Stinky traps / spooky horse?

[Julesandmel]

Has anyone had a horse get spooked by the ‘decomp’ odor of stinky fly traps?

I recently had cameras installed and have noticed my ClydeX mare acting nervous and pacing near the barn in her stall/run throughout the day. She only really goes out the run to the back pasture at night. (Always left open)

I also recently hung two particularly fragrant stink traps on opposite ends of the back pasture. Last night I removed them.

ClydeX mare is currently daytime grazing in back pasture.

Could that have been it?

[Scribbler]

Possibly. No horse is going to like the smell of carrion as that warns of predators and danger. You could do deliberate experiments and see her reaction.

[SusanO]

I used to use those and I put them on the floor of the barn hallway outside the stalls. Supposedly you trapped more flies with them down low. My horses did not give them a second glance and my mare went over and kicked one over one day on her way in to her stall. YUCK!!! It was full of flies and was really ripe. Just what I wanted to smell in the barn. She didn’t care and obviously it didn’t bother HER.

[Julesandmel]

Well, the short answer is, I think, the stinky trap odor may have been contributing to her being a bit more spooky about the back pasture.

But having taken them away about a week ago now, that’s not the full story.

She continues to go out and graze and sleep all night in back pasture. Still spends some daytimes loafing around the stall and run.

One factor is that the winter rye has come up sooner and better in the middle/front pastures. This week I’ve given her a few mornings eating for an hour or so in the front where the rye is. It seems like later those days she’s more content to go to the back pasture.

I was researching sugars in pasture grass. It is higher at night. That’s got me wondering if she’s pining for the rye grass during the day and holding off to do the bulk of her grazing in back when the sugars are higher.

Any other thoughts? This is my first true draft-cross air fern. And it’s the first year just with just these two mares and keeping them separate so they won’t be so dependent on each other.

Thanks for your replies and thanks in advance for any further input!

[Julesandmel]

Ugh! I think you’re right about the height being a factor for catching flies. But my understanding is you want to place them well away from your barn so that you are drawing flies away from you and your horses to their death in the traps.