Sometimes the weather wins: owners struggling to poo-pick reassured on worm control this wet winter

Owners have been urged not to feel guilty if they are unable to poo-pick fields at the moment, as “there are times the weather simply wins”.

Parasite specialist Westgate Labs has reassured owners who are finding it impossible to remove droppings from their horses’ fields, owing to the very wet start to 2026, that they are not alone.

“If the start of 2026 has felt like one long downpour, you are not imagining it,” a Westgate spokesperson said. “Many horse owners have spent weeks staring at waterlogged paddocks, deep mud and gateways that swallow wellies whole. When the ground is saturated and a wheelbarrow will not move, regular poo picking can become impossible.

“With that often comes guilt. We know good pasture hygiene matters. Yet there are times when the weather simply wins.”

Many of the Westgate team keep horses and know the struggles this winter has brought. Director of marketing Claire Shand said: “Keeping horses means you live every inch of the weather. When the ground is saturated and you physically cannot get across it with a barrow, there’s nothing to do but accept the situation. Beating yourself up achieves nothing. The key is to focus on what you can control and have a sensible plan for when conditions improve.”

The spokesperson added that trying to drag loaded barrows through deep mud for winter poo-picking can cause injury to people and more damage to the wet ground.

“Parasite control is important, but so is avoiding burnout,” she said. “When it dries out, act strategically.”

Winter poo-picking

Horse owners are advised to start, once the ground dries, removing accumulated droppings as much as possible, which can significantly reduce contamination before worm larvae move more on to grazing.

“If you are considering harrowing to break up droppings, timing is critical,” she added. “Harrowing spreads larvae across the pasture, so it should only be done during dry, warm conditions when fields can then be rested. Ideally, rest harrowed pasture for at least six months before grazing again. Without that rest period, harrowing can increase, not reduce, infection risk.”

If space allows, any rotation can give contaminated areas a break, although if resting land for long periods is not practical, “the focus shifts to monitoring”.

“After a winter when pasture hygiene has been compromised, regular worm egg counts become even more important,” the spokesperson said. “Testing at appropriate intervals every eight to 12 weeks allows you to see whether egg shedding is rising.

“Use a structured risk assessment approach to review stocking density, age groups and recent history. If conditions have increased exposure, testing will highlight this before clinical signs appear. Evidence-based decisions are especially valuable when management options are limited.

“A wet winter does not undo years of responsible parasite control. What matters is how we respond. Remove what you can when you can. Rest and rotate where practical. Test regularly. Treat only when evidence supports it. Most importantly, look after your horse and yourself. Sustainable parasite control is about balance, not perfection.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking equestrian news throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in: