Use faecal egg counts through spring and summer, worm only horses with high counts, and give targeted treatments for tapeworm and encysted redworm at the right seasons. Ask your vet for a plan.
Why the old way fails
Dosing every horse on a calendar, whether it needs it or not, has made worms resistant to the drugs we rely on. A smarter, test-led approach protects those drugs and treats each horse as an individual.
Test before you treat
Run faecal egg counts through the grazing season, usually every 8 to 12 weeks. Only horses with counts above the threshold need a wormer, which means most healthy adults are treated far less often. Your vet or a lab can process the samples cheaply.
The treatments tests miss
Egg counts do not detect tapeworm or encysted small redworm, so these need targeted treatment. A tapeworm test or a dose in autumn, and a treatment for encysted redworm in late autumn or winter, cover the gaps. Follow a plan built for your horses and grazing.
Manage the pasture
Worm control is as much about management as wormers. Pick up droppings from paddocks at least twice a week, avoid overgrazing, rest and rotate fields, and keep youngsters, who carry the highest burdens, on the cleanest grazing. A well-fed horse on good grazing copes better, so support condition with balanced nutrition.
Work with your vet
Resistance patterns and risks vary by yard, so a plan from your vet or an SQP is worth far more than guessing. Test, target, and manage the pasture, and you protect both your horse and the wormers you need.
