Controlling flies

[ChestnutArabianMare]

My dramatic Arab mare thinks the bugs are going to kill her. Every time I go out to the barn to see her, she’s furiously stomping, tail-switching, etc. and I can see about two flies on her. She’s a little better in the darkened barn but still fussy if there’s even one fly (not sensitive to touch and she’s not hurting). Makes riding fun, too!

Anybody know a really, really good fly spray or feed through supplements to help keep every single bug away? She doesn’t have any physical reaction to the flies or weepy eyes and will eat whatever you put in front of her. The flies are worse than usual for the area this year, but pretty average by normal standards (we don’t usually have many flies).

She lives outside 24/7 in a large paddock with a buddy, a shelter and enough grass to nibble on to keep her busy.

[Bluey]

We have fly predators out and spray lightly at meal times, twice a day, with Triteck for flies and mosquitos and we have hardly any flies around.

Others that come by always comment about it.
They are covered in flies, their horses stomping and switching.

[tazycat]

Quickbayt fly bait. Works great knocks them dead fast. Cut my fly population in half in 24 hours.

Not fly spraying horses, sprays aren’t working so waste of time. Dark barn with industrial fan in at sun up out when dark.

[imaginique]

I have fly traps outside each stall–the kind that are a jar with smelly bait inside. It seriously reduces the flies in the stall. A fan would help with those that remain. I use Endure fly spray but I’ve heard good things about EcoVet. I think I will try that when I run out of the Endure.

[Guilherme]

What you seek does not exist!

What does exist is a universe of products and each has some effectiveness. You’ve had a lot of good suggestions. Put together a “layered defense” that works for your particular location. It will likely take some trial and error to get just the right mix but that’s OK. There’s no such thing as a “failed experiment.” There is only additional data!!!

We’ve found the Freedom 45 “spot on” treatment extremely effective in hot, wet East TN. We’ve had no side effects from it’s use.

Good luck in your project!

G.

[dressager]

We’ve tried everything. The horses that are super fussy get fly sheets and fly boots in addition to their masks but when the temps go above 90 we have to pull the sheets. They all get coated in fly spray— I’ve tried all of them pretty much. Right now I like TriTec although the endure seems better than average. The Ecovet seems to work is the population is moderate but seems more of a deterrent than a knock them down approach. We also have an overhead system. Plus, we’ve sprayed the ground and surface areas of the stall with a powder mix of super nasty fly stuff- can’t remember the name off hand but I think Bayer makes it. We also have used (in the past) the fly traps… put them AWAY from the stalls. The idea is you are drawing the flies AWAY.

finally, as for feed throughs, we tried a few and were unimpressed. There’s a woman at our barn right now who won’t use chemical sprays (so no fly system or fly spray) using one that has loads of garlic in it (I think it’s BugOff or something like that). All I know is she keeps complaining that her horse is covered in tons more flies than my horses and her stall reeks of garlic so badly that the surrounding horse owners are hacked.

[Color_of_Light]

@tazycat

Quickbayt fly bait. Works great knocks them dead fast. Cut my fly population in half in 24 hours.

Not fly spraying horses, sprays aren’t working so waste of time. Dark barn with industrial fan in at sun up out when dark.

I just ordered MVP Flies-A-Way yesterday for one fly magnet horse in particular. If it works, will put all on farm on it. Very good reviews. https://www.unitedvetequine.com/horse-supplements/Flies-A-Way-MVP-fly-control.asp

Intrigued about Quickbayt. Where do you place the bait and how far away from the horses? Does it end up with layers of flies swarming over the bait? My neighbors have cows but our horses are about 1500 feet away. Maybe I should put it on the fence line to stop flies from cows, then where ever else you recommend.

[Color_of_Light]

@Bluey

It’s all Noah’s fault:

:lol::lol::lol: Darn Noah.

[stb]

I use fly predators and have had great success with them. I also use Eco-Vet fly spray, which has also been very effective and actually lasts until the next day. Those two things work for flies, mosquitos, and gnats. If we are having a run of horseflies and green heads I will use Absorbine black fly spray as well.

[tazycat]

@Color of Light

I just ordered MVP Flies-A-Way yesterday for one fly magnet horse in particular. If it works, will put all on farm on it. Very good reviews. https://www.unitedvetequine.com/horse-supplements/Flies-A-Way-MVP-fly-control.asp

Intrigued about Quickbayt. Where do you place the bait and how far away from the horses? Does it end up with layers of flies swarming over the bait? My neighbors have cows but our horses are about 1500 feet away. Maybe I should put it on the fence line to stop flies from cows, then where ever else you recommend.

I have all bait stations where horses cannot get to it. Also keep it just high enough my dogs can’t get into it ,about three feet off the ground. Have 7 total bait stations one just inside barn door then others outside in various places. Flies swarm stations and all seven have dead flies some also on the ground underneath bait stations. when flies are too thick i just put more bait sprinkled on top of dead flies.

[SaddleUp158]

You have already received a lot of good options for fly control. Shoofly Leggins will make her a lot more comfortable. They are the only fly boot that I have tried that will actually stay on the horse and not droop. http://shooflyleggins.com/

[Manni01]

I have a super sensitive horse and my solution is big stall fans… She got 2 this year and is very happy in her stall. I fly spray her once a day, Turn her out in the morning with her flysheet on until it gets too hot then she goes back in without her flysheet and she is happier then ever… I think its the darkened stall (closed window) and the fans…

[ChestnutArabianMare]

Thanks guys! A flysheet is out since she takes off her blankets without undoing any straps or ripping the blankets… haven’t tried a flymask or boots, but I imagine they wouldn’t last long either. Gotta love Ms. Houdini!

I picked up some TriTec and have applied that several times… seems to be making a difference with her. She definitely seems less annoyed—I’m just glad she doesn’t have any physical reactions to the bugs.