Blood-sucking insects attacking horses ears

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Delphidazzler

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Yesterday the horses were going nuts in the field. I got them in quick and found that two out of the four had been badly attacked by bloodsucking insects inside their ears. Has anyone got any idea what they are - and what is the best course of action to prevent it happening ? Have smothered the edges of ears with Deet based gel insect repellant and am trying to locate 4 sets of ear nets, but have never come across this before. Any ideas ?
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I use a fly cream mixed with a bit of vaseline to make it thicker. Someone on here recomended using "Heel to hoof" cream which I tried as well and it keeps them out. I think the key is to put somthing quite sticky in the ears that creates a barrier so the flies can't bite.
 

Feeding garlic also makes horses less attractive to bloodsucking insects, and has other benefits as well, especially in horses fighting infection, convalescing etc. You can research this online. Some people feed whole cloves and some horses eat it like that. Most horses will eat garlic if you mince it up and put it in their feed. We get three bulbs of garlic, peel the cloves, and put them through a food processor with a couple of tablespoons of honey, and enough cider vinegar to make it goopy. Should fill a 300mL jar. This keeps in the fridge for a week. I add about 50mL to my horse's feed once or twice daily when she needs it, e.g. when there is a virus going around. I have noticed that she gets far less fly and mosquito bites, and far less general insect attention, when she is on this mix.
 
Fly masks are the best deterrent, although I have found Sudocreme to be surprisingly effective if you manage to get it onto the inside of the ears and not either just on the hair inside the ears, or splodged on the floor/your trousers as horse squirms to avoid cold creamy stuff
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I have been wiping my horses ears with Jungle Spray for humans and has been very effective. Another good one i used last Summer was Autan for humans a lot bette than the horsey ones available.
 
Not very aesthetic BUT really works is 'summer fly cream' made for flystrike in sheep, cattle etc but safe for use on horses also not expensive! I've used it for years in ears and around navel & underside etc and always keeps them off! I say not aesthetic as it is bright yellow!! (use a surgical/rubber glove to apply or hand will go yellow!!) Yellow disappears within a day, although I possibly wouldn't use on a grey etc incase of staining. I do believe that net tex do the same product but in a clear version, but haven't been able to find it locally though.
 
There was a post about this last week......I rub a bit of green oil (Lincoln or Pettifers) on cotton wool inside the ears....a natural oil, stops them biting and stops any potential infection.

I dont know what the blighters are but I've been aware of them ever since I have owned horses (15 years)....they come at different time of the year but are truly a pain in the a**e for the horses!
 
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