[miniaturesabound]

I have two elderly Shetland ponies in the stable because of this cold weather and they were fine when they went in. However, had to bathe and shampoo today because they were infested with lice. The other six in the field are all ok and show no signs of lice. Recently the swallows have come back to nest in the stable so I wondered if perhaps they had brought the lice with them. Does anyone know if this is plausable?

[white-blazes]

Our swallows are back too

Not heard whether they carry lice, but could your ponies have had it from straw bedding or their hay?  Mine always have to be de-loused after a winter on big bale haylage as they bury their heads right in and always end up with lice.

[jaykay]

Certainly old swallows nests can be full of creepies which are either lice or mites.
Straw often has lice eggs on and a vet once told me that they hatch and get going if an animal is under the weather - if they're fit and healthy their immune systems seem to keep the numbers down - within reason, if there's a huge infestation any animal will get lice.

[miniaturesabound]

Thank you. Don't use straw but maybe the hay I've had to get in recently.