Worm counts - do you do all your horses or just select?

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MagicMelon

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I have 4 horses, 2 compete regularly and 2 are retired veterans. They are kept at my own place so the veterans arent ever in any contact of any other horses. Ive usually swopped who I do worm counts on - usually one who competes and one veteran as I figure this makes sense when they're all on the same grazing so possibly a bit pointless (and expensive) to have ALL four done every single count.

Is this what others do? Or should I be testing every one at the same time?
 
I'm not convinced that is necessarily the most justified way to do it.
Personally I'd do them all at the same time.
 
I'd do them all as well. My 2 come back with very different results from each other sometimes despite being managed identically
 
We did all of our five, one came back with a high count, so it was worth doing them all. Tapeworm saliva test they all came back low, and I didn't lose any fingers!
 
it will cost an extra £16 to do the other 2 each time. Four times a year that is £64. Well worth it to know what is going on.
 
I'd do them all (at least once per year anyway).. My friend tested her whole herd, and got very different results, even from those who had always shared grazing.

Ask your vet do they do worm counts, cost less than sending them away...

Fiona
 
I would always do them all as well because one out of 4 could have a burden and then that will contaminate your field and potentially effect the others that have previously had a low count.
 
You need to do them all as often just 1 or 2 horses carry the worm burden for the herd. Our last worm count came back as clear for one horse and over 2000 for the other, both in same field and routine!
 
All at the same time as they can have different worm burdens regardless of management. Also, while the veterans don't have direct contact with others, the competing two will and therefore can pass on things. Not worms necessarily, but flu and so on.
 
MagicMelon said:
I have 4 horses, 2 compete regularly and 2 are retired veterans. They are kept at my own place so the veterans arent ever in any contact of any other horses. Ive usually swopped who I do worm counts on - usually one who competes and one veteran as I figure this makes sense when they're all on the same grazing so possibly a bit pointless (and expensive) to have ALL four done every single count.

Is this what others do? Or should I be testing every one at the same time?
Click to expand...

The whole yard get's done at the same time.
 
I'd treat each as an individual. I think they say 20% of horses carry 80% of the worm burden on average. I'd do all of them to start with, and maybe a second time to see if any stand out as having repeated counts that need treatment, as they might be the ones to monitor more regularly. For those individuals that always come back with a low/clear count, I'd increase the gap between tests to four months. I also skip the count at mid-winter, as I'm treating for encysteds anyway and would catch and treat any existing worm burden regardless.
That way, you'd only have to pay for 3 counts (every 3 months, skipping mid-winter) for the horses with repeated medium/high counts, and twice a year for those who are less susceptible (at 4 month intervals, skipping mid-winter).
My experience has been that my old rescue mare kept coming back with with medium burdens within 3-6 months, needing treatment on average every other time, while my riding horse (who travels) never had anything but a clear count. They shared the same field and management. So IME, the likelyhood for repeated worm burdens has more to do with the individual's immune system and natural resistance, and less with whether they travel or not.
 
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