Professor Caroline Jacobson joins us to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in horse ownership: parasites and worming.
As Head of the School of Agriculture at Murdoch University and one of the authors of Australia's Equine Internal Parasite Management Guidelines, Caroline explains why traditional worming programs have changed, how resistance develops, what worm egg counts can (and can't) tell you, and the practical strategies every horse owner should be using.
Whether you own one horse or manage an entire property, this conversation will help you make better decisions for your horse's health while protecting the effectiveness of worming treatments into the future.
In this episode we discuss:
- Why blanket worming programs are becoming outdated
- Understanding worm egg counts
- Drug resistance and why it matters
- Parasite management for foals versus adult horses
- Tapeworms, bots and small strongyles
- Practical paddock management strategies
- The new Australian parasite management guidelines
This is one of those episodes every horse owner should hear.
Show Notes & Links
Australian Guidelines For Equine Internal Parasite Management
Beasley, A., Abbas, G., Hughes, K., El-Hage, C., Jacobson, C., Bauquier, J., Wilkes, E., Carrigan, P., Cudmore, L., Hurley, J., Beveridge, I., Nielsen, M., & Jabbar, A. (2025). Australian guidelines for equine internal parasite management. Australian Veterinary Journal, 103(4), 151-158. https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.13424
To find out more about Professor Caroline Jacobson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinejacobson-livestockscientist/
To find out more about Dr Shelley Appleton and Kathryn Christieson and to support Canter Therapy Podcast:
https://www.cantertherapy.com.au
