So the dreaded bombers are out, harassing my horses as usual. As an experiment, I painted zebra stripes on their backs with white Crayola non-toxic waterbased paint – and it worked! Not a single bomber landed on them. The paint even stayed on all night.
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What a great idea!!! Thank you.
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Is it a thing that horse flies wont land on zebras? LOL
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What a GENIUS idea!!!
They were literally swarming my sweating sorrel a few nights back. I told him to get in the barn where the drum fans were blowing hot air but at least the horse flies stayed outside.
I’ll betcha I pick up some white crayola non toxic water based paint when I go to town today!!
I have read time and again zebra stripes keep the bombers away. - I don’t get it but if the white paint thing works — I’m in:cowboy_hat_face:
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Wow! Kinda cool!
2 of mine are White/ Gray appaloosa’s and the other a Dun. Would I have to paint black stripes???
Yes they are here too.
Will this work on deer fly?
Yes - paint black stripes
Any pattern will work – in a contrasting color = white on dark horses, black on very light colored horses – you can even do a checkerboard pattern, a bunch of palm prints or circles, stripes of course – any shapes or patterns that makes your horse NOT be a big, dark (or light) moving blob on the landscape.
Latest research suggests that contrasting patterns somehow confuse the bombers heat seeking ability (while flying) to sense a proper vein from which to get a blood meal. Veins cause warmer temps on the surface of a horse’s hide. Who knew!
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to the Dollar store!
I already polkadot my horse’s neck where flies bother him most. He gets raw spots from the bites & rubbing.
The hot pink Swat seems to help (courtesy of another COTHer).
I might try “painting” the other 2 just for fun. 
And because they’ll look funny 
Do people find leopard applies or very busy Pinto’s get less bomber action?
My 50/50 black/white tobiano was never as bothered by any kind of fly as my two dark, solid mares.
It’s odd, but my chestnut and white pinto always has worse flies than the other 3. I don’t know why. I do think my black and white paint gets fewer flies, and solid brown or black horses get an average amount. My buckskin never has flies but he has a tantrum if they land on him so I think the flies just give up and go to an easier target.
Perhaps flies like the easiest meal they can find. I’ve had some horses that just didn’t care if they were getting bitten. One appaloosa just never seemed to be bothered. He could have deer flies on his face and never even shake his head.
