tet every 2 years. Younger horse has both as its a condition of doing endurance rides altho with my experience with other one i would prefer not to do that either.

Noone should not do the tet every 2 years, theres no excuse, horrible death for horse. Flu - up to the owner but insurance or competing means its prob compulsory. I wont do it every 6 months for anyones rules tho, annually is the max!
 
2 of mine aren't vaccinated, they never go anywhere and when I did have a problem with my mare and they asked about vaccinations they dealt with it instantly. I also have a youngster who is up to date with flu&tet and will keep it that way as he will be out and about competing. I feel a bit bad now after reading the other posts...all my life none of the animals I grew up with had vacc, dogs/cats/horses and some of them never went to the vets, they were hardy natural things and I guess that's the opinion I've carried on with subconsiously.

I wonder if a lot of this comes down to expense? Especially with the current climate and vets visit fees etc...I think this would be a reason for some people not having them done. If not affording them is the excuse then would other people think that they shouldnt have their horses as it should be an essential expense of ownership?
 
Jackson said:
I was having this disgussion with someone today.. he also didn't believe in putting unnecisary chemicals in to his horses.

(I'm 90% sure) My vet also said that he would give a tetnus jab to a horse with a cut that he was to treat regardless of weather they were UTD with their tetnus or not..

My boy has them either way because it is a requirement on our yard I think..
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My two have flu and tet jabs every year, although they're always getting cuts and scrapes (amazes me how and where from as I'm constantly checking field!), so should they be having another tet boost for each deepish but not so deep it requires stitches cut? I normally just apply some antibacterial cream and then let it dry out.
 
All of ours are done for Tet which I get from the vet and administer myself so it costs about 9 euro. None of them are competing. My vet has told me that once the initial two Tet only shots are given its only required every second year and this is also on the manufacturers' crimp in the box.
 
It is a requirement of my insurance to have my mare vac against tetanus. I am with KBIS.

Other requirements are annual dental examination and my favourite

the rider must not be in a state of insanity!!
 
We have to have them jabbed as a condition of the livery yard, but i don't think it is enforced tbh, I tend to wait as long as possible between jabs, to cut costs, even with a shared visit it is pricey, and I get an annual health check done including teeth, heart and eyes at the same time.
I don't compete so it is not vital to have the jabs done every 12 months, I am happy with under 15 months for the Flu, but not too sure about the tetanus, tbh I would just as soon have a double jab each time.
 
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TBB said:
All of ours are done for Tet which I get from the vet and administer myself so it costs about 9 euro. None of them are competing. My vet has told me that once the initial two Tet only shots are given its only required every second year and this is also on the manufacturers' crimp in the box.
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Wow, I think my vets would have a fit if they were handing out syringes willy nilly, I know I can jab them, but I think the idea is that the vet signs it off, as part of the documentation for competition, and it is a great money spinner for them, otherwise they would never see most of their patients from one year to another.
 
SNORKEY said:
Ive always had my horses jabs done every year, but its getting more and more expensive, its nearly £70 now for the visit and jabs.
My mum refuses to get her horses done as she doesn't believe in putting any toxins/drugs in them, and they have always been very healthy.
I was just wondering how many people on here do get their horses jabs done?
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I wouldn't even consider not vaccinating. It's part of the cost of horse owning and I'd rather go without something else than live with the guilt if my horse ever got tetanus. I can't imagine there are many worse ways to die. I'm sorry but I don't agree with your mother's viewpoint. Life puts deadly toxins in our horses, what jabs aim to do is cancel their effect.
 
Tetanus yes, its a must!! But flu I am wary around, so don't do it now. Last time I had my horse flu jabbed he was ridden a few weeks later and we had to call a vet out miles from home as he was wobbly, he had a heart murmour that wasnt there a couple weeks earlier when he was jabbed! He had to be boxed home and never ridden again as it was so marked! Vets agreed they felt it was the flu jab!
 
I don't compete but my horse still has her yearly jabs. It works out to be far cheaper than actually letting the horse get tetanus or flu and having to pay the vet to fix that. :eek:

Jabs are not just required for competition but also for sponsored rides, ie if you ever want to do Newmarket. If you're not up to date on your jabs, about all you'll ever be able to do is hack and school at home.

And try selling a horse in today's market if it's not up to date on its vaccinations.

It seems too much to risk. You can share the vaccination call out fee with others on your livery yard and/or combine it with a general check up to make it more economical.

My horse's health is the last place where I would try to skimp just to save a few pounds.
 
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