What do you all do for tick control? Moved the horses home and they’re out on a field which hasn’t seen horses for about 6 years. The ticks are making up for lost time much to our despair. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Mow the grass so that they dry out, cut back tree undergrowth, and if that doesn’t work you can buy stuff to put in a sprayer to kill ticks for a few months. I would use that as a last resort as it can kill good insects too.
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I use this product. I use a 6cc syringe and apply it to the back of fetlocks, on the forelock, along the mane and along the dock and some in the tail hairs. I reapply it every 2 weeks. I have found that it doesn’t cause a reaction with my thin/sensitive skinned OTTBs.
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Permethrin is what works. I use Equispot every couple of weeks. I also use Farnam Endure fly spray. Last season I took several off his head including one on an eyelid right near the lashes. Fortunately it hadn’t bit yet.
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I tried Equispot. MyOTTBs had an awful skin irritation/burning from it. Violent kicking, bucking, and rolling after application. I don’t get that reaction with this product, but it is still effective.
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I use the permethrin spray for your clothes- REPEL in a blue can.
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Funny you asked. My sister just found a vole in her yard with a tick on it. I found this report on using bait boxes that coat small mammals like mice and chipmunks with an insecticide that kills ticks.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170316112208.htm
As for the horses? Keep the grass short, check them frequently. Apply insecticide for ticks, like permethrin. And get some free range chickens, they love ticks :yes:
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Permethrin is indeed most effective for ticks. Equispot works well, but to a test spot to make sure your horse tolerates it, as above poster noted. I’ve not had a problem with it - I think it is a bit tingly going on, as one horse did twitch a bit, but he had no other reactions after that. I did have to quit using Endure on my sensitive OTTB as it made his skin peel, but he is ok with a different water-based fly spray that also has permethrin – the sprays are not as effective here as the equispot is though.
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Interesting. I might give it a try. I’ve been using Farnam’s Bite Free spray and really like it, but I have to spray my mare every day, it doesn’t last.
I recently bought a tick infested horse. I sprayed him everyday with ultra-shield and pulled off ticks with tweezers. I think I pulled off like 30+ ticks in a day. He had even more.
I haven’t found ticks on him or the other 3 since. I’ve also seen other people’s horses have a reaction to the equispot stuff.
The UltraBoss in the link above is what my vet recommended too, after my horse had allergic reactions to Equispot (it seemed to sting him). It’s worked very well and doesn’t bother my horse at all.
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Diatomaceous earth. Google it
We use guinea fowls. Very effective, if you can keep them alive… I’ve tried sprays and various spot-on, and with two herds of horses roaming free in pastures that can’t be manicured, they are simply not effective for me. Guinea fowls aren’t easy though. We’ve tried many years, and finally, this year, I’m seeing success. So far, I’m only seeing occasional ticks.
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I use equispot, it works but need to keep up with it. For 14 days my horse is tick free, but at day 15 all bets are off.
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