11/09/2026
🍂 AUTUMN IS HERE — TIME TO THINK ABOUT REDWORM! 🪱
As we move into autumn, it’s a good time to review your horse’s worm control programme. Redworm (small strongyles) are one of the most important parasites affecting horses, and infection can become particularly significant when large numbers of immature larvae accumulate in the gut wall.
The good news? Routine blanket worming is no longer recommended. Targeted treatment based on faecal egg counts (FEC), age, grazing management and previous worming history is a much more effective approach.
🚦 THE WORMING TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM
🟢 GREEN — LOW RISK
* Regular FEC monitoring
* Good pasture management
* Low stocking density
* No recent history of high worm burdens
* Continue monitoring rather than automatically worming
🟠 AMBER — INCREASED RISK
* High stocking density
* Poor pasture management or no poo picking
* Youngstock
* Previous high FECs
* Horses with an unknown or incomplete worming history
➡️ These horses may require more frequent monitoring and a tailored worming programme.
🔴 RED — HIGH RISK
* Young horses, particularly those under 5 years
* Evidence of a high worm burden
* Previous clinical disease associated with worms
* Horses with unknown worming history
* Properties with a known significant redworm problem
⚠️ AUTUMN/WINTER REDWORM TREATMENT
Importantly, a negative FEC does NOT rule out encysted small redworm. These immature stages are not producing eggs, so they will not be detected by a standard faecal egg count.
Where treatment is indicated, your vet may recommend a treatment effective against encysted redworm, depending on the horse’s age, history, previous treatments and resistance considerations.
💩 DON’T FORGET THE POO PICKING!
Pasture management is one of the most important tools we have for reducing worm burdens.
Where possible:
✔️ Remove droppings regularly
✔️ Avoid overstocking
✔️ Rotate grazing where practical
✔️ Avoid grazing horses on heavily contaminated pasture
✔️ Quarantine and test new arrivals
🧪 WORM EGG COUNTS ARE ONLY PART OF THE PICTURE
A FEC tells us about adult egg-producing worms, but it doesn’t tell us everything about the parasite burden — particularly encysted redworm.
Your horse’s age, grazing conditions, stocking density, previous FEC results and worming history all need to be considered when deciding whether treatment is appropriate.
📞 Not sure what your horse needs this autumn?
Contact the practice and we can help you put together an appropriate, evidence-based worm control programme for your horse or yard.
Remember: the aim isn’t to worm more — it’s to worm smarter. 🐴🪱
