A worm egg count specialist has warned of a spike in wormegg count results among the UK equine population following this years warm, dry summer. Those involved in horse care are urged to ensure they clear their horses paddocks of droppings to help mitigate the risks.Westgate Labs reported the notable rise in this autumns test results. Many owners carrying out their routine tests were surprised to see higher counts than expected, with horses who had previously shown low or clear results now presenting with medium or even high readings despite no change in management. It is thought that the relatively high temperatures in summer combined with intermittent rain may have provided ideal conditions for larvae to develop and survive on pasture, leading to infection and, subsequently, higher levels of egg shedding.Professor Jacqui Matthews, Recognised Specialist in Parasitology and Director of Veterinary Science at Austin Davis Biologics, said poo picking should be prioritised, as well as regular worm testing.What were likely seeing is the impact of a warm summer allowing the larval development phase to speed up, meaning horses can become more readily infected as they graze, she said. Theres also been less forage available, so horses have been cropping the grass closer to the soil and dung piles and theres been less opportunity to rest and rotate grazing, further increasing infection potential.What this means for horse owners is that they need to be regularly testing all horses as even those with historically good results may be more at risk ofworminfection than in previous years and prioritising poo picking.Westgates findingsMonthly summary of equinewormegg count results for 2025 shows a higher proportion of horses shedding more strongyle eggs compared with previous years. In September, 13.34% and 19.42% ofwormegg count results were above 200 eggs per gram (epg.) in 2023 and 2024 respectively, rising to 24.12% in 2025. A similar pattern was seen in October, with 13.44% of tests above 200 epg. in 2023, 19.18% in 2024, and 25.04% in 2025. Egg shedding stayed high November 2025 with 25.29% above the threshold, compared to 20.46% in 2023 and 20.56% in 2024.The threshold of 200 epg. is important, as it marks the level at which treatment is indicated for most healthy adult horses within a targeted parasite control programme. Westgate Labs director, Kristy Hodgson, echoed Jacquis advice, stressing the importance of clearing pastures of droppings.Alongsidewormegg counts every eight to 12 weeks, poo picking is our first line of defence in helping to combat parasite infection, physically breaking the life cycle by removing the eggs from the pasture, she said. I chat to tens of horse owners every day and its consistently our customers who arent able to clear dung who have seen the biggest rise in the number of horses requiring treatment this autumn. The data reinforces the importance of pasture hygiene over harrowing, which in warm, damp conditions may spread larvae rather than destroy them.Mitigating the risksWestgate recommends regularwormegg counts every season. Testing all horses every 12 weeks, alongside twice-yearly tapeworm testing, ensures targeted treatment and helps avoid unnecessary worming that contributes to drug resistance. Owners are recommended to risk assess their horses for parasite infection, using either theCANTERorWhats YourWormRiskprofiling tools and speak to their prescribers to decide on their approach to encysted stages of small redworm this autumn and winter.Those interested in finding out more about redworm infection can tune into a free webinar by Westgate Labs and Austin Davies Biologics.The webinar take place on Wednesday 14 January at 7pm, to sign up click going on the Facebook event page.Related contentEssential horse worming schedule and management tips from a vetWhich parasite and why: essential seven-step worming planYour annual worming schedule plus 6 tips for effective worm managementThree worms that all horse owners need to consider in the winterThe post Experts warn of spike in high worm counts appeared first on Your Horse.