All Redworms, Large & Small Webinar

Join Westgate Labs and Austin Davis Biologics, for a deeper dive into small and large redworms, which remain two of the most important and potentially dangerous parasites affecting horses.

• Professor Jacqui Matthews (Austin Davis Biologics), RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Parasitology and inventor of the small redworm blood test
• Claire Shand (Director & SQP, Westgate Labs), the first UK lab to offer large redworm culturing to horse owners

📅 First screened on Wednesday 14th January 2026

We cover • Why a risk-based approach matters should be used in every season for every horse • How seasons and management affect parasite burdens • How the small redworm blood test works and when to use it • How it fits alongside worm egg counts to give a fuller risk picture • Evidence for large redworm making a comeback • How resistance is influencing treatment decisions • Practical testing and treatment strategies • Q&A with our experts

Horse First Autumn Worm Control Webinar

Join Westgate Labs and Austin Davis Biologics (creators of the EquiSal tapeworm test and the small redworm blood test) for a free, interactive webinar hosted by horse trainer and content creator Miri Hackett. Discover how to take control of parasite management on your yard with expert insights and practical tips.

📅 First screened on Thursday 16th October

We cover • Why a risk-based approach matters for every horse • How seasons and management affect parasite burdens • Practical testing and treatment strategies • Real examples from Miri’s own yard • Q&A with our experts

An introduction to test based Parasite Control for horses with @Anna.R.Dressage and Roo

Meet Anna and her horse Roo! Together they compete with British Dressage at Elementary level. Anna is passionate about a holistic approach to Roo's health care to help them perform at their best. In this video Anna talks to Kristy Hodgson from Westgate Labs about parasite control and why it's such an important aspect to consider to help them reach their dressage goals. They discuss why a regular schedule of worm egg counts and tapeworm tests is important, what resistance is and why we need to minimise the chemicals to keep wormers effective for as long as possible. Find out how easy test based parasite control is to implement with the help and support of your friendly experts at Westgate Labs.

Assessing a horse's Parasite Risk Profile with @Anna.R.Dressage and Roo

In our second video with Anna and Roo, Anna talks to Kristy Hodgson from Westgate Labs about the different factors that influence Roo's Parasite Infection Risk and whether he is low, medium or high on the CANTER Risk Profiling tool. Not all horses carry the same parasite risk, with age, grazing conditions, and management practices all influencing whether a horse falls into a low, medium, or high-risk category for parasite risk. 

Feeding for Natural Immune Resilience

We have an extremely interesting chat with Independent Equine Nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr with some great questions, delving in to her extensive knowledge on the subject of feeding horses for natural immune resilience and to help them achieve optimum health. Nutrition plays an important role in supporting our horse’s own ability to resist infection and disease – be that from parasites, viruses, bacteria or other pathogens. A healthy natural immunity reduces the need for intervention with wormers and other chemicals. This in turn has many benefits to your horse, the environment, and your pocket!

 

Surviving Summer; Horse Healthcare with Equilibrium Products & Westgate Labs

To scrape or not to scrape? Temperatures have rocketed in the UK this summer so we had a very timely chat with Laura Szuca from Equilibrium Products to talk all things summer horse health - including the lowdown on cooling horses, overcoming the challenges brought about by heat and flies and what to do about summer parasite control.

Wormer resistance - what it means for your horse's health

Our Marketing Director and RAMA Claire Shand chats to Claire Williams from the the British Equestrian Trade Association about the threat of wormer resistance. What is it? How does it occur? What are the implications for our horse's health and what does the future hold?

How to use a weigh tape

A weigh tape is a useful tool to help you monitor your horse's weight. Essential for calculating wormer dose as well as keeping an eye on their condition. We’d always advise adding 10% to a weigh tape reading when calculating wormer dose to ensure you give sufficient for their size as it is a formula after all!
In this video Nikki puts Fern on the weigh bridge and demonstrates how to use a weigh tape to get the most accurate reading - with thanks to the fab Nikki Meggison BSc Hons - Independent Equine Nutritionist

New research shows traditional frequent worming is unnecessary

New research, from leading equine parasitologist Dr Martin Nielsen, has provided more evidence to show that reducing worming (or more correctly, de-worming) intensity, does not have any adverse health risks to horses. The work confirms that the traditional approach of frequent routine de-worming at pre-determined intervals, without the use of diagnostic testing is unnecessary. Read the summary to Martin's paper here https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13374

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