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Things to look out for in the following Summer months for your Horse:

Winter is finally over for most of us and as the temperature rises and mosquito season is approaches, there are some steps that need to be taken care of:

Suggestions:

• Keep your horses vaccinations up-to-date for EEE, West Nile encephalitis, and Potomac horse fever.  For areas with high number of cases, it might be advisable to vaccinate more frequently. It is also suggested to start the vaccination program before the insect season begins. (Always consult a Veterinarian before starting a vaccination program).
• Breeders: vaccinate for equine viral arteritis (EVA)
• Gestation: during the last months, the broodmare should be updated with primary immunizations or boosters against all of the diseases and those that are susceptible for your area
• Reduce the habitat for these insects such as getting rid of old tires that might collect water, keep drainage ditches cleared up from dirt.
• To avoid attracting fly insects, turn off arena and barn lights during the night hours.
• Fly sprays that contain the chemical permethrin or permethrin along with pyrethrin to turned-out equines might be a good thing to apply on it.

Having access to a shady run in might prevent from getting biting flies around your horse since these flies like  strong daylight. While mosquitos are extremely active during dusk and dawn hours.  
 

Laminitis:

The grass is finally lush and waiting to be consumed, overconsumption might lead to Laminitis (inflammation of the laminae) of their foot. In spring, this could be pretty predictable but at the same time it could be preventible. This indulgence of grass causes an overload of nonstructural carbs (NSC's) causing metabolic disturbances leading to laminitis.

Suggestions:

1. Avoid  digestive problems by incrementally changes any diets on the horse
2. Bring horses to lush pastures gradually, such as 15 minutes a day
3. Supply horses with Grazing muzzles (especially those with Insulin Resistance and Cushing's disease) or place them on a dry lot when you believe the forage is high in sugar or starch, such as in it is currently growing now and after a drought
4. Keep all of the grain containers, in a room where it would be hard for a horse to enter
5. If you are a user of concentrates, try to find a mix that has low levels of NSC's