Horse question

[FunnyFarmer]

Does anyone else give their horses paste wormer in their feed? I cannot get wormer in my mare without half of it going all over the place, so today I decided I was going to try putting it in her feed. She scarfed it right down and so did the donkeys (theirs, that is.) Is there any reason NOT to do this? It sure makes my life easier!

Thanks!

 

[azelgin]

We do with our mules. We have one that we even have to mix it with cob and extra molassis to get it past his taste buds. Can't see why it would matter if it is with food, or not. They spend all day eating anyway.

 

[patandchickens]

If it is the only way you can possibly get it into 'em, it is better than nothing.

However, 2 disadvantages: 1) you most often cannot be certain that all of it went into the horse and stayed there (as opposed to being spit out discreetly somewhere), and a partial dose is potentially worse than nothing; and 2) it is less effective when consumed with feed than on a moderately-empty stomach. (Usually it is recommended you withhold feed for a little while before and after, if possible, for optimal worming)

Usually (I have known a couple horses who were exceptions) the following is pretty good at keeping wormer going into the horse: First, put the horse somewhere for ten minutes or so that he can't eat, esp. not hay or grass. (An empty moutn makes it much harder for him to spit the wormer out). Then, with the horse haltered (I'm assuming he's reasonably well trained and obedient, otherwise there's yer problem

) put the wormer tube in along the cheek to the outside of the molars and squirt it in WAY back there, more along the cheek than on the tongue. They can't do much about it that way. Then keep him away from grass or hay for at least fifteen minutes to make sure the wormer continues on 'in' rather than getting adsorbed onto a mouthful of grass/hay and then spit out.

I *think* I have seen a powdered, add-to-grain wormer return to the market in the past couple years, you might want to look at that too if you just can't paste the horse. (Wormers to be added to grain were pretty common 40 yrs ago but kind of dropped off the market when paste wormers, which were mostly more-effective compounds as well, hit the market.)

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Rhett would starve before he ate anything he considered "poisoned"

Nothing like having a 16h horse, that already knows he is a lot taller than you get even TALLER. Good thing he knows to behave if I tell him to knock it off. I love him, but boy he is a brat

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

If you have trouble getting him to take it, then itll be fine to mix it in with his feed. Just be sure he eats all his feed.

 

[beak]

That's how we do ours.

 

[farmerlor]

My mare wouldn't let me put wormer in her mouth and she's 2000 pounds of mad if I try. I mix it in her food with some grain and she eats it all just fine. None of the horses like the powdered, sprinkle-it-on-the-food stuff. They won't even eat grain if you got that stuff on there. They don't like the apple flavored "horses LOVE it" stuff either but they'll gobble down the mediciney stuff everytime so long as it's mixed in with their sweet feed.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
Thats why we give glen his with grain and sweets. He's only a 1400lb draft mule. I swear he knows what the tube looks like and can smell it a mile away. Apple flavored? Yeah right. not sure where they found those apples. He doesn't get upset, just mulish.

 

[katrinag]

I have also hollowed out a small apple and put there wormer in there.

 

[CountryMom]

Try a little honey on the tube. In fact, some of the horses I have had that won't take a paste tube spent days getting an empty tube of wormer with honey on the outside. Pretty soon they are dying for it. And once they take it I use a dosed tube and once a month they get a little treat of honey and paste wormer. Also, for horses that don't like something put in their mouth like a wormer tube, never tie them and try to teach them. Always hold the lead rope and when they step away follow them until they stop. And yes, I have followed horses all over the place until they realize I just keep coming. LOLOL Backing them up and following them is especially effective.

And yes, some people do feed wormer in feed. Like said before, just make sure that they eat ALL of the food and no other horse shares in their bowl.

Just wanted to say that I usually have half dosed wormer for the first few months so that the horses understand the honey treat stick. Then go back to your regularly scheduled worming dose.