We recently switched my 5yo TB gelding to 24/7 pasture turnout. What are your favorite tips and tricks for coping with flies when they live out? I have Shoo Fly boots for him already, and the farm uses fly predators.
Judging by the sheer number of blankets destroyed by his turnout buddies this winter, I’m guessing a fly sheet probably isn’t an option.
Any suggestions for long(ish) lasting sprays or topicals?
I use boots + mask + spray, it is too hot & humid for sheets here. I don’t have hard wired electricity in my shelter, but if you do, fans are a big help too.
Which spray works best for you varies. Here in the land of bugs who laugh at spray, I have the best luck with Endure & the black one which I momentarily forget the name of. I smear swat on sheaths & bellies in the mornings.
Sprays of course, won’t work on horseflies since they are sight hunters. Jerks.
I like the yellow Pyranaha (spelling ?) and Endure.
Endure every single day, flymask, Rescue big bag fly bags. Sometimes Swat but it seems weaker
now than it used to be.
If you board it’s important to stress to helpers- spray liberally all over including lower legs, belly, between hind legs, and private parts too.
Barn owner needs to also pick up or spread and pulverize all fresh manure in paddocks.
So I bought some of these for the first time. They are incredibly stinky. Seem to catch a bunch of flies but they are intolerable near human workspaces. Vomiting in a nearby muck bucket while trying to remove the nasty thing was unpleasant.
Maybe I’m too sensitive or I got an extra stinky one, but no more of these fly traps in my barn.
I do Absorbine Ultrashield and add Neem oil to it. Usually spray them down in the morning and make sure they have plenty of shade to get away from the flies in. I haven’t yet found a fly mask that will stay on
Where do you live? And what type of shelter do they have available?
Mine have 24/7 turnout but they have access to their stalls if they want them…they spend very little time outside in the summer by choice. So, hopefully your horse will have shelter available - for both sun/heat and fly protection.
It’s difficult to find anything that really works all day and all night when it’s hot and they are sweaty.
My horses have always been out. We have plenty of flies. I use fly masks and I spray them before letting them off the dry lot in the morning during peak fly season. They have a 3 sided shed they retreat into if they choose but they stay out most of the time flies or no flies.
I use Gordons pony / stable spray ( oil based) . It seems to work the best.
I’m a big fan of Swat for faces and bellies. My crew prefers swat to fly masks but on hot days it may need to be applied again in the afternoon. I also have fans on timers in my stalls and my guys spend most of the day in there (by choice, they can roam). I haven’t found a great fly spray but I do prefer oil-based because it stays on longer. It does make the horses dirty, though.
Have you read the ingredients? They use “putrified egg solids”. 
Smells rank, but works great!
No I didn’t read the ingredients list lol
No wonder it smells like death
It does catch a lot of flies though
Ugghh, flies. I live in hot and humid NC and my horse lives out in his own 1 acre pasture 24/7. I also use Shoo-fly boots and a fly mask. However, his new neighbor that he shares a run-in with and he like to play gelding games, and I now find my horse’s fly mask regularly in the other side of the run-in.
The run-in is sturdy and has fans attached to a temp gauge so they turn on over a certain temp. They help to keep flying things away.
I use flyspray that has cypermethrin in it, such as Endure. It’s the next generation pyrethrin. I find it repels flies for maybe hours? “They say” it repels flies for a week, which makes me laugh and wonder how they can legally make that claim.
I aim the distribution of the fly spray based on the time of the season. Right now, we have bee-like biting flies that hone in on his sheath, so I gently spray that and his inner thighs. Gnats hone in on his navel, so I gently spray that as well. Deer flies hone on on his ears. Later in the summer we have green-headed horseflies that aim more for his shoulders and sides and by august we get “the black bombers” - huge black horseflies that land on his topline and especially his butt. So I spray those areas depending on what is out.
Luckily, my very sensitive horse is very happy when I WHACK horseflies to kill them on him - especially the black bombers. He hears them and feels them land and is more than happy to stay still while I aim to WHACK them. After a ride and hosing, I feel like I’ve had a great day if I can kill 4 or more horseflies in a day. It just makes me feel good. Snd he often drops when I start whacking flies on him (we won’t go there). I don’t whack but I squish the horseflies on his sheath. Blood sucking flies freak me out.
Oh, and since you’ve switched to 24/7 turnout, it is good to check for ticks. We have few ticks at our barn because the pastures are well cared for, but if I find them, I find them where the inside of hind legs meet the body (so run my fingers between the sheath and the legs and flank, in the folds where the inside of the front legs meet the body, and occasionally on the forehead. Anywhere were something of the horse meets the ground and the ticks can climb as far up as they can before lodging. This will be especially important if deer frequent your horse’s pasture or the pasture isn’t well maintained.
The three that don’t have fly allergies wear fly masks and boots. My gelding has to wear fly sheets. Shoo-fly leggings are great and we only use masks with ears. Rambo fly sheets and Kool coats are very durable if you decide to go that route. My gelding doesn’t get very hot in fly sheets because, all day they stand in their run-in with industrial fans blowing on them until the sun goes down.
One of them had a allergic reaction to SWAT and I’ve heard of others having the same problem. I use poultice on tummies, stifles, and elbows on really buggy days. It doesn’t stay on as long as SWAT but I don’t mind reapplying it once a day. Plus it’s easier to clean off when you want to ride. None of them tolerate oil based fly spray well I’ve seen it burn several horses. I use Endure or Tri Tech 14 fly spray when I use fly spray, it seems to work for an hour or two on bad days.
Thanks for the recommendations, everyone! Pasture is well maintained. He has access to a large run in shed to get out of the elements if he chooses.
Right now, I’m thinking fly boots/mask + Endure + Swat/EquiSpot as needed to try to give him as much relief as I can and provide a bit of tick prevention hopefully.
Yes, we came up with using clay poultice on the senior mule because flies would cover any available space on her legs. Her hair would start to fall out and sensitive areas would bleed. I use the cheap clay poultice called Ice Tight. We just covered her legs in a thick layer of it during the peak of fly season. No wrapping or poultice paper. I’m sure you could make your own mud/clay mixture but, this seems to last for between 24-48 hours, and they seem notably more comfortable. I haven’t noticed any ill side effects from doing so. But I’ve only tried it on the four equines. If anything it helped the 35yr olds stiffness and old man funk.
Thank you!!! Quite notable you have a 35 year old! He deserves remedies to old man funk!!!
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