Equine Wellness
We do everything possible so your horse is happy and healthy.
Equine
Nutrition
Learn more about the importance of regular scheduled vaccinations in Spring and Fall for all horses. Is your mare pregnant or your horse new to you with no known vaccinations? Find out about special care and basic requirements.
A regular deworming schedule is important for healthy digestion and absorption of food nutrients. Learn more about keeping your horse healthy year round.
It is our goal to provide information on proper nutrition for your equine at any age, fitness level, or level of health.
Vaccination Schedule
Dewormer
Schedule
Vaccination Schedule
Old Town Equine recommends the following vaccinations:
EARLY SPRING
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Intra-nasal or injectable influenza (flu)
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Rhinopneumonitis (Rhino)
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West Nile Virus (WNV)
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Eastern/Western Encephalitis and Tetanus (EWT)
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Potomac Horse Fever
EARLY FALL
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Intra-nasal or injectable influenza
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Rhinopneumonitis
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Rabies—given once annually in spring or late summer
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West Nile Virus
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Potomac Horse Fever
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Eastern/Western Encephalitis
Pregnant mares and horses that travel to shows, events, etc. will need additional vaccines. Please call OTE for a consultation.
Botulism is an optional vaccine for horses that are fed round bales or reside in high incidence areas. It is also recommended for brood mares as it provides passive immunity to their foals.
Horses with no vaccination history require at least the basic vaccine set (EWT, WNV, Flu/Rhino, Rabies) followed by a second round given 3–4 weeks later.
Deworming Schedule
The goal of OTE’s parasite control program is twofold: to minimize worm burdens and decrease the rate at which parasites are developing resistance. OTE recommends, as a minimum precaution against resistance to current deworming products, that ALL horses get a fecal egg count (FEC) yearly on March 1.
New arrivals to a farm with unknown deworming history should be treated with Quest, followed the next day with Ivermectin. All other horses should bring deworming history including most recent FEC.
All dewormers should be administered according to weight (using a weight tape) when the horse has an empty mouth to ensure the medication is swallowed. For foals, and weak, debilitated, or pregnant horses, contact OTE for a consultation.
Low shedder deworming recommendations (less than 200 eggs per gram):
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March 1—Fecal egg count
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Moxidectin with praziquantel (Quest Plus)
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November—Panacur Power Pac or Ivermectin with praziquantel (Equimax or Zimectrin Gold)
Medium and high shedders (greater than 200 eggs per gram):
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March 1—Fecal egg count
Moxidectin with praziquantel (Quest Plus) -
June—Pyrantel Pamoate (Strongid Paste, Rotectin P, Equi-cide, Liqui-Care P, Tape Care Plus or Pyrantel Pamoate paste). Fecal egg count two weeks after deworming to measure dewormer effectiveness
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September—Pyrantel Pamoate
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December—Fecal egg count. Panacur Power Pac or Moxidectin with praziquantel
Equine Nutrition
Nutrition is the foundation of a healthy, happy horse that performs to the best of its ability. This article outlines ten “keys” to help you better understand nutrition and put its power to use. From basic information like the importance of forage to more advanced topics like the difference between “digestibility” and “bioavailability,” there is something for everyone who makes decisions about the diet of a horse. The article is made up of ten different sections, or keys, each covering a separate but related topic within equine nutrition:
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KEY #1—Forage is the basis of a horse’s diet
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KEY #2—But . . . forage is incomplete nutrition
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KEY #3—Over- and Under-Supplementation
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KEY #4—Nutrient Requirements of Horses
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KEY #5—The Digestive Tract: Parts & Purposes
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KEY #6—The Six Classes of Nutrients
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KEY #7—Factors Affecting Nutrient Requirements
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KEY #8—Body Condition Scoring (and other measurements)
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KEY #9—Some Tricky Definitions
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KEY #10--Resources
Read the article from the American Association of Equine Practitioners HERE
