Horse vaccinations in Australia and NZ

Vaccination is one of the simplest ways to protect your horse from diseases that are painful, expensive to treat and sometimes fatal. Which vaccines your horse needs depends on where you live, what your horse does and how much it mixes with other horses – so the right plan is one you make with your vet.

Victoria's Code of Practice recommends routine vaccination against tetanus, and says owners should get veterinary advice on vaccinating against other diseases (Code of Practice). New Zealand's Code of Welfare recommends vaccinating according to veterinary recommendations to protect horses from infectious disease (MPI Code of Welfare). Pony Club Australia's certificates expect members to discuss tetanus and strangles vaccines plus those needed for their local area (PCA Syllabus).

Vaccine schedules in this guide are summarised from published guidelines for general information. Your vet will tailor the plan to your horse, and may recommend a different schedule.

The main vaccines at a glance

Disease	Who needs it	Where
Tetanus	All horses	Australia and NZ
Strangles	Strongly advised for horses that travel or mix; discuss for others	Australia and NZ
Hendra virus	Recommended by the AVA for all horses in Australia	Australia only
Others (for example for breeding mares)	Case by case	Ask your vet

Tetanus

Tetanus is caused by bacteria in the environment that enter through wounds and produce a toxin causing a potentially fatal neurological disease (BVP – equine wound care). Horses are very sensitive to the toxin. A panel of Australian and New Zealand vets reviewing the evidence in 2024 concluded that the tetanus vaccine is highly effective, that tetanus in unvaccinated horses has a high death rate, and that all horses in Australia and New Zealand should be vaccinated against tetanus (Tetanus prophylaxis guidelines, NZVJ 2024).

Tetanus schedule

The 2024 guidelines, published in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal, recommend for an unvaccinated horse aged 6 months or more (NZVJ 2024):

• Dose 1, then dose 2 four to six weeks later
• Dose 3 within 12 months of dose 2
• A booster within 5 years of dose 3, and every 5 years after that

The panel notes a protective response develops 12–14 days after the first dose, and proposes a four-dose course for foals starting between 3 and 6 months of age.

Some Australian clinics recommend yearly tetanus boosters – for example, Ballarat Veterinary Practice advises an annual booster (BVP – equine wound care). The 2024 panel notes that existing guidelines in both countries contain contradictions, which is why it reviewed the evidence. Ask your vet which interval they recommend.

Tetanus and wounds

If an unvaccinated horse – or one whose history is unknown – has a wound, hoof abscess or surgery, the 2024 guidelines recommend the vet gives tetanus vaccine and tetanus antitoxin at the same time, at separate sites, then completes the full vaccine course (NZVJ 2024). That's a good reason to keep records. See horse first aid.

Strangles

Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the throat and the lymph nodes under the jaw. The New Zealand Equine Health Association describes it as endemic in New Zealand (NZEHA – strangles). It occurs in Australia too – in Victoria it is a notifiable disease (Agriculture Victoria – notifiable diseases of horses).

Strangles schedule

NZEHA describes the standard NZ course as three doses two weeks apart, then a yearly booster, or six-monthly for high-risk horses. It's often combined with tetanus in a "2-in-1" vaccine (NZEHA – strangles). Horses that travel and mix with others are usually treated as higher risk.

NZEHA warns never to vaccinate a horse that is currently sick or recently exposed, because it can cause serious complications. The ACVIM international consensus also advises against vaccinating horses with signs of strangles or that have had it within the previous year without vet testing first (ACVIM strangles consensus).

What the vaccine can and can't do

Vaccination is one part of strangles control, not a guarantee. The ACVIM consensus says there's no current agreement on how best to use strangles vaccines, and that limiting exposure – quarantine and screening of new arrivals, cleaning and disinfection, and good hygiene – remains the best prevention (ACVIM consensus). See biosecurity and isolating new horses.

Hendra virus (Australia)

Hendra virus is passed to horses from flying foxes. Agriculture Victoria says it can cause severe illness, usually resulting in death, and has on rare occasions caused illness and death in people after close contact with infected horses. Hendra has only occurred in horses in Queensland and NSW to date, but all areas of Australia where flying foxes and horses live together are considered at risk, and Agriculture Victoria recommends vaccinating (Agriculture Victoria – biosecurity).

• The AVA says vaccinating horses is the most effective way to manage Hendra, and that all Hendra vaccinations must be given by vets and recorded in a central database (AVA – Hendra virus).
• NSW DPI describes the vaccine as the most efficient way to reduce the risk of transmission to people and other animals (NSW DPI – Hendra virus).
• Queensland has not made the vaccine compulsory, and encourages owners to discuss it with their vet (Business Queensland – Hendra vaccine).

Hendra schedule

Australia's national public health guidelines for Hendra summarise the schedule as (CDNA Hendra virus guidelines):

• First dose from 4 months of age
• Two initial doses 3–6 weeks apart
• A booster six months later
• Then annual boosters

The same document notes that the Equine Infectious Diseases Advisory Board supports the AVA in strongly recommending all horses in Australia are vaccinated against Hendra. Business Queensland stresses the vaccine contains no live virus, so neither you nor your horse can catch Hendra from it, but that no vaccine gives 100% protection, so precautions are still needed around any sick horse (Business Queensland).

New Zealand: what's different

Hendra vaccination is an Australian issue. In New Zealand, the core vaccines discussed by NZEHA are tetanus and strangles (NZEHA – strangles), and the 2024 tetanus guidelines apply to both countries (NZVJ 2024). Talk to your vet about anything else your horse may need for breeding, travel or competition.

Other vaccines

Your vet may recommend other vaccines depending on your horse's use – for example for breeding mares, or for horses travelling overseas. Victoria's Code leaves these to veterinary advice (Code of Practice).

Planning your vaccination year

• Book an annual vet visit and review the plan. New Zealand's Code recommends an annual health check by a vet (MPI Code of Welfare).
• Keep records of every vaccine, date, batch and vet. See horse health records.
• Plan around events. Leave time for a primary course to finish before a horse starts travelling.
• New horse, unknown history? Ask your vet about restarting a primary course.
• Needle-shy horse? See managing difficult horses.

Vaccination is a recurring cost to budget for – see the cost of owning a horse. Find an equine vet near you on horse.work.

FAQ

Which vaccines does my horse need in Australia?

Tetanus for all horses, strangles for most (especially those that travel or mix), and Hendra, which the AVA recommends for all horses in Australia (AVA – Hendra). Your vet will advise on others.

How often does a horse need a tetanus shot?

After a full primary course, the 2024 ANZ guidelines recommend a booster within 5 years and then every 5 years (NZVJ 2024). Some clinics still recommend yearly boosters – follow your vet's advice.

How often should I vaccinate for strangles?

Typically three doses two weeks apart, then yearly, or six-monthly for high-risk horses (NZEHA).

Is the Hendra vaccine compulsory?

Not in Queensland (Business Queensland). It is strongly recommended by the AVA, and must be given by a vet (AVA).

Do horses in New Zealand need the Hendra vaccine?

The Hendra guidance in this guide comes from Australian authorities. NZEHA's guidance for New Zealand owners focuses on tetanus and strangles (NZEHA). Ask your vet.