Poor horses spend most of their time in the run-ins with high velocity fans these days. They wear fly masks that keep the flies from covering their eyes (it’s unbelievable when they aren’t wearing masks!), but it’s too hot of a climate for sheets. They’re so miserable with the amount of flies, and I can’t figure out how to control them.
Anyone have additional ideas? 
I’ve gone so far as to think about getting a flock of muscovies so they can get at least a little bit of relief :lol:
Get a dozen fly traps (Valley Vet), those will catch a gazillion flies within a few days. Use Endure fly spray daily. Look into one of the very lightweight fly sheets. Other than getting some fly eating fowl, that’s all I can come up with.
If they are coming from the neighbors cattle operation? I don’t know that there is anything you can do. Is this a boarding barn or your home?
[QUOTE=findeight;8195338]
If they are coming from the neighbors cattle operation? I don’t know that there is anything you can do. Is this a boarding barn or your home?[/QUOTE]
They are at home. Cattle (breeding) ranch off on one side of the property. Not a ton of cattle packed in 1 area. I know I can’t control the flies breeding and coming over, but I’m trying to come up with ways to make it tolerable, especially for the old arthritic guys.
I have had very good luck with Spalding Fly predators. The problem you will have is, because of the cow population you will need to buy a much higher number than you would for just your horses. Might be worth contacting them (Spalding) to see what that number would be to see if it is economical for you.
Another option is a pesticide misting system for in your barn.
We also have a crummy neighbor for flies. I use big fly traps in each pasture (http://www.bitingflies.com/) and also hang up a bunch of these: http://www.bitingflies.com/. I also use fly predators as well.
Using this 3-tier approach we have been able to nicely deal with our neighbor’s fly problem that became our problem.
Endure fly spray.
cedar shavings
[QUOTE=trubandloki;8195385]
I have had very good luck with Spalding Fly predators. The problem you will have is, because of the cow population you will need to buy a much higher number than you would for just your horses. Might be worth contacting them (Spalding) to see what that number would be to see if it is economical for you.
Another option is a pesticide misting system for in your barn.[/QUOTE]
They estimated $50 shipments every week on fly predators in order to control them. I’ve heard enough mixed reviews about them that I’m not willing to spend over $1K on them to get to our first freeze.
I do like the fly misting systems, but inside isn’t the issue since they have high-velocity fans running. They get attacked as soon as they leave the run-ins to go graze. I’m thinking maybe the giant fly traps are the way to go.
Do they have access to graze at night? Maybe lock them in during the day and let them graze at night when they flies aren’t flying & biting?
I’ve been using Equi Spot to battle ticks here and I swear there are less flies on the horses now too. We have cattle pastured right next to our horses as well. Other people told me they did not think Equi Spot worked well, but if I don’t use it every two weeks I see more flies and ticks.
If the cattle are producing a lot of flies, it’s a tough situation. I have cattle next door, I have a modest shipment of fly predators, and I don’t have a heavy fly problem. But, your neighbor’s cattle may not be as well managed as mine.
Something like the muscovys isn’t such a crazy idea, btw. 
If you try the fly predators, make sure you’re not accidentally killing them off with the insecticide sprays. Having them around your water sources may make a difference.
I have cattle next door and behind. I just go to night turnout, spray liberally with Pyrahna fly spry and bring them in during the day. I used to have individual fly spray systems in each stall which made a big difference too…but the number of flies have dropped off the last couple of years (it’s early yet).
Have tried misting system in barn, fly traps, etc. Spalding fly predators work well. Use twice as many as I need, about $28 every 3 weeks. Do use fly spray
so they can graze more comfortably. Have to spray away from where you put
the predators (in our case, their stalls and around the barn). While the predators
don’t totally control them, a visit to my neighbors 1/4 mile away has me coming home thinking how wonderfully the predators work.
We have cattle across the street but the wind usually doesn’t favor blowing our way.
Cattle produce horn flies and face flies that you would not normally have in a horse only situation. Horn flies are blood feeders and transfer hosts from cattle to horses easily. The stay on the withers of horses and in hot summer also stay on the belly area. Horn flies are about 3/4 size of normal pest flies.
The best solution is using fly spray on the horses or fly sheets and masks. Traps or fly bait will not effect this fly because they are after a blood meal.
Fly Predators will help somewhat.
I have heard that these traps (the one with the T posts) work well with bitting flies:
http://ferrellhollowfarm.typepad.com/fhf-may-20-2009/equine-fly-control/
Our boarding barn is near cattle - and can get carry over flies -I keep hearing that fly predators wont work - because the neighbor would have to use them as well.
Spray systems keep the flies out of the barns - I use fly sheet, fly mask, and Pyrahna fly spry when my horse is out.
We had a bad fly season last year, similar situation with the next property having steers (I think).
What made a huge difference was spraying all the stalls with ‘Dairy Spray’, which banished the really bad flies. We did not use it ON the horses, just in the stalls on the walls and other surfaces.
Also used the gigunda fly traps, an integrated fly misting system, fly sheets and masks, and fly spray on the horses.
The Dairy Spray made the stalls almost fly free. That doesn’t help for horses that are out in turnout, though. This year, with all the rain we’ve had, it is the mosquitoes that are wreaking havoc for the horses in turnout. 
You can feed a rabon block to help with what is on your end, though of course it would be a much bigger help if the cattle owner fed it to the cows too. Even though it’s into the cycle it’s supposed to still help. Might be a long shot. Might stick a flyer in the neighbor’s door.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/prairie-pride-rabon-pressed-block-333-lbs
We are having the same issue here, we’re surrounded by ranchers who are not nasty neighbors at all, they just happen to have cows.
We mix up a fly spray of Permectrin ii (no substitutes, we found out) and use that on the horses, have for years. It has residuals so that it doesn’t need to be reapplied so often and really works.
Tried the fly predators to no avail. Even called the company to discuss - unless the neighbors are using the predators and/or effective fly control, you will not have much luck. Same if you have a wooded area and/or stream or a lot of rainfall - they like moist areas with organic matter. You might get rid of flies hatched at your property but they will fly over 1/4 mile to get a meal. Face flies will travel over a mile. Fly predators have little to no effect on horse/deer flies.
Not to say they won’t work in your instance, but I gave up on the fly predators after using them (and doubling up on shipments) for several years but still had a fly problem. I am using the hanging fly traps, daily fly spray, fly masks with swat on the nose, and especially manure management. I have found that staying on top of the manure in the paddocks and dragging the pastures have helped the most along with fly spray. We still have quite a lot of face flies, so masks are on all day, every day.
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