Recently introduced guidelines for equine parasite control state that conducting risk assessments is an essential part of effective worm management. These assessments help determine a horse’s likelihood of infection and guide decisions on management changes, diagnostic testing or treatment strategies. However, the complexity of risk assessment can make it challenging to adopt this evidence-based approach more broadly.
To address these challenges, Austin Davis Biologics has created an online resource, What’s Your Worm Risk (whatsyourwormrisk.com), to support horse owners in assessing the risk of worm infection. This tool enables owners and their wormer prescribers to implement evidence-based parasite control by evaluating a horse’s specific risk profile through nine targeted questions, grounded in established equine parasitology principles. Based on the information provided, the tool classifies each horse’s infection risk as low, moderate, or high, and generates recommendations to guide owners in optimising their approach to parasite management.
Since its launch in November 2024, nearly 2,000 risk assessments have been completed using What’s Your Worm Risk. Analysis of the collected data shows that, concerningly, 68.5% of the horses assessed so far were classified as high-risk, with only 19.9% as moderate-risk and 11.6% as low-risk.
The data suggest that while the equine sector is making progress in implementing more sustainable worm control methods to mitigate selection pressure for anthelmintic resistance, there remains significant room for improvement in horse management practices across many premises. Initial analysis reveals that, of the 1,966 horses evaluated regarding stocking density, 32% were kept under high-risk conditions (i.e., grazing at less than one acre per horse). Furthermore, despite widespread efforts to highlight the importance of regular dung removal in effective parasite management, assessments of 1,969 horses in the dung removal category showed that 30% grazed in fields where dung was infrequently or never removed.
Owners and their prescribers are encouraged to consider assessing the worm infection risk level for each horse and to use the findings of the assessment as motivation to enhance management practices, including:
- Adopting pasture and animal management strategies that reduce environmental contamination with worms and interrupt parasite transmission cycles
- Employing monitoring tools, such as faecal worm egg counts and antibody tests, to guide the necessity and timing of treatments for egg shedding or overall parasite burden, and to evaluate worm populations for potential drug resistance.
By implementing these approaches, owners can take a responsible, targeted stance to limit the development of anthelmintic resistance and protect the health of their horses.
Prof. Jacqueline B Matthews
BVMS PhD FRSE FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Parasitology
Director of Veterinary Science, Austin Davis Biologics
CANTER Industry News
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