Bloody flies!

[Havital]

At my wits end with these flies. Been using barrier fly spray, leovet phaser fly spray, fly rug. I have nearly used a litre bottle in space of 3 days and still nothing is stopping from my mare being covered in fly bites. Some are enormous and I feel so sorry for her. Can anyone recommend anything else I can try? She’s currently stabled during the day which seems to help. I will attach some photos when I go back down later so you can see quite how many there are!! Any suggestions?

 

[Keira 8888]

I know exactly what you mean!!!! My poor horse was covered in huge huge bites despite wearing a fly rug and spray.
Have been keeping him in during the day.
I think I may have made a bit of a breakthrough though (fingers crossed) - yesterday evening when I put him out I smothered his bites in sudocrem and this morning the cream had been rubbed all across his body - probably from him rolling - but there were absolutely no new bites and the ones he had had the day before were much smaller.
So perhaps the smell and presence of the sudocrem was enough to deter them??! Who knows!

but having spent a small fortune on a Rambo hoody Vamoose, power phaser spray and gel and many more useless items - I am now holding out hope that the sudocrem might deter them!

Good luck with yours!
Keira x

 

[Follysmum]

Hedgewitch has been really good alongside a fly mask with eqwax on their muzzles Flies have been awful 24/7.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Mine have to stay out because their stables are like ovens in this heat, they have natural shelter so they are happier. The flies however, are just horrendous, they drive me insane so it must be awful for the boys. Ive been washing them over each evening with a dilute dettol wash, just a capful in an old supplement pot, then flyspraying on top, they all wear flymasks but I dont rug them, they are far too warm to do that. I also find slathering aqueous cream or sudocrem on their bellies and sheath areas stops flies biting, I think they get stuck in the goo!! Roll on autumn, I genuinely hate summer because of the flies and I dont do hot either

 

[Coblover63]

Have you tried the insecticides Tritec or Deosect?

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I am sitting outside a pub and just been introduced to a lady called Sarah who is manufacturing and promoting an essential oils Preparation. She’s dropping some literature in tonight and is at Richmond Equestrian Centre competition tomorrow. (Fly Away I think it’s called). Supposedly had great feedback from Australian users…I’m not sure what licences etc it has but will report back later if that’s any help.

 

[Nasicus]

Really rate Deosect, noticeable difference in the demeanour of all horses I've used it on when I've turned them out after. I put it on weekly, sometimes more often if it's been a bit wet, sometimes less if the flies aren't too bad. I use a sponge, or a rag or whatever to wipe it on their faces, including their muzzles and it does a great job of putting the ticks off.

 

[MyBoyChe]

I did try Deosect a couple of years ago, the one you have to mix up. Tbh I didnt think it was any better than the more common well known brands. I wonder if different horses and different flies mean than some things work for some people, but not others. Either way, I hate the little perishers!!

 

[Antw23uk]

Horrendous this year and I also dont rug due to the heat so a field safe headcollar with a fly fringe on brow and one across nose with a wipe of Power Phaser over face with sponge. He wont keep a fly mask on!

Find out the type of fly and then look for products. One size does not fit all with those buggers!

 

[Spottyappy]

We have successfully been using tritec a number of years, and no longer need to rug. Still use face masks though.
lim not overly happy that it’s an insecticide, but it definitely works, and is worth the cost imho.

 

[tristar]

i find over grooming and bathing makes the fly thing worse, a bit of good old skin grease and dust seems to help no end, i have one who has just come into work, and i`m in no hurry to polish him to perfection, he has only one small bite so far and he is mainly tb he does have a new fly rug waiting in the wings which he will use as and when needed

 

[atropa]

We have successfully been using tritec a number of years, and no longer need to rug. Still use face masks though.
lim not overly happy that it’s an insecticide, but it definitely works, and is worth the cost imho.

I went all the way to Arizona to purchase Tritec and in the end didn't find any difference between that and Phaser - i.e., neither worked!

 

[Keira 8888]

I guess it must depend on the horse ??‍

Whoever finally cracks it and produces a 100% effective solution will be a millionaire!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I rode last night and used Lincoln spray on one and Power Phaser Gel on the other. The one with the gel on his head was fine, the other one had a cloud of black flies from ears to nose round his. Lesson learnt, use gel on both of them ? I like the Lincoln gel but can’t seem to get it at the moment hence the spray for DP and Phaser gel for B who doesn’t do hissing sprays but it worked well. I don’t like using chemicals but the flies this year have been horrendous and it just isn’t fair on them so its fly masks and chemicals for now.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I went all the way to Arizona to purchase Tritec and in the end didn't find any difference between that and Phaser - i.e., neither worked!

I've been using TriTec since it got imported here, does a great job imho, knocks Phaser into a cocked hat.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Agree that the flies are very bad atm.

I've been using Switch/Flypor for the first time this year. It's permethrin based and you apply it once a week. It is working pretty well.

 

[Red-1]

Mine is in during the day as it is too hot with a rug on between 10am and 6pm, and the flies are too bed to be out without one.

At night he is out with the new Hot Horse fly spray, a zebra rug, face mask as a spritz of TriTec to finish off.

To ride we are both rugged in zebra stripes, with the fly sprays as above.

No bites visible and he isn't scratching.

 

[spotty_pony]

At my wits end with these flies. Been using barrier fly spray, leovet phaser fly spray, fly rug. I have nearly used a litre bottle in space of 3 days and still nothing is stopping from my mare being covered in fly bites. Some are enormous and I feel so sorry for her. Can anyone recommend anything else I can try? She’s currently stabled during the day which seems to help. I will attach some photos when I go back down later so you can see quite how many there are!! Any suggestions?

I will pm you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I will pm you.

Please do not try and sell your unlicensed and untested product on here. It's fine to use it on your own horses, but not to sell it.

 

[spotty_pony]

Please do not try and sell your unlicensed and untested product on here. It's fine to use it on your own horses, but not to sell it.

who said anything about that? I have pmd the OP.

 

[Havital]

Thank you everyone. I will try some different brands. Perhaps try gels and creams rather than sprays to see if that makes any difference. In all the years of knowing her I have never ever quite seen bites as bad as they are right now... I have also seen some fly traps but in a bit dubious about those ?

 

[windand rain]

Simple dettol 70% and 30% water works best round here patch test first its a strong solution and makes you smell interesting but it soothes the bite and seems to prevent more and if you are lucky enough to spray the fies they die instantly. Please test for 24/48 hours first though

 

[motherof2beasts!]

I really rate absorbine ultrashield it is amazing. Isn’t licenced in Uk to use on horses but is on horse premises comes in spray bottle. My horse is sensitive and hasn’t had any bad reactions !

 

[Spottyappy]

I went all the way to Arizona to purchase Tritec and in the end didn't find any difference between that and Phaser - i.e., neither worked!

Maybe the UK flies aren’t so hardy! My friend in Cyprus said it wasnt that effective out there.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Well…the lady isn’t much of a business woman…she had me..an interested…semi committed buyer with access to a yard of potential buyers and nothing dropped off with me. I even got into my truck to go to yard and she wasparked next to me with doors open and nothing….I’m sticking to Phaser…fly rugs and bringing in during the day .

 

[Carrottom]

Does anyone has any advice for bot flies? We only used to see the occasional one but both my boys had one around them this afternoon.

 

[L&M]

Thank you everyone. I will try some different brands. Perhaps try gels and creams rather than sprays to see if that makes any difference. In all the years of knowing her I have never ever quite seen bites as bad as they are right now... I have also seen some fly traps but in a bit dubious about those ?

We tried the fly traps - they stunk and although they caught hundreds of flies I think they attracted more to the field in the first place, so counter productive.

I also had one burst on me when trying to dispose it, was like a scene out of a horror movie!!!!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I don't think anything will deter bot flies. You need to kill them. Catch them in your hand and squash them, they don't have a sting and can't hurt you. Only way to deal with them is by using the right wormer at the right time and hoping everyone else does too.

 

[Carrottom]

I don't think anything will deter bot flies. You need to kill them. Catch them in your hand and squash them, they don't have a sting and can't hurt you. Only way to deal with them is by using the right wormer at the right time and hoping everyone else does too.

I thought as much, I managed to kill both today but it took a while because they wouldn't stand still. I usually try to remove the eggs and worm appropriately.

 

[Tihamandturkey]

I'm using lemon eucalyptus essential oil - 20 drops in a spray bottle with water & it's really doing the job ?