Parasite management practices used by owners of Australian Pony Club horses and the factors influencing their decision-making processes.

Abstract

There is a lack of information on horse parasite management practices currently used by individual horse owners in Australia. A voluntary, anonymous online survey was developed for and distributed by Pony Club Australia to its members seeking information on horse population; housing; paddock, manure and parasite management; and owner attitudes. From a total of 98 completed responses, 95/98 of participants indicated their horses spent time in paddocks, 91/98 administered anthelmintics, 42/98 guessed their horse's body weight for dosing, 78/98 recalled the dewormer brand or active ingredient last administered, macrocyclic lactones represented the most common dewormer class used (75/78) and veterinarians and scientific papers were rated highly as trusted sources of information (83/97 and 80/97 respectively). Barriers to managing parasites included time and cost, peer practices, environmental challenges and inconsistent information regarding parasite control. Owners navigated through these supported by a sense of agency to improve their knowledge and seek expert advice, as well as creating healthy environments for their horses coupled with good pasture management. This study highlights some risky practices for anthelmintic use and opportunities for increased veterinary engagement and owner education to adopt a more holistic approach to horse parasite management.