After nearly a year of waiting, it’s finally here. Your new foal has hobbled into the world. Do you know which vaccinations your gangly new friend needs to help stay healthy?

"Starting a foal off on the right foot with preventive care to help protect it against equine disease actually begins with the broodmare," says April Knudson, DVM, equine specialist for Merial’s Large Animal Veterinary Services. "With broodmares, it is best to give booster vaccinations approximately 30 days before foaling. This ensures the mare has a high level of antibodies in her colostrum, which are then passed on to her foal through the milk shortly after birth."

"While horse owners may not be aware of instances of equine diseases in their communities, they do exist," says Knudson. "Helping protect newborn foals against them is critical as they can be deadly or financially devastating."

Assuming the mare has received the appropriate shots in the suggested timeframe, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends vaccinating the newborn foal for tetanus, Eastern/Western equine encephalomyelitis (EEE/WEE), rabies, and West Nile virus (WNV). Most vaccination schedules begin when the foal is four to six months old and are given initially as a series, followed by annual revaccination