Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Greetings 10 Walker,
A daily wormer (pyrantel tartrate) provides a low dosage of anthelmintic medication and therefore, gently keeps your horse free of worms. Paste wormers give your horse a periodic "jolt" and removes worms for a while. But they return, so by the time another worming is needed, the infestation level is quite high.
Having said that, even horses on a daily wormer still need protection against bots and tapeworms. Even horses that do not travel are vulnerable. So, twice a year, give your horse an ivermectin/praziquantel combo paste -- generally late spring, after the last frost, and late fall, before the first frost.
There is much discussion about developing resistance to anthelmintic drugs. Therefore, to be safe, it is best to have a manure sample tested every few months. Keep in mind that this test will not predict tapeworm infestation, so praziquantel is necessary to insure protection.
Thanks for writing about this very important topic.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Hi 10Walker,
This is a very broad topic, indeed (perhaps the subject of my next book?!). Worms can come from the ground, the manure, feed, and ingestion of larvae from insects (such as the botfly, which a daily wormer will not cover). The more a horse is exposed to strange environments and other horses, the more likely he will be exposed to worms. However, they exist everywhere and protection is important for all horses, even if they never leave your property.
Some horse owners choose to have a manure sample tested every two or three months and this is worthwhile to do, even if your horse is on a daily wormer. However, a tapeworm infestation will not show up in a manure test and the only way to protect your horse is to administer praziquantel (or a larger dose of pyrantel pamoate) at least once each year.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO