In this podcast episode, Dr. Chris Mortensen, an equine educator and scientist, emphasizes the vital role of vaccines in preventing deadly diseases in horses. He discusses the listener's impact on horse health, the dangerous spread of the West Nile virus in the early 2000s, and the critical importance of vaccinating against it and other diseases like tetanus and rabies. Dr. Mortensen highlights the controversy surrounding vaccination hesitancy, rooted in a lack of trust and misinformation, and stresses the value of trusting veterinarians’ recommendations. He also addresses common misconceptions about vaccine efficacy and the financial motivations behind vaccination protocols, advocating for the wellbeing of horses above all. Podcast Timeline 00:00 Introduction: The Impact of Sharing Knowledge 01:14 The Importance of Vaccines: A Personal Story 02:32 The Spread and Impact of West Nile Virus 05:59 Meet the Host: Dr. Chris Mortenson 06:08 The Controversy Surrounding Vaccines 08:11 The Importance of Vaccination: Tetanus Case Study 08:48 The Hendra Virus Vaccine Controversy in Australia 09:06 The Decision to Vaccinate: A Personal Experience 15:32 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Study on Horse Owners 25:51 The History of Vaccines and Current Controversies 30:41 The Struggles of Veterinarians 32:05 Addressing Misconceptions about Veterinarians 32:27 Debunking the Equine Vaccine Regime Article 35:41 Understanding Vaccines and Their Importance 36:34 The Science Behind Vaccines 41:26 The Importance of Vaccination Schedules 43:43 Types of Vaccines and Their Proper Handling 50:42 The Impact of Vaccine Failure 52:13 Final Thoughts on Vaccination and Veterinarians 52:59 Conclusion and Call to Action Visit https://madbarn.com/mad-about-horses/ to learn more about the Mad About Horses podcast.  --------------------------------- Mad Barn Academy is dedicated to supporting horse owners, handlers and practitioners through research, training and education. Visit us to learn more at ⁠⁠https://madbarn.com ⁠⁠ You can also find Mad Barn at: ⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠ ⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ @madbarn ⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you! Please send any questions or comments to ⁠[email protected]