The fly sensitive horse and showing...

[elizabeth_Callahan]

My TB mare hates flies- on her, near her, within 10 feet of her- you get the picture. When schooling, I can stop and apply a second( or third…,) coat of fly spray, which keeps the twitching, swishing and shaking to a minimum. However, showing is a different matter. I travel by myself, and as much spray as I put on before warmup, it is gone by the time I enter the ring- which leads to a less than optimum test.
I want to carry a bottle to warm up and ask the warm up steward to spray her. I’d do it myself, but mounting in a crowded warmup might make the whole test a moot point…
Any thoughts if this is 1) allowed
2) a stupid idea?

Suggestions?

[CHT]

Warm up in a Fly Rider (fly sheet made for riding). It is possible to take off when you are on the horse, but practice at home. Use the roll on fly “spray” and/or swat for less visible areas (as seems to last longer than the sprays), and spray the rest.

Unless you are friends with the steward, I doubt they would want to fly spray your horse. Better off making friends with someone at the show and seeing if they will help you out.

[J-Lu]

I’m not sure about this piece of advice, but can you teach your mare to simply forge through and work? Can she learn that she’s working in the 1 or so hour of riding? how does she handle the flies in the other 23 hours of her life (is she indoors or turned out?)

You can certainly try to ask other competitor/their ground crew/the ring steward to spray your horse. Many dressage folks are friendly enough to cooperate. But I think if you put your energy towards getting your horse to pay attention to you rather than the flies, your general problem would be lessened. if that works.

[Caol_Ila]

Getting it to pay attention to you rather than biting flies is easier than done. I have not shown for years, but I’d be in a similar boat to her if did. I’d douse in fly spray and hope for the best.

As far as the other 23 hours of her life go, my horse, who hates the flies, wears a fly sheet with a neck piece that goes right up behind her ears. If she doesn’t have it on, she goes mental. When I ride, I put a fly mask over the bridle, and if it’s particularly bad, I have a hi-viz lightweight quarter sheet that keeps them off her back end, and a ‘don’t shoot me’ vest that fits over the shoulders.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv30/uilleannpiper/IMAG0418_zpsfea18b0d.jpg

This doesn’t help the OP, of course, because you obviously can’t show in that get-up. Make a fashion statement if you tried!

[alibi_18]

Stewards are not grooms. Even if it was your friend and at a small show, it would really be inappropriate to even think about asking the steward to do anything else than what s/he is paid for.

Learn to ride through it and hire a groom to spray your horse as needed.

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=alibi_18;8284395]
Stewards are not grooms. Even if it was your friend and at a small show, it would really be inappropriate to even think about asking the steward to do anything else than what s/he is paid for.

Learn to ride through it and hire a groom to spray your horse as needed.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree - if every rider asked the ring steward to do just one thing - the ring steward would be totally overwhelmed! Better to bring a bottle of flyspray, and hop off as you finish your warm up, give a quick spray, and hop back on. You might also try an ear bonnet, see if that helps? They are legal.

And maybe try a flyspray that lasts longer - some of the pricier ones are good for an hour or so.

I often show alone too - it is not as easy for sure!

[Saddle_Search]

Bugs in general

[QUOTE=elizabeth Callahan;8284203]
My TB mare hates flies- on her, near her, within 10 feet of her- you get the picture. When schooling, I can stop and apply a second( or third…,) coat of fly spray, which keeps the twitching, swishing and shaking to a minimum. However, showing is a different matter. I travel by myself, and as much spray as I put on before warmup, it is gone by the time I enter the ring- which leads to a less than optimum test.
I want to carry a bottle to warm up and ask the warm up steward to spray her. I’d do it myself, but mounting in a crowded warmup might make the whole test a moot point…
Any thoughts if this is 1) allowed
2) a stupid idea?

Suggestions?[/QUOTE] I hear you, I have the same problem with my TB mare. I use SWAT, by Farnum, it is a cream and you can buy the clear formula (forego the pink one) I rub it on her belly as she kicks her belly to ward off flies. The cream usually lasts a day or so and it actually kills insects. Worth a try!

[elizabeth_Callahan]

She goes out 12 hours /night turnout , but has to have a full sheet/ neck cover when she goes out and is miserable even then. Stamps, hides in the shed etc. she really tries hard to listen, but is a full TB, and is very thin skinned. Have tried every fly spray on the market, and they do sweat off during warmup. Ear bonnet is not tolerated- has multiple aural plaques that make things touching her ears irritating to her.
Hopping on is not so easy at my age and with a hip replacement. A lot of warm ups have no mounting block and I can’t get on from the ground. Seems a little excessive to hire a groom to just come to the ring to spray my horse tho…
I was hoping someone had an elegant solution…

[SolarFlare]

A friend of mine has a hip problem too, and often needs to get off and rest before continuing on with her classes. She takes her own portable stepstool to shows and uses that. If you set it out somewhere it’s not in the way I can’t see it being an issue.

[Caol_Ila]

How is your mare at using Any Random Object as a mounting block? Trailers, cars, 5.9 fence climbing moves, rocks, diches, anything. Train your horse to stand rock solid by whatever object you think looks good, then you can clamber back on from anywhere.

[svvdressage]

When the bugs are really bad I use OFF on my mare, can you get a travel size and put it in you jacket pocket, spay her from on top and throw it in a corner before you go in?

[alibi_18]

[QUOTE=elizabeth Callahan;8284716]
Seems a little excessive to hire a groom to just come to the ring to spray my horse tho…[/QUOTE]

Of course!!! Especially since there is a steward standing there anyway who could help you for free…

I was hoping someone had an elegant solution…

When there is something you cannot do on your own, the elegant solution is to pay someone to spray your mare. The person will be there when/where you need her to be. An extra 5-10$/day shouldn’t bust your show budget. You can always find “Readers” or “Braiders” who wouldn’t mind the extra bucks.

Or bring a friend with you that could play the groom role for the day.

[Gestalt]

Have you tried the spray called Pyrahna? (sp). It’s the only one I’ve found that works for a good hour. Also, if you are open to outside ideas, see if a holistic vet can recommend something to help with her overall hyper sensitivity.

[PeanutButterPony]

Pyrana works, as does OFF. Spray her with an aerosol of OFF. Get her trained to letting you spray her from the saddle…hang your warm up bag somewhere that you can ask random strangers to hand you the bottle

[elizabeth_Callahan]

Alibi
I’m from the eventing world, where our steward / bit checker, etc, would not mind in the least. I was just asking. I show by myself and always have- no reader, no braider, no groom and wouldn’t even know where to find such a person. We eventers are used to doing things on our own,hence the reason I’m asking if it is ok to ask !
I was hoping to get suggestions like the little aerosol of Off in my pocket and different fly spray that might last through sweat. I appreciate the idea of paying someone 5$ to carry the fly spray to the warm up and spray the mare, but it is difficult to find kind strangers who have nothing better to do than carry my spray to the ring and wait for my 20 min warmup, when their rider is there. Everyone has better things to do, including my family, who equate going to dressage shows with having their fingernails pulled out with pliers.

[CHT]

What about the Absorbine fly wipes? You could put them in your pocket and wipe your horse from the saddle (some places anyway). Most of the harder to reach places are hard to see, in which case the Swat might work.

Have you ever tried the bands that are supposed to repel insects? We can’t buy them in Canada, but I have always wondered if they work. I assume they would be show legal.

[Clear_Blue]

I have found copious clear SWAT @ face, ears, chest, belly, thighs, racing stripes on croup to work the best.

[J-Lu]

[QUOTE=alibi_18;8285001]
Of course!!! Especially since there is a steward standing there anyway who could help you for free…

When there is something you cannot do on your own, the elegant solution is to pay someone to spray your mare. The person will be there when/where you need her to be. An extra 5-10$/day shouldn’t bust your show budget. You can always find “Readers” or “Braiders” who wouldn’t mind the extra bucks.

Or bring a friend with you that could play the groom role for the day.[/QUOTE]

What an interesting response. You make it sound like the OP is trying to scam people.

Do you pay people to read your test for you? Honestly, who here pays people to read tests for them?

There are people who pay for every small detail of their showing experience and are not interested in helping others…and that’s fine. There are other people who are willing to help each other out at shows. I’m certain that the OP can find like-minded people- she’s only asking for fly spray. I have shown in groups and alone, and have found people to be incredibly helpful. In turn, I’ve helped people I don’t know.

If I were a steward at a show and someone truly in need needed a some squirts of fly spray, i’d be happy to oblige. Esp. if it is a small show and esp. if you know the steward (most of whom are not paid), there is no reason not to ask. Likely they know your situation and are happy to help - that’s why they are volunteering in the first place.

[Schatzi09]

I often show alone as well and have asked the random person standing ringside to fly spray or even tighten my girth. I’ve never encountered anyone that turned me down. I do try to ask someone that looks comfortable around horses. I don’t ask the guy that looks like the father of the 10 yr old child that’s holding a video camera but there are usually enough rail birds hanging around that I don’t think you’ll have an issue!

[Gloria]

I myself have no problem fly spraying for any competitors at any dressage shows. As long as I don’t have to run to their stalls to hunt for that bottle for them, it’s all kosher. It really is no big deal, and I can’t imagine ring stewards would take offense for it. Maybe I just run with a friendlier crowd.

Have you tried Endure? I buy it by the gallon, and it is the only thing that seems to work for more than ten minutes. Usually I just spray in strategic spots. In bad bug days, I make sure to coat it thoroughly on all sides of hair follicle by using soft brush to brush the hair back and forth with it.