Parasitic worms live in the intestines of horses and ponies. Small numbers of worms can be tolerated, causing no effect on a horse’s well-being. Larger worm populations can cause a range of issues including diarrhea, colic, and even death. Herbs can assist your horse’s immune system in keeping the intestinal parasite population under control.

What are the symptoms my horse may have parasites?

Symptoms like diarrhea and constipation, colic, rough and dull-looking coat, poor growth in foals, and respiratory issues such as cough and nasal discharge can indicate that your horse may have worms. Other indications may be a loss of hair around its tail from rubbing. Having a lack of energy and acting sluggish. Sores on the skin and anemia may also point to a parasitic infection.

How do I use herbs for worming horses naturally?

There are many beneficial herbs to assist in deworming your horse naturally.

• Anti-Parasitic Herbs such as chaparral, clove, and garlic. In Addition to being anti-parasitic, wormwood oxygenates the blood creating a healthy environment for your horse but an unpleasant one for the parasite. They won’t want to live there.
• Digestive herbs such as slippery elm and cascara to gently evacuate the parasites from the intestine.
• Blood supporting herbs such as chaparral help to cleanse the blood and stimulate the immune system. In addition, chaparral is an effective antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic herb.

What wormer should I give my horse?

We like to convey that natural is better. Synthetic drugs do kill parasites effectively, but ultimately take a toll on the liver and kidneys, creating other issues you’ll need to deal with. Our #13 Herbal Wormer works naturally by simply creating a healthy environment in your horse but an unpleasant one for parasites. We like to use the Story of the Junk Pile. If you have a junk pile, you usually have rats. You can set traps, but you will still have rats because you still have a junk pile. If you clean up the junk pile, the rats have nowhere to live, so they leave. This is the same theory for parasites. Parasites aren’t a problem until they stop and set up camp in the intestines. Our #13 Herbal Wormer includes the anti-parasitic, digestive, and blood purifying herbs mentioned above to help support your horse’s health while creating the environment the parasites will want to evacuate.

When and how often should a horse be wormed?

Check: Horse Deworming Schdule 2022

Our recommendation is to give the #13 Herbal Wormer for 10 days when you start your deworming program. A good rule of thumb is to start in April with the first spring grass – in harmony with the new-to-full moon phases. (So start 10 days before the full moon and feed for 10 days). Follow up with a fecal count, if you wish, in May and do a 10-day treatment again in June if necessary. The next worming can be in October with a fecal count taken in November and do a 10-day treatment again in December if necessary. Parasites seem to respect the lunar cycles. Female worms ovulate between the new and full moons. Worming at this time may disrupt the egg-laying cycle. If you can disrupt the full 7-14 day egg-laying cycle, you disrupt the parasites. See the 2022 deworming Schedule on our website. This treatment suggestion can fluctuate depending on your horse’s situation or environment. Such as, for cooler climates where parasites aren’t a huge issue, you can use wormer in the Spring and Fall. Where they are a bigger problem, such as in warmer climates, you can use wormer four times a year. Also, the 10-day recommendation is flexible. You know your horse, and your horse is the best guide to let you know what they need when they need it.

Bottom Line

Deworming your horse naturally can both create an environment parasites won’t want to live in and also keep your horse happy and healthy! You may begin to see your horse adding back weight, his coat becoming shinier, and fecal counts decreasing. Our herbs are here to support your horse is getting what he needs when he needs it!