What is Equine Influenza?
Equine influenza is caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system resulting in a high fever, runny nose and coughing. It usually affects young horses. Although rarely fatal, it is highly contagious. We strongly advise to check the requirements of your particular discipline before starting a course of vaccinations to ensure you comply with their regulations.
What are the new regulations?
From 1st January 2024 vaccination rules for Equine Flu have changed for many of the equestrian disciplines in accordance with advice from British Equestrian Federation (BEF).
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Any horse restarting flu vaccinations or receiving a new primary course from 1st January will be affected by the changes. Vaccinations that are up-to-date and correct will not be affected.
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Competition horse owners must ensure that their horse or pony is vaccinated for Equine Flu in accordance with the rules of the appropriate sporting governing bodies under which they are competing (e.g. FEI, British Eventing, British Dressage, British Showjumping, The Pony Club, British Riding Clubs, etc).
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Initial vaccination.
Second vaccination must be administered 21-60 days after the first.
Third vaccination (first booster) must be administered within 120-180 days after the second.
If you are re-starting your horse's vaccinations in 2024, we recommend scheduling all doses of the re-start in advance to ensure you don't miss the next dose in the course, especially as the window between each dose is now reduced by 30 days.
Still unsure on when your horse's vaccinations are due? Please call the practice on 01420 571690, where our office staff will be able to give you the date ranges of the next doses in your re-start.