Clegs ( horse flies )

[moscow_mule]

I react to cleg bites, read itching, swelling and blistering around the bite site, despite taking antihistamines.
Is there anything I can do to stop me being a cleg buffet and enjoy summer riding?
Thanks

 

[Lady Jane]

I take anthihistamine every day but double the dose if I get a bite.Cover my arms when riding when they are bad and use various types of repellant - none of which I am convinced work! Look forward to other suggestions

 

[Red-1]

If I get bitten, I use the little zapper, like a tiny taser. It stings while you zap, but in a nice way. It seems to kill the poison, dry it up or whatever.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Smidge and phaser works for for me with horse flies. They are persistent little buggers.

 

[ozpoz]

Hide indoors for the 2 weeks they are troublesome- they are vicious beasties?

 

[brighteyes]

Hide indoors for the 2 weeks they are troublesome- they are vicious beasties?

"...the 2 weeks they are troublesome..." in which utopia do you live? We have the evil critters for at least a month.

 

[moscow_mule]

2 weeks.... I swear to god they live all summer

 

[Shooting Star]

2 weeks.... I swear to god they live all summer

Yep we seem to get them from mid June through to at least August ? ... and today we had the joy of being joined by a very determined bot fly too, so happy days now they’re also out to cause mayhem!

 

[spotty_pony]

I have just bought some jungle formula spray and it's fab!

 

[moscow_mule]

If zebra stripe fly repellent rugs work.... why can we not have fly(cleg) repellent clothing? Just asking

 

[ozpoz]

I had some rubbery Australians jeans that worked once. I wish I could remember the brand.

 

[moscow_mule]

The bastards hunt by sight ... not smell, hence most ( all ) fly repellent do not work on these feckers

 

[SEL]

Bit me through my leggings today. I am going to be scratching my knee for days ?

 

[holeymoley]

I’m interested to hear any tips too, I can get very bad cellulitis if they get me ?

You have just reminded me i have a zebra striped ride on fly rug!

 

[moscow_mule]

Antihistamine, cold compress( ice or frozen peas ) or all the above
you have my sympathy and empathy

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I killed my first one today. I hate them with a passion. Bad news is that these evils winged insects can smell your blood up to a 1km away. You must be particularly tasty. I take to spraying myself with the horses fly spray when we go out riding. Ready supply of anti histamine tablets and cream are essential summer purchases.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I’ve got four of the damn bites on my legs currently, they’re everywhere here.

 

[moscow_mule]

So if

I killed my first one today. I hate them with a passion. Bad news is that these evils winged insects can smell your blood up to a 1km away. You must be particularly tasty. I take to spraying myself with the horses fly spray when we go out riding. Ready supply of anti histamine tablets and cream are essential summer purchases.

I don't know whether

I’ve got four of the damn bites on my legs currently, they’re everywhere here.

outchy

 

[Ownedby4horses]

So if

I don't know whether

outchy

We are off to the forest later today so I will be armed with phaser for me too. I need to find a zebra ride on fly rug over here, as between my mare and myself, I think we are particularly tasty, as we seem to attract them all ?.

 

[PurBee]

Zebra clothing…its the only way!

youll look like doreen from birds of a feather….but needs must! ?

 

[rabatsa]

Long sleeves and light colour. Clegs hunt by detecting heat and dark is warmer.

I put up two horsefly traps this summer and they were catching them 10 days before the first one was seen on an equine.

 

[Red-1]

If zebra stripe fly repellent rugs work.... why can we not have fly(cleg) repellent clothing? Just asking

I have been looking on eBay, loads of long sleeved tunics/shirts!

Have a look at these photos from my I bought a Cob thread, got us both decked out in stripes. On me it is just a striped skirt tho.

 

[Red-1]

Here is a photo. I do have the striped backside too, but we were on the road that day so had a day-go backside and striped front!

The weather cooled down today, I dug some more of the zebra pantomime horse outfit out of storage. Aaaaaand...
Tonight, we had a fabulous ride out! The stripes really do keep the flies away. Bliss! Photos courtesy of a kind neighbour.

Rigsby has been on some rather expensive gut medicine, £200 so far

but it has worked! He was up for a lovely ride out tonight. No plodding for Riggers, he was a cob on a mission! We were out for an hour and a half, our longest ride yet, and he came back striding out just the same as when he was fresh.

Happy days!

I am so glad I cancelled everything a few weeks ago. I knew he was not enjoying himself, and was puzzled as he wasn't lame. Sore guts, explains it all. He must be relieved that I listened, and I am glad that I asked Fiona to come and take a look. She is a one off. Amazing. No conventional signs of ulcers, on a teenage horse with many issues, and she was adamant that it wasn't feet or lameness, also that Rigsby wasn't ready to retire quite yet. I think she has X ray eyes!

View attachment 73983
View attachment 73984

 

[TheHairyOne]

Ambling away on a long rein out hacking yesteday, chatting away and then I am in a bush! Poor horse had one on his face and was trying to brush it off. Bush failed, but I managed to kill that one.

I however did get got, on the knee as is often the case and its SO itchy and huge. Hate them, really hate them. But never knew them as clegs, so learnt something today.7

 

[cremedemonthe]

Must be lucky this year, haven't seen any or been bothered by any yet. Usually see some when out in my field and up the lane but generally they don't bother me that much as I think I must taste awful to them, they try to bite me then stop and fly off!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I haven't seen any yet (famous last words) but my sister has seen and killed one.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Out in force from today..thank goodness I’d got both ponies fly rugs ready. Unfortunately I was in black clothing and although I’d sprayed Jungle formula spray on me the b*****s were landing on me.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Killed another today. SPLAT! Immensely satisfying.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I ride with whips that have a 'ponytail' attached (forget the proper name!) so I can flick cleggs off me and the horse. Horses wear light green ride on fly rugs with a frond and a fly fringe on their browbands. Plus Tritec14 is applied everywhere known to man. I wear bright / light colours too. On a bad day I have been known to wear a midgie net over my hat. God knows what the neighbours think!

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Are ride on fly sheets suitable for all work? Took horse to a canter track with a friend and we had to stop as everyone was being eaten alive by the barstewards. My horse was trying to remove them in fast canter, it was not fun....