Following the latest research and the release of the CANTER Guidelines (First Edition, 2024), we have reviewed our worming protocols and will now be moving to a testing-only approach for our worm care packages.
What’s New: Routine annual worming for encysted redworm is no longer recommended for healthy horses aged 5–20 years that have consistently low worm egg counts.
Why the Change? The recommended product to treat encysted redworm — Moxidectin (Equest) is being overused, which increases the risk of wormer resistance. There are currently no new products available, so it’s important that we use the ones we have responsibly to protect their effectiveness for the future.
Recommendations for Adult Horses
- Faecal Worm Egg Counts (FWECs): Every 12 weeks between March and October. No worm counts are needed between November and February, unless heavily grazed pasture/ very mild winter.
- Tapeworm Testing: a saliva test between November and January.
- Treatment: Only given when needed, based on your horse’s saliva test results and worm egg counts throughout the year.
👉Click for Foals, Youngstock & Broodmares
👉Click for Pinworm
Worm Care Packages
Paton and Lee offer annual worm care packages to make worming your horse as simple and cost effective as possible. With ever increasing levels of resistance to anthelmintics (wormers), a targeted and responsible worming protocol is very important.
For worming peace of mind we offer 2 levels of worm care packages (for adult horses over 2 years with known worming history and appropriate pasture management):
For £30.00 a year, our Worm care Sample Only Option includes:-
- Three worm egg counts each year between March and November (excludes any treatment required if worm egg count >250 eggs per gram).
- One free worm egg count re-test (faecal reduction test) to be used 2-4 weeks post-worming if required to ensure wormer has worked.
- Professional veterinary worming advice tailored to your horse’s individual needs and management.
Save £15 compared to buying three individual FWEC’s across the year.
For £54.50 a year, our Worm care Advanced includes:-
- Three worm egg counts each year between March and November (excludes any treatment required if worm egg count >250 eggs per gram).
- 1 EquiSal Saliva test incl free postal bag, to be used late autumn/ winter to determine the need for Tapeworm treatment (excludes any treatment if required)
- Professional veterinary worming advice tailored to your horse’s individual needs and management
Save £15 compared to buying three individual FWEC’s across the year.
For individual worming advice please do not hesitate to call us on 01376 513369 and we will be happy to advise you.
Please note that the packages do not include any additional wormers required if very high worm levels are found on a worm egg count. Veterinary advice about the most suitable wormer to use in these circumstance will be given.
Healthy pastures mean healthy horses – In addition to worming at the right time with the right wormer, pasture management is essential as a part of a worming protocol:
- Within a population of horses, 80% of the worms are present within 20% of the horses and therefore worm egg counts must be performed on all horses within a herd.
- Regular removal of droppings from the pasture is essential. This should be performed at least twice weekly during the grazing season (March to November) and once weekly between November and March. If the autumn and winter months are mild and wet (as in previous years), twice weekly removal must be continued year round.
- Paddock size is important: Overstocking should be avoided: Ideally fields should contain no more than one or two horses per acre, as horses lower down the pecking order will be forced to graze the rough pasture close to defaecation areas where worm burdens will be higher.
- Large paddocks should be divided so that they can be alternately grazed and rested to reduce pressure on pastures.
- Very small paddocks should be avoided with youngstock as the pasture can develop extremely high larval counts particularly if droppings are not regularly removed.
- Harrowing is not as effective as removal of droppings from pasture. Harrowing is only successful in dry, hot conditions. In damp conditions, harrowing simply spreads worm eggs and larvae over the pasture, thereby increasing pasture contamination.
- Pastures should be rested for at least 5 months but it should be noted that worm larvae can live for years both on pasture and in horses, so simply resting a pasture does not guarantee it will be worm free. Removal of droppings from pasture is essential.
- Grazing pasture with sheep or cattle, which act as biological vacuum cleaners can be helpful. Worms that affect horses are host specific and generally cannot survive in sheep or cattle.
- Horses should not be treated with a wormer and then moved to a new pasture as this simply encourages resistant worms to multiply. Horses should ideally be treated and not be moved to new pastures for at least 3 weeks.
