By Joyce Belcher, Certified Herbalist and Botanical Formulator for Sustenance Herbs for Pets
Knowledge is key to help eliminate the need for chemical wormers; understanding the life cycle of parasitic worms is essential for the good health of your horse.
Horses that are infested with parasites host adult worms. The female produces eggs that pass in fecal matter into the pasture or turn-out that develop into varying larvae stages affecting grazing horses by entering into the alimentary canal, producing a new generation of adult parasites, male and female.
Typically pastures and paddocks utilize shared grazing and many are often smaller than what is ideal for the number of horses. Horse owners and barn managers alike should be aware if a horse is shedding a lot of worm eggs, as other horses in the paddock are likely to become infected.
To administer a worming product at any given time during the month is a crapshoot, especially if the wormer is chemical-based as it can do more harm than good. Most chemical wormers contain neurotoxins, meaning that they are designed chemically to shut down the central nervous system of the parasite but the chemicals will also have a negative effect on your horses' overall health.
Worms can also develop resistance to worming drugs which can occur if the worm is resistant to even one of the chemicals in the group, they then develop a cross-resistance to all chemically similar drugs. When this happens, the worms are not killed and the health of the horse is compromised from the chemicals.
How can we effectively and healthfully prevent or eliminate worms in our horses?
The answer is with love, organically! Some of the herbs that are known and proven for many years to be highly effective at expelling or preventing infestation of parasites are peppermint, chamomile, anise, thyme, dulse, neem, elecampane, cinnamon, and garlic.
How does Equine Herbal Wormer Work?
It works to create an environment in the gut and digestive system that is uninhabitable to parasites, creating a natural attack to expel the parasites if there are any present but it also works to prevent their development when used from early spring through the fall, monthly in timing with the lunar cycle. These herbs have been used for many years, successfully to prevent and/or expel parasites that are present.
We recommend feeding Equine Herbal Wormer 2 days before the full moon, (the moon waxing), on the day of the full moon, and 2 days after the full moon (the moon waning). This has been the traditional worming treatment of farm animals in the United Kingdom as well as other parts of the world that have demonstrated consistently good results, dating back hundreds of years. This timing based on the lunar cycle is optimal as it is the time for the highest concentration and presence of parasites. The female worm ovulates between the new and full moon, the parasites are then suspended and worms detach from the walls of the organs and lining of the intestines in order to breed and lay their eggs, therefore this is the perfect time to administer your herbal wormer as it disrupts the egg-laying cycle.
When feeding Equine Herbal Wormer regularly, resistance to parasites increases and will stay maintained throughout the year, providing your horse with constant protection. You cannot stop your animals from picking up parasites…but you can prevent the parasites from settling in and creating damage.
The herbs used in our formula have been used for many years, successfully. Not only do they prevent parasites, they also expel parasites that are present.
As always, certified organic herbs are the safest, most effective way to keep your horse healthy.
Horses LOVE the taste of the blend, making compliance-friendly and easy!
100% ORGANIC Ingredients:
Peppermint, Chamomile, Cleavers, Anise, Thyme, Neem, Elecampane Root, Cinnamon, Garlic, Sea Vegetable Blend of: Dulse, Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Laminaria, Lonquicruris, and Knotted-wrack.
Sustenance Herbs is dedicated to strengthening body systems naturally, and making organic and wild harvested herbal blends for dogs, cats and horses is the core of their practice. Shop Sustenance Herbs supplements now on Equivont!
