Worms are the bane of every horse owner's existence. No matter how much you try, your horse still seems to have worms. Horses and the manner in which we keep them simply make worm infestations very likely. These worms can be very dangerous, reducing your horse's health and well being, and should be dealt with as thoroughly as possible.

Horses in certain situations may be much more likely to contract worms and other parasites. Horses that are housed in stables with a large number of horses should be dewormed more often. Very old and young horse are also much more susceptible to parasitic infestations, but care should be taken deworming them as their bodies will respond differently then horse in prime health and age.

It is important to understand how worms enter a horse's body. The primary mode of transmission is through contact with fecal matter. A horse that is infested with worms are likely to produce feces that are contaminated with worms.

Horses that come in contact with these feces can eventually transmit those eggs or worms into their own bodies by ingestion. This does not mean that a horse has to eat the feces, it could be some form of contact with it and eventually passing it on in the feeding area. The worms will then travel to the intestines where they will experience a feast each time your horse eats.

One of the most common ways to deworm a horse is using oral deworming medication that has to be fed to your horse. Veterinarians often advise that you deworm your horse six times a year to keep the worm population at a minimum. Naturally, squirting something in your horse's mouth can be something of a task. Not many horses are willing to have strange pastes or liquids quirk into their mouths. There is another type of dewormer in pellet form which you can mix it into the feed, however such medication has proven to be less effective.

Deworming Tips and Considerations

- A horse that has its mouth full of food is more likely to spit out the dewormer. Rinsing a horse's mouth with a lot of water before hand can help mitigate this response.

- Different types of dewormers are use against different worms. Consider rotating which drug you use.

There are no real perfect approaches to administering the dewormer. Only you know your horse best, and only you will be able to anticipate how she will react. Make an effort to move slowly, and thoroughly, but be sure that the dewormer does get swallowed.

Research has begun to show that some dewormers may actually have a negative effect on worm control. The worms will start to develop resistance to the deworming medication if you overdo it. Do some research or discuss with your vet the possibility of using newer drugs, or possibly trying natural remedies, or substances such as diatomaceous earth which will actually suck all of the moisture out of a worm, killing it.