Horse Drench

How often to drench horses 

How frequently you drench your horses to protect against parasites will depend on several factors, including their age, your environment, and the specific parasites you’re dealing with. It’s best practice to use age as a guide and then refine your treatment plan based on these other factors.

Young horses (foals and yearlings): Foals are particularly vulnerable to parasitic infections, so they should be drenched early, at around 6-8 weeks of age. Continue to administer treatments every 8-12 weeks until they reach 1 year old. This will help manage the initial burden of parasites they may encounter in their first few months. 

Adult horses: The drenching schedule for adult horses should be based on faecal egg count (FEC). FEC tests will determine the level of parasitic infestation by measuring the number of eggs present in a horse’s faeces. Based on these results, drenching may be required at intervals of between 6 and 12 months. Horses with a higher FEC may require a higher frequency of drenching to help get parasites under control. 

Seasonal considerations for drenching

Parasite loads can also vary with the seasons. For example, many parasites thrive in warmer and wetter regions, so if you’re in this kind of environment, you may need to drench your horses more frequently to accommodate this. In contrast, cooler and drier regions tend to have lower parasite burdens – however this is all dependent on the type of parasite you’re trying to address. 

The best types of drenches for horses in Australia 

Selecting the right type of drench is crucial for effective parasite control. Your choice of drench will depend on the specific parasites present, any resistance that has developed, and the age and health of the horse.

Let’s explore some of the most commonly used active ingredients in anthelmintic drenches in Australia.

• • Macrocyclic lactones (ML): This class includes two widely-used active ingredients, ivermectin and moxidectin. They’re the basis of broad-spectrum drenches that address a wide range of internal parasites, including strongyles, ascarids, and bots. 
  • Benzimidazoles (BZ): This class includes fenbendazole and oxibendazole, which are effective active ingredients against strongyles, pinworms, and ascarids. However, there is some evidence of resistance to these ingredients in certain regions, so their use should be guided by FEC results. 

• Abamectin: Abamectin is another broad-spectrum anthelmintic used to combat strongyles, pinworms, and roundworms. It is available in easy-to-use paste form, and is often employed in rotation with other classes of ingredient to reduce resistance. 

• Praziquantel: Combination drenches often use ivermectin with ingredients like praziquantel to ensure coverage against more species of internal parasite in the one drench. Praziquantel is especially effective against tapeworms, which can cause significant health issues in horses.

Best practices for drenching horses 

Make sure drenching is as effective as possible by implementing these best practice tips for eradicating parasites amongst your horses.

• • Rotate drenches for resistance management: To minimise the risk of developing resistance to specific anthelmintics, we advise rotating between different classes of drench. 
  • Use a targeted drenching approach: To reduce unnecessary drenching and delay resistance development, consider targeted drenching, which only recommends treating high-risk horses based on faecal egg counts.

• Administer the proper dosage: Always determine the correct dosage for your chosen anthelmintic based on the horse’s weight to ensure efficacy. 

• Employ pasture management practices: Regular manure removal, rotational grazing, and good pasture management practices will help reduce parasite burdens.

Drenching horses is a vital part of equine health management, and must be done at regular intervals to keep parasite burdens low. By following best practices like regular testing, targeting drenching, and drench rotation, horse owners can reduce the risk of resistance development and keep their animals safe and healthy.

Shop our range of horse drenches, including ML, BZ, abamectin, and combination drenches, today.  Not sure which horse drench to select, or simply want some advice to ensure a smooth parasite management process? Get in touch with the Specialist Sales team and we’ll be happy to help.