A new scientific study has offered the clearest picture yet of how and when UK horses are exposed to tapeworm infection, and it’s changing the way owners think about testing. Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College monitored horses, pastures, and the microscopic soil mites that carry the parasite Anoplocephala perfoliata across three UK yards for 14 months. Their findings highlight clear seasonal patterns — and reinforce the importance of targeted, evidence-based testing using saliva diagnostics like EquiSal® Tapeworm. The Hidden […]
Wormers vs. Worm Counts: Why Routine Worming Is Outdated
Remember when we all just wormed our horses every 6 to 13 weeks, no questions asked?Yeah… those days are gone. And for good reason. Routine worming is no longer best practice — and it could be doing more harm than good. So, what’s the problem with routine worming? The short version? Wormer resistance. When horses are given wormers they don’t actually need, it puts pressure on the parasites to adapt. Over time, the worms that survive become resistant to the […]
How Often Should You Worm Test Your Horse?
When it comes to worming, guesswork just isn’t good enough anymore.And the question I get asked the most (after “do I really have to pick poo for the sample?”) is this:How often should I be testing? The short answer? It depends on your horse, your yard, and the time of year. But don’t worry — I’ll break it down. 🧪 Spring to Autumn = Test every 8–12 weeks This is prime grazing time. More grass means more poo, and more […]
What Is a Faecal Egg Count & Why Does Your Horse Need One?
You love your horse. You look after their feet, their teeth, their saddle fit, their feed… but what about what’s happening inside? A faecal egg count (or FEC) is a simple lab test that checks your horse’s poo for worm eggs. Sounds grim? Maybe. But it’s one of the most important tools you have for protecting your horse’s health. So, what exactly is a faecal egg count? It’s not just a guess or a glance. We take a small sample […]
How to stop Your horse from spitting out Wormer!
Does your horse spit out it’s wormer? How can you stop it? It’s a common problem so you aren’t alone. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a problem! In a study by Virbac, 70% of horse owners said struggled to worm their horses! Another study of 480 horses by the French Ministry of Defence, said that 22% spat out between 29% & 68% of the wormer! SPIT OUT MATTERS – BUT WHAT MAKES IT WORSE IS… Most horse owners underestimate […]
How to measure your horse’s weight
So you need to know how much your horse weighs! Maybe so you can calculate your feed, discover how much wormer to give or perhaps you’re trying to calculate the weight to travel your horse. There are 3 Main ways to discover how much your horse weighs 1 – Using a weighbridge (most accurate but who has one at home so you will need to organise a visit) 2 – Using a Weigh Tape (gives an approximate weight easy to […]
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Why have my horses’ worm count results increased this summer?
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clare Wood – Equine Faecal Egg Count Solutions (@efecsltd) Have you seen an increase in the worm count results for your horse this year. “My whole yards worm counts have come back very high! Why is this?” This means they have not been allowed or been able to selectively graze as they would normally. So whereas normally you’d have rough areas where they use as toilets. But now you look across […]
Your Pony Tested Positive for Pinworm! What do you do?
So you tested your horse for pinworm and it came back positive! Let us guide you through your next steps. Pinworm is tested with a special tape test. How to Treat Pinworm Pinworm can be treated with pyrantel (Strongid P) or a 5-day course of Fenbendazole (aka Panacur 5 Day Guard). It is so important though that you clean your stables and surfaces, fences, trailer etc. (anywhere your horse rubs) with good veterinary disinfectant to prevent reinfection. Clare will guide […]
Your EquiSal Tapeworm Test Came Back Positive For Tapeworm. What should you do?
So you tested your horse for tapeworm and it came back positive! Let us guide you through your next steps. Our tapeworm tests are done by EquiSal the leading laboratory in the UK. (if you need to learn how to do the tests see this post) With all worm tests each on is a snapshot of the moment in which it was taken. EquiSal Tapeworm Results: Low = less than -0.09 Borderline = between -0.09 to 0.6 Moderate/High = greater […]