My poor horses are getting attacked by horse fly’s, they can tolerate all other bugs but when the horse fly’s land on them they go nuts. I have fly sprayed them and it only works for a few minutes, I have waited to turn them out later, now wondering if the fly sheets would work? I’m thinking they would just bite through the fly sheets. anyone have any luck with this?
thank you
Fly sheets are the only thing that offer any protection that I’ve found. Unless they get UNDER the sheet.
Here in Maine we have horse flies and moose flies at this time of year, and I do think fly sheets help - at least up to a point.
I use the Weatherbeata heavy duty variety, which has a belly band and an optional neck cover. This style offers good coverage, and is thick enough to prevent the larger flies from biting. The neck piece seems to get rather hot if there’s no breeze, though, and that’s the conundrum: the flies are at their worst when the weather’s the hottest. So I’d say that sheets are useful, but still an imperfect solution.
On the most terrible days I just bring them all in and turn on the fans, which they really seem to appreciate.
Physical barriers. No fly spray works on them.
Bug spray doesn’t work as horseflies go by sight and not smell. Fly sheets are great…until one gets trapped under it. Happened to my old now-deceased stoic TB many years ago. He lost his mind and almost killed himself. Extremely scary watching it happen and since that day I have stopped using fly sheets during the day. Just NOT worth it.
Best thing is shelter - shelters are typically darker inside and the big bugs don’t like dark places. My current TB will NOT leave her shed during the day when the big bugs are out - she’s not dumb!
I have one horse that deals with a bit of rain rot this time of year. After a good brushing, I soak his back and rump with a 60-40 mix of original Listerine and water.
He is out during the day but can come in the barn if he wants to. I think he has two horse fly bite bumps on him and they are not where I spray the Listerine/water.
All I can figure is that possibly the smell of the Listerine is masking the horse smell enough that the flies leave him alone on the area I soak him every day.
I don’t know, it’s all supposition.
The other horse is in a separate area and doesn’t get sprayed with anything — the flies like him so he goes in the barn and stands in front of the fan much of the day. He is insulin resistant so standing in front of the fan for a few hours is fine by me:)
Heavy artillery.
Look at the link on this thread:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?498073-Horsefly-trap
Ryansgirl nailed it - horse flies hunt by sight, not smell. That’s why fly sprays don’t work on them. They do not bite through fly sheets. I hand-graze my horse every morning while waiting for the chronically late barn staff and literally every day, I will see the big “bombers” just sitting on him, on top of his sheet, and there’s not even a flick of his tail. They aren’t biting him.
This helps
[QUOTE=dps;8799987]
My poor horses are getting attacked by horse fly’s, they can tolerate all other bugs but when the horse fly’s land on them they go nuts. I have fly sprayed them and it only works for a few minutes, I have waited to turn them out later, now wondering if the fly sheets would work? I’m thinking they would just bite through the fly sheets. anyone have any luck with this?
thank you[/QUOTE]
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172298648700?var=&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
These fly sprays works well, if you have a horse with sensitive skin, there is a effective water base spray too.
[QUOTE=jdobbs64;8800087]
Physical barriers. No fly spray works on them.[/QUOTE]
I disagree, although any fly spray is a temp fix as the flies reproduction rate is massive ! they’re systems (that are expensive) in place to keep them at bay,and work really well.
okay admittedly some fly spray doesn’t work but its a bit naive to assume that non works,
these products i’ve used for a good 40 years on my farm,
Effective fly spray.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172298648700?var=&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Fly spray system.
http://eqhorseproducts.com/spraymaster-automatic-insect-control-barn-system-kit-396-p.asp
EQ horse, I see you live somewhere in the UK. You may not have the same HUGE “horse flies” that we have in large areas of the USA. They can be a big as the end of your thumb! I’e had the misfortune to be bitten on my back by one and it was like having a hot nail driven into you. I use the same Pyranha fly spray, typically 3-4 times per day during the 2 months of Horse Fly season and it’s effect lasts flr maybe 20-30 min. Since my horse is at home (and I am retired) I have an ideal situation. My horse has access to a 12’x24’ run-in stall and can come and go freely. To make the interior dark the doors of the run-in are covered with heavy duty shade cloth. Air movement thru the interior is good but the inside is dim. Stable flies and Hose flies stay outside as flies are NOT NOCTURNAL. The best option is inside during the day, outside at night. But this doesn’t into the barn staff hours. It does work well.
