I prefer the daily add to feed de-wormer, such as
Dynamite Excel, which is a digestive aid but also has diatomaceous earth in it to control parasites without the poison.
Dynamite also has an immune booster. We noticed that copper-deficient horses tend to have more parasites. In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about how to tell if your horse is copper-deficient.
Oregano oil is also a natural way to control parasites, but that does burn the lip lining of the horse's mouth so you have to mix it with something else, like molasses to syringe it to them.
For tapeworms, you still need to use an Ivermectin paste gold or similar product. However, you may not need to give one horse the whole tube for a 1400lb horse. I do fecal counts to determine how much parasite infestation they have and then judge how much wormer they actually need. I was able to do three horses with one tube, based on their actual parasite load.
If I have to use a chemical wormer, then I will detox the horse afterward. I will also give him a probiotic for a few days since the gut flora has been destroyed by the chemical poisons.
A few times a year I do a fecal based on the schedule of the full moon as more eggs hatch on a full moon cycle. Did you know that? And that the full moon is the best time to worm to be more effective?
