Editor’s Note: This is the second in a 12-part series of articles on vaccinations for horses.

Ask veterinarians anywhere in North America and they’ll likely agree: If you vaccinate for nothing else, at the very least vaccinate for tetanus and rabies. The two diseases have much in common. They’re endemic–meaning your horse could be exposed to the causative organisms at any time, anywhere in his environment. They’re exquisitely painful, have no cure, and are almost certainly fatal. And it’s completely unnecessary for your horse to suffer from these diseases since the vaccines available to protect against them are inexpensive, extremely effective, and are part of every veterinarian’s arsenal