Strategic equine parasite management balances worm burden control with responsible anthelmintic use to preserve drug efficacy and protect horse welfare.
Untreated heavy worm burdens cause weight loss, poor coat condition, colic, and in the case of larval cyathostominosis, acute life-threatening diarrhoea. However, blanket treatment of all horses regardless of burden has accelerated resistance and is no longer recommended. Strategic worm management using WECs to identify horses requiring treatment (typically shedding >200 eggs per gram) reduces total anthelmintic use while maintaining welfare control. Autumn encysted larval treatment remains recommended for most horses even with low adult burdens. Pasture hygiene — regular removal of droppings — reduces larval contamination and lowers the infection pressure across the whole horse population on a property.