The Project WORMS surveys are now closed and data analysis is underway. Our livery yard owner/manager survey will launch shortly so please check back for updates.

We are delighted to launch the second phase of Project WORMS! Project WORMS stands for

Working to Overcome Resistance and Make for a Sustainable future 

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Project WORMS recognises that all those involved in the care and management of horses need to work together to tackle resistance to worming products. A responsible approach to the use of wormers is crucial to maximise animal welfare and ensure we have effective products available in the future, as well as minimising the environmental damage caused by worming drugs.

 

In the first stage of Project WORMS, we asked horse owners/keepers and stud owners/managers complete a short questionnaire about how they control worms in their horses. Around 40% of horse owners who responded indicated that their horse was kept on a livery yard, so in the second phase, we are interested in finding out how owners/managers of livery and competition training yards control worms on their yards. The survey will take around 15-20 minutes to complete. Your responses are anonymous, but you can at the end be transferred to put your details into a prize draw to win £100 ‘Love to Shop’ vouchers.  

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The Project is an ongoing collaboration between several large veterinary groups and organisations, including VetPartners, CVS, IVC, BEVA and Equine Reproductive Services: 

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Tim Mair, from Bell Equine, said “Our initial Project Worms survey showed that many horse owners are dependent on livery yard managers to make decisions about how worms are controlled in their horses. Controlling parasites in groups or herds of horses is complicated, and the aims of this survey are to establish how most livery yards currently undertake this and identify areas where we can improve”.  

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Julia Shrubb, Chair of the VetPartners Equine Clinical Board added: “Livery yard owners need to be taking this topic seriously and making sure their deworming approach includes risk assessing and testing. If we continue as many are, we are not only risking the health and welfare of horses in the future, but the viability of many equestrian businesses”  ​