Riding the bug sensitive horse when the flies are awful

[Alterration]

We’re already wearing all the things - a full sheet, ear bonnet, leg fly boots…and these help, but this leaves his belly and the upper thigh area unprotected. This is fine when trotting or cantering, but walk work is still bug-impacted by the few square inches that are exposed. The flies here bite hard, and leave welts on 3 of my 4 horses.

Is there anything that works to encase the horse entirely in mesh, with the exception of the saddle area? This does seem to help repel the worst of the bugs (the dreaded B-52s) but still we struggle a bit.

Pictured is what we’ve got:

[Pico_Banana]

Oh, my. That is impressive.

All I have to add is that I recently tried the Spalding Labs fly spray. That stuff has been working ridiculously better than EcoVet (my previous go-to), UltraShield Black, Fly Sect, or OutSmart – all of which have been in rotation this summer.

[Posting_Trot]

I have been smearing a line of SWAT down the belly-line of my horse, and that seems to help a lot. (I’m also using SWAT on the lower legs).

[Djones]

the stripes are going to be the biggest help for sight feeders like deer flies, green heads, and horse flies. they are drawn to big blobs - horses, cows, deer, etc- the stripes- whether you use the mesh stripped sheet or lots of zinc lotion the stripes will help.

fly spray just does very little to deter sight feeders.

[lenapesadie]

A screened in riding arena is starting to sound good huh? Sorry no real suggestions, but best of luck!

[Jackie_Cochran]

There is a very old fashioned remedy, if your horse will accept it.

The Fly Whisk.

I HAD to ride in woods, with lots and lots of deer flys (before widely available fly masks). My fly whisk was excellent also with flies of any type on the belly. Yes, the flies landed, but a fly whisk is basically a tail (it is made of horse tail hairs) and it works quite well. Of course you have to keep using it when the fly comes back.

If my horse’s skin started switching I used my fly whisk. For buzz bombers I had to use it hard and repeatedly. Y0u know when buzz bombers get right on top of the root of the horse’s tail? The fly whisk worked well.

My horses appreciated it back then (40 or so years ago.)

Introduce your horse to it first. Be sure to have a calm and happy face otherwise the horse might think it is a tail attached to an irritated horse.

[Alterration]

@lenapesadie

A screened in riding arena is starting to sound good huh? Sorry no real suggestions, but best of luck!

No kidding, or something we can ride through to brush them off LOL

[Alterration]

He may. I used to have one but the glue came off and the top fell apart. I might be able to use it in his groin area, when he does the frantic ‘kick at the fly’ routine, or the top of the thigh biting.

The sheet does a good job of deterring the bombers, provided I also wear light colors. But those dang little ones bite so hard here. Little jerks!

[Jackie_Cochran]

If I had to use it hard on a pesky fly I would say WHOA (or if I had to slap a buzz bomber to kill it). My horses soon realized that if a fly was biting them I was going to get after it, and what I did was NOT a signal to run off madly.

[Alterration]

Oh my boys definitely know the difference. Saddlebreds rule that way! They even will hold very still for me to get a bomber if one is after them. You can tell they are on their tiptoes hoping it won’t bite, but they know I’m getting it

[RMJacobs]

I had an Appy hony with a rat tail 20-some years ago. The first time I rode him in fly season, it was very disconcerting how he dealt with flies–he used a back hoof to flick them off. Fly spray never lasted long enough.

Rebecca

[outerbanks77]

@Posting_Trot

I have been smearing a line of SWAT down the belly-line of my horse, and that seems to help a lot. (I’m also using SWAT on the lower legs).

I finally tried War Paint because I needed something that would really keep flies off of healing wounds. Probably toxic as he!! because it’s way more concentrated, but it works and lasts. Does attract dirt, but what can you do.

[pompeiii]

A bubble? My boy is also allergic to fly spray (to the point his skin falls off) and natural stuff now burns his skin too. I just gave up, but this is our look when we do ride. I need to keep his fly boots on next time!

IMG_0998|666x500

[Alterration]

I’m glad it’s not just me. I hate the flies and the horses do too!

[quietann]

My dear mare would just stop, turn her head, and stare at me if there was an especially persistent fly that she couldn’t get rid of. I learned my job! She loved the fly whisk.

[TheHunterKid90]

I’m going the other way…my horses can tolerate a few flies. In fact, I don’t do fly sheets or masks. I fly spray for standing in the aisle if they are really getting attacked and I want to groom them, for farrier and vet work and for horse shows and trail rides.
I found the more things I did to try to keep the flies off of them, the more intolerant they got to even a single fly.
May not be the right answer but it’s a little tough love.

[Alterration]

I did that in PA where I used to live but not here in MO. These suckers leave welts on humans as well as horses. They aren’t annoying, they are painful. Horses naked in the pasture can stand it for about 20 minutes before they are frantic to come in. It’s normally too hot to wear sheets, so I’m glad we actually can!

[pompeiii]

I’m all for letting them deal to a point and then my boy became hypersensitive. I turned out without a fly sheet one night (rain) and he was covered in welts and hives in the morning. I take his sheet off (daily) in his stall, half the time he gets hand sized welts. These are from regular flies or green heads, not the big horse flies while under fans. The worse the welts? The more intolerant he’s gotten when I ride to flies near him.

That said, he just gets stressed and considers tossing himself on the ground vs running off. So it could be worse. He doesn’t actually do anything. The riding sheet helps a lot. And, to be honest, he’s becoming more tolerant since the steroids since he’s not covered in hives and welts on a daily basis. But using some fly spray to ride would help. But even immediately shampooing off isn’t enough.

[TheHunterKid90]

Have you tried natural fly sprays? A lady local to my area makes one that really works well and it’s mainly vinegar and essential oils.

[luvmyhackney]

Inside I groom in front of fans, but riding I just carry a fly swatter and get what I can. If they start bothering then we just move faster until they disappear.

I only use a fly mask currently and they can deal with the rest. Just too hot to ride in a fly sheet.