Diane Gilby RSQP, Technical Director at EPLA asks do you know how to worm your horse without risking its life?

To you help you learn, The Horse Hub is supporting the CANTER collaboration on responsible worming, by running a series on worm control. See information at the end of the article.

So are you playing Russian roulette when you worm your horse? Of course, you are not intentionally but, the facts show that over 50% of all horse, pony and donkey owners in the UK are indeed doing just that.

Is this statement meant to shock? Yes.

Is it true? Yes.

Sticking with the facts – and we are talking ‘how to worm horses’ here but, before you switch off, please re-read that opening statement. Then read on, to find out which 50% your worming plan falls into and, what you can do about it.

It is a fact that worms can kill or seriously damage the health of your horse however, research has shown that this alone is still not enough for most owners to change the way that they worm their horses to minimise the health risk. Why? There is no disputing the fact that horses are cared for and, time and money is invested by their owners in looking after them.

Don’t be an ostrich!

If you cannot see it, feel it, or hear it then it can be ignored, it isn’t happening, it isn’t going to happen or, it is going to happen to someone else and not you; this is the ‘ostrich’ syndrome. Worming horses fall very clearly into this category – if the horse looks healthy ‘What I am doing must be working and I don’t need to change’ is commonly quoted as a reason to not change. However, three simple truths show why this is a dangerous tactic to take:

• While worms cannot be seen they are continually burrowing around inside your horse. At various life cycle stages and often in their thousands or tens of thousands, every single one of them leaves damage and scar tissue behind, as it journeys through your horse’s internal systems.
• This scar tissue can never be removed and continues to increase internally, while your horse looks healthy on the outside.
• By the time any animal is showing symptoms of clinical worm disease, the internal damage is irreversible.

Do you have an effective worming programme?

What is the difference between worming programmes that allow you to play Russian roulette with your horse, and those that do not?

• The horses and their grazing situation need to be risk assessed.
• The programme needs to be diagnostic led.

RISK is the variable that makes the difference between every horse’s requirement for a worm control regime. NOW is the time to think honestly about when last time a risk assessment was carried out on the worm control plan for the horses in your care.

Diagnostic testing means that every animal is treated only how, and when it needs to be – yes you do have to test and now, there are blood and saliva tests available for those that find collecting dung difficult.

The simple facts of a worm control plan – If you don’t know what risk each animal is at and you don’t know what level of worms it has, then how can you say that your worm control plan is the right one? The phrase ‘worm control plan’ here is a deliberate change from ‘worming programme’, as it highlights the difference between where we are coming from and, where we need to be now.

PRIZE DRAW WEEK 1 IS NOW CLOSED – TO ENTER WEEK 2 READ MORE  here

THE BIG PRIZES …..

What would you buy with a £100 voucher?

Agaso designs sensibly priced, innovative & durable equestrian apparel for free spirited riders who live in the moment and never want to dismount.

Agaso breeches have been designed with over 40 years of experience training riders at the top level, thinking about the biomechanics of the rider interacting with the horse. Every detail is created for ultimate comfort in the saddle. Water resistant, durable, soft touch material with natural elasticity moulds to the contours of a rider’s body. Innovative open flat seams ensure ultimate comfort against the skin with no rubbing, with gel seat technology to create real feeling between rider and horse keeping the rider connected to the saddle.

Our new denim breeches have a soft touch material with 4-way stretch allowing superb comfort for hours in the saddle. AGASO

The parasite control programme from EPLA is a bespoke programme written specifically for the prize winning equine.  The programme is based on a complete risk assessment of the equine, its history and grazing situation together with diagnostic tests. Every test and wormer will be despatched automatically when they are due and will arrive in the mail with application instructions.  Every diagnostic test result is reviewed by the consultant and the plan is proactively amended and updated throughout the year as required. INTELLIGENT WORMING

THE WEEKLY PRIZES …..

Every week 10 correct entries will win a worm egg count test and analysis from Scientif EQ

Fatal worm disease

The threat of fatal worm disease is so serious, that for the first time in the history of the UK, an industry wide collaboration has formed. It includes retailers, vets, laboratories, universities, charities, and pharmaceutical companies, along with representation from most of our equine bodies. This is a very big deal – competing companies are putting their own interests aside to collaborate on one single truth for all prescribers and horse owners in the UK. CANTER

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