How do you do your worming?

[Fi]

I’ve just had worm counts done for Larry and Sam; the equisal tapeworm one came back clear but they need something for red worms. I joined the Westgate Labs subscription scheme for them so they have recommended Equest.

Previously at livery, horses were kept in after worming, but as they live out that’s not possible. I was thinking of giving them their dose, then turning them onto their new paddock immediately so they don’t re-ingest any. And poo picking for the first few days. Does that sound like a reasonable approach?

And, is it still safe for my chickens to forage through wormer treated poop? Was considering keeping them in for a few days if needed, they do like to follow the ponies about waiting for the black gold to be dropped!

[harveydales]

I've been using Westgate for years. Kristy from the old dalesfans days works there and often answers the phone when I ring for anything.

Yes some people say you should keep a newly wormed horse in for 24 hours but I never have and don't really understand why you should. Presumeably anything excreted in the poo would be dead after treatment? Anyway, like you, mine all live out 24/7. I suppose if you go along with the keeping stabled thinking, then it would make sense to keep them on the old paddock for a couple of days and then move them onto the fresh paddock. That way they are not contaminating the new paddock at all and one day on the old paddock can't make much difference. On the other hand, how much contaminating could theyactually do in a day? I always poo pick daily anyway.

I don't know about chickens. I know you should keep dogs away from newly wormed horse poo. The chicken wormer I use is ivermeticin anyway so I don't suppose it will hurt if they mess around in the new horse poo.

[valerie n scout]

When we were at home, my friends chucks roamed free and I only gave scout the wormer he needed, yes we were with those lab folks , but then he was in the field alone so rarely had worms to be fair and I did pooh pick once a week 🤔
We’re in livery now 🥺 we lost the grazing to developers 😞
So now have to follow their regime which is a shame as I think they get drugs they just don’t need x

[Fi]

So many liveries do that Valerie, it’s a shame.

The last yard I was at, they did it too. Used to do it a field at a time in the field, and you never knew if/when it had been done or what with. One year I was handed a wormer and told it was for me to give to Sammie as she’d ‘miscounted and he didn’t get one when everyone else was done 2 weeks ago’ so he’d been happily pooping out eggs into a field of freshly wormed horses.

[harveydales]

It's so nice to be able to be in full control of your ponies worming program. Such a shame you lost your grazing to developers.