Horse vaccination schedules in Australia
Australian horses are routinely vaccinated against and , with vaccination strongly recommended in Queensland and northern New South Wales. Each runs on its own cycle, which is exactly why so many horses end up with one booster current and another quietly lapsed. This page sets out the standard schedules and what competition organisers actually ask to see.
Vaccination schedule at a glance
| Vaccine | Primary course | Boosters | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetanus | 2 doses, 4 weeks apart | Booster at 12 months, then typically every 5 years | Every horse in Australia, without exception. |
| Strangles | 3 doses, 2 weeks apart | Annual; 6-monthly in high-risk yards | Horses that travel, compete, agist or mix with new horses. |
| Hendra virus | 2 doses, 3–6 weeks apart | First booster at 6 months, then annual | Strongly recommended in QLD and northern NSW; required by many vets and events there. |
| Equine herpesvirus (EHV 1/4) | 2 doses, 4 weeks apart | Every 6 months; pregnant mares at months 5, 7 and 9 | Breeding operations and some performance yards — discuss with your vet. |
| Salmonella (S. Typhimurium) | 2–3 doses per label | Annual | Situational — stud farms and properties with a history of outbreaks. |
General guidance only, and product labels differ. Your veterinarian sets the schedule for your horse's age, location, workload and risk — and in Australia the Hendra vaccine may only be administered by an accredited veterinarian.
Tetanus vaccine for horses
Horses are exceptionally susceptible to tetanus, the spores live in soil everywhere in Australia, and the disease is usually fatal once signs appear. This is the one vaccine no Australian horse should be without, whatever it does for a living.
- two doses four weeks apart, usually from around 3 months of age.
- one at 12 months, then commonly every 5 years for adult horses.
- a deep or dirty wound, a puncture, surgery or a hoof abscess warrants a booster if cover is uncertain. An unvaccinated horse needs tetanus antitoxin, which is a different product.
- a booster 4–6 weeks before foaling passes protection to the foal in the colostrum.
Tetanus is most often given as a combined tetanus-and-strangles vaccine, which is why the two schedules are usually discussed together — but they are not on the same booster interval.
Strangles vaccine for horses
Strangles (Streptococcus equi) spreads horse to horse and on shared gear, troughs and hands. It is common in Australia and an outbreak will shut a yard down for weeks. Vaccination reduces severity and spread; it does not guarantee a horse won't get it.
- three doses two weeks apart — a longer, more fiddly course than owners expect, and the one most often left incomplete.
- annually for most horses; every 6 months for horses in high-risk settings — agistment, competition yards, saleyards, or anywhere new horses arrive regularly.
- vaccination is not a substitute for isolating new horses for 2–3 weeks and taking temperatures daily.
Hendra vaccine schedule
Hendra virus passes from flying foxes to horses and can pass from horses to people, where it has been fatal. That is why it is treated differently from every other equine vaccine in Australia: it must be given by an accredited veterinarian, each dose is recorded in a national registry, and many veterinary practices in Queensland and northern New South Wales will not attend an unvaccinated horse for certain procedures.
- two doses 3–6 weeks apart, from 4 months of age.
- 6 months after the primary course.
- annual boosters. Lapse the annual and the horse's registry status lapses with it — which is what catches people out at entry time.
- anywhere flying foxes are active — coastal and sub-coastal Queensland and northern NSW in particular.
A Hendra booster given the week of an event may not satisfy an organiser's requirements, and a lapsed vaccination means restarting the primary course, not just topping up. If you compete in Queensland, work backwards from your first event of the season, not forwards from today.
Keeping a horse vaccination record
Three vaccines on three different cycles, certificates in three different places, and an event secretary who wants proof by Friday. Most people keep this in the glovebox, a photo roll and their head — which works right up until it doesn't.
Horsify tracks each vaccine independently — a Hendra booster and a tetanus booster don't share one "vaccination" reminder — so a 5-yearly and an annual can't mask each other.
Upload a photo of the vaccination certificate and Horsify reads the dates off it, filing it against the right horse with an expiry alert.
Health declarations at entry pull from the same health record, so proof of vaccination is already attached to the horse.
Log a vaccination in plain English — "Bella had her Hendra booster today" — by text message or in the app, and the next due date rolls forward on its own.
Common questions
What vaccinations does a horse need in Australia?
Tetanus is essential for every Australian horse. Strangles is recommended for any horse that travels, competes, agists or mixes with new horses. Hendra virus vaccination is strongly recommended in Queensland and northern New South Wales and is required by many vets and events there. Equine herpesvirus and salmonella vaccines are situational - usually breeding operations - and are a conversation with your vet.
What is the tetanus vaccination schedule for horses?
Two doses four weeks apart as the primary course, a booster at 12 months, then commonly a booster every 5 years for adult horses. Any deep or dirty wound, puncture or surgery warrants a booster if cover is uncertain, and broodmares are usually boosted 4-6 weeks before foaling so the foal gets protection through the colostrum.
What is the strangles vaccination schedule for horses?
Three doses two weeks apart as the primary course, then an annual booster - or every 6 months for horses in high-risk environments such as agistment yards, competition stables and properties where new horses arrive regularly. The three-dose primary course is the one most often left incomplete.
What is the Hendra vaccine schedule?
Two doses 3-6 weeks apart from 4 months of age, a first booster 6 months after the primary course, then annual boosters. The Hendra vaccine may only be administered by an accredited veterinarian in Australia and each dose is recorded in a national registry. If the annual booster lapses, the horse may need to restart the primary course.
Do I need proof of Hendra vaccination to compete?
It depends on the event and the state. Many Queensland and northern NSW organisers and venues require current Hendra vaccination, and many veterinary practices there require it before attending a horse. Check the event's health declaration requirements early - a booster given the week of the event may not satisfy them.
How do I keep a horse vaccination record?
Keep the certificate from every vaccination with the date, product and batch, and track each vaccine's next due date separately - they run on different cycles. Horsify's free health records store a photo of each certificate against the horse, read the dates off it, alert you before expiry, and attach to event health declarations at entry time.
Can tetanus and strangles be given together?
Yes - they are commonly given as a combined tetanus-and-strangles vaccine, which is why the two are usually discussed together. Their booster intervals are different though: strangles is annual (or 6-monthly in high-risk yards) while adult tetanus boosters are typically every 5 years, so the combined product is generally used on the strangles interval.
Let something else remember the boosters
Horsify's Care Assistant is free for riders. Add your horses, log each vaccination as it happens, and get reminded before the next one is due — alongside farrier, worming and dental cycles.