Ticks

[endlessclimb]

TL;DR: Horses are on a property with no tall grass - where are the ticks coming from? Could it be the hay? What works as a preventative - can I use Seresto collars on their legs or something?

Longer version: I went on a trail ride a few weeks ago. A few days following, my older horse had a swollen leg and I pulled several ticks off that leg. Antibiotics started per vet recommendations. None of the other horses who went on that trail ride had any (that we found). In my mind, it was cut and dried - he had stepped in a nest or something and got a bunch in one go.

Now, a week and a half later, I just pulled one off my young mare’s neck. That couldn’t have been from that trail ride, right?

So where are these icky things coming from? The property is super well cared for, the horses are on “grass” but it’s eaten way way down and could not house ticks. Could the ticks be coming from the hay? I pull ticks off the barn cats on a regular basis, and they’re out in the hay field all the time.

Also, what can I use as a preventative? Can I use Seresto collars on all 4 legs? Can I coat the tube part of a tube sock in deet or perethrin and leave it on their ankles?

This is the first time I have ever had this problem, so I’m open to any and all suggestions!

[S1969]

@endlessclimb

Horses are on a property with no tall grass - where are the ticks coming from? Could it be the hay?

Just had this conversation with my SO who is a golfer and didn’t believe he could get a tick on him.

They are in the short grass too. They fall off deer and other mammals and crawl until they find a host. If you went to your barn at night, you might be surprised to see how many deer are grazing in with the horses.

As for prevention, I don’t know. I just sprayed my horses legs and bellies really well with pyrethrin. But I also know that they are seasonal surges to ticks - my dogs are coming in covered with them right now but that’s new. I’m in NY; can’t remember where you are but hopefully with the first frost some of them will find deep cover for the winter.

[endlessclimb]

For whatever reason this property does not see deer. I look for signs of them constantly, and even in the rut they don’t even pass through. I’m there at twilight most weeknights, and they’re nowhere to be found, even with wooded islands all around. I’ve wondered why, but it is what it is.

Other small mammals, YES. The BO thinks it’s cute that she has a family of skunks living under her utility shed. I’d remove those suckers in a heartbeat but she loves them and it’s her place…

Well crap. Do you have an effective way to check the horses for them? The old man is ultra wooly, and it’s HARD to check him head to tail. I’m about to clip the young one again, so she should be easier to check. Do you just use a tick comb and get as much as you can?

God, ticks give me the jeebies.

[FjordBCRF]

I use Ultrasheild Black, it has permethrin which kills ticks. A lot of fly sprays contain the chemical. I didn’t realize it at first until I stopped using it in the fall when the flies started dying down and I started having ticks to pick off. Started it up again, and no issues.

[trubandloki]

I spray my horse’s legs, belly, and tail with Deep Woods Off (or the store brand equal).

[endlessclimb]

I’ve used this for trail rides for mosquitoes but always washed it off when I got home - have you ever had a horse react to it?

[endlessclimb]

We did put away the fly spray not long ago, I use Ultrashield Black as well and didn’t even think of this as a potential reason why the problem just started. THANK YOU!

[trubandloki]

@endlessclimb

I’ve used this for trail rides for mosquitoes but always washed it off when I got home - have you ever had a horse react to it?

I have not known a horse that reacted to it.
That does not mean there is not one out there that does.
I have friends who use it too.

[FjordBCRF]

You bet! I was starting to pull my hair out about tick prevention and then realized I already had the solution on hand

[endlessclimb]

It’s worth a shot, I really don’t want to have both horses end up with tree-trunk legs due to ticks. Do you think it would be worth it to soak a tube sock (with foot cut off) in it? Or does it last a decent amount of time just sprayed on the hair?

[trubandloki]

I have never tried to soak a sock.
I just spray it on like I would fly spray.

We have a pretty large deer population that travels thru.

[endlessclimb]

How often do you reapply? Do you soak it pretty deeply, or just a mist?

[Simkie]

Frontline spray is stellar for ticks. Spray on the popular tick areas (armpits, groin, tail head, under jaw, along the underside of the mane) and rub in with a gloved hand. Repeat a couple times a week.

Agree that ticks are everywhere. It’s been a bad year for them. Deer mice are a host.

[endlessclimb]

Where are you getting your Frontline spray? Everywhere I look it’s out of stock!

[Tha_Ridge]

I’m in NJ, and we are still finding big fat ones on many horses at the barn. So gross. Purely anecdotal, but I Laser Sheen the crap out of my personal horses and find almost no ticks on them.

[endlessclimb]

I do too! I was actually thinking about that exact thing earlier - maybe more laser/show sheen would help? I spray them just about every other day.

I have deep woods off on hand, so that’s where I will start.

[MadTrotter]

You’ll want something oil based to stick of it’s rainy where you are. I like Equi Spot, it’s concentrated so you just streak it on the legs. Or one of the oil based fly sprays. Off! Works too but it’s spendy for horses I’ve found!

[Simkie]

@endlessclimb

Where are you getting your Frontline spray? Everywhere I look it’s out of stock!

Bah, well I just have some from before.

A good fly spray every day might do the trick, and the spot ons usually do a pretty good job. But this time of year where ticks seem to explode, and the teeny tiny ones are really active (and chock full o Lyme) I step up my game & start the Frontline.

You might also be able to use the frontline spot on treatments either as a spot on, or add it to your regular fly spray?

[emeraldcity]

Ticks are literally everywhere. Including, sometimes, dirt roads/driveways… you don’t even have to leave that surface to pick them up.

I live in tick heaven northern New England. I use Freedom 45 on my horse, and I never see evidence of tick bites on him. I do comb his legs with a flea comb after trail rides, and during bad seasons I’ll find 20+ (I’ve found well over 50 on occasion) live ticks, not attached. I guarantee I am not finding them all. But I don’t ever see bites. I think the Freedom 45 works really well and would personally not keep a horse/trail ride where I am without it.

[luvmyhackney]

I’ve been using show sheen like crazy to keep bot eggs off/easy to remove. So far no ticks.

In Loudoun County I had to spray daily with fly spray, used cat tick/flea collars, and frontline on the tail and legs. I was the only one who wasn’t finding ticks regularly.