Annual vaccinations are the most crucial part of horse health maintenance. Besides the universal diseases that all horses should be vaccinated against, your veterinarian will know others that are common to your area and will recommend additional vaccinations accordingly. If you have show and travel plans that include crossing state lines, tell the vet what states you will be going through and what your final destination is. There may be diseases common to those areas, and some vaccinations may need to be given weeks ahead to offer your horse effective protection.

There are also other concerns when traveling across state lines. For example, a health certificate with a negative Coggins test is required for interstate transportation of horses and even for entry at most local horse shows. Certificates and test results often take a month or more to come back, so you definitely don't want to wait until a week before the show. Most people who show regularly have an annual Coggins test done with the early spring vaccinations.