With the Spring & Summer months, not only do we get better weather but with that comes the fly to bother you + your horse!
We have all seen it!
Horse’s eyes swarmed by flies, the irritation and itching they cause.
But what can you do?
And how do they affect your horse?
Read on to learn more in our quick guide to flies + how you can help your horse.
Which flies are they & how can they affect your horse?
From Spring to Autumn, Black Fly and Midges are about!
🦟 Black flies are small and dark black in colour.
They mainly sit under the horse’s stomach and inside their ears, sucking the horse’s blood.
🦟 Midges sit around the stomach, head, mane and base of the tail.
As they bite the horse, they inject saliva into the wound.
If the horse is allergic to the saliva, it can cause the dreaded Sweet Itch.
If your horse has Sweet Itch you will see him:
- Rubbing and scratching the affected areas, normally the dock area.
- This can cause more damage to their skin, hair and in some cases a severe reaction.
Throughout Summer and into Autumn, look out for:
Horsefly, Stable, Crab, House Flies, and Bot Flies.
🦟 Horseflies are mostly seen around late July to early August.
They actually cut (rather than bite) the skin on the horse’s body + drink their blood.
🦟 Stable Flies are most active in the daytime and sit around the head (especially the eyes), body, and legs.
They bite and can pass on stomach worms and can cause eye infections, conjunctivitis etc.
It is also thought that flies may transmit BPV which causes sarcoids.
🦟 Crab flies crawl (like a crab!) between the hind legs and are incredibly irritating to the horse.
🦟 House flies sit and feed just about all over the horse, especially around the eyes, nostrils, & face.
🦟 Bot Flies hover around the horse’s legs and lay sticky eggs on their coat.
As the horse scratches their legs, the eggs travel onto their face and mouth before being ingested.
Which then leads to 🐛 Bots (the larvae and maggots of Bot Flies).
Bots spend most of their lives INSIDE the horse!
They can cause serious health problems.
For more on Bot Flies and Bots see this post.
What can you do to help your horse?
1 – Cover your horse
Use a full-body rug, fly mask, and fly boots. These will help to prevent flies from biting and irritating your horse.
It is known that Zebra Print rugs are REALLY good as they confuse the flies! (You can buy them here).
2 – Fly Spray / Repellant
Use a good fly spray or repellant. There are several on the market and studies show that products with Neem or Deet in them are particularly good.
Find one that works best for you. (Do a patch test with your horse first as some can cause reactions).
3 – Be Aware of Standing Water + Damp / Wet Areas
Midges lay eggs on standing water and in damp, wet vegetation.
So where possible, remove any standing water.
Avoid your horse grazing on water-logged areas of fields.
If your paddock is near ponds or ditches this may attract them.
Remove Bot eggs from your horse using a Bot Knife or Grooming Block. Do this whenever you see them on your horse!
4 – Consider Turnout Times
It was commonly thought that flies are less prevalent at night, although this does depend on where you live.
Dawn and dusk does often see flies swarm, so perhaps you could consider adjusting your routine to see if your horse is better if turned out after dusk.
5 – Flies love Poo!
Hygiene is a must to keep flies at bay.
Keeping your horse, their stable and field clean can really impact this.
6 – Horse Hair Don’t Care!
Forelocks & tails are your horse’s natural defence.
Leave your horse’s tail free, not plaited! Make sure you brush out knots so they are the best flies swats!
It’s also best if horses are in pairs as they can stand nose to tail and keep flies off each other’s faces.
7 – Keep the Cobwebs
Cobwebs are great for catching flies!
So do avoid the urge to remove them all the time! Leave the cobwebs where they are until the end of autumn!
And thank our spider friends for their help!
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There you have it! Do you have any other tips or what to do about flies on horses? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram.
