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Worming advice and programs
Internal parasites (worms) can cause extensive internal damage to your horse without you even realizing that your horses are infected. There are over 150 species of worms that can infect horses. The most important, in terms of health risk, are large and small strongyles, ascarids, and tapeworms. There are three basic type of worming programs:
1) Interval, where at regular intervals, usually 8 weeks, the horse is given a dewormer paste; these can rotate every cycle or annually.
2) Strategic, where the horse is wormed at certain times of the year with specific products or wormed when faecal counts rise.
3) Any combination of the above.
There is no single worming program that suits all horses and all situations. Therefore, it is important to have faecal analysis for larvae done annually to ensure that your program is effective at keeping egg counts to a minimum – an ideal time for faecal exams for your horses is during the months of June to August.
In addition to the regular administration of a wormer, we recommend that you try to minimize the number of horses per acre to prevent overgrazing and reduce pasture contamination. At least twice weekly, pick up and dispose of manure; do not spread the manure but put it in a compost pile. Mow and harrow pastures to break up manure piles, as parasites can withstand freezing, but cannot tolerate heat and dryness. Consult us if you have any questions about your worming program.
With the many safe, convenient products available today, establishing an effective deworming program is easy. Discuss this plan with your veterinarian and/or barn manager and implement it without delay. A good parasite control program will go a long way toward maximizing your horse’s appearance, performance and comfort. The net result will be an animal that is as healthy on the inside as it appears on the outside.
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