Does anyone know what these are?

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laurenpalmer

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In the hot weather, recently my horse has got big lumps on the front of his chest/ neck and flies are sticking into them. My friend came to me yesterday, worried about him and when we take the flies out, the lumps are left with what feels like scabs. She seems to think they are eggs, which is wierd because he doesn't have any cuts for them to lay in. She also said they were 'bot flies' laying 'bot eggs' but i have never heard of them.
I talked to the yard manager and she didn't have a clue and said that her daughter (who is a ventinary nurse) was worried because her horse had them too.
I was wondering if anyone elses horse has them or if anyone knows what they are. He now has a fly rug on and the lumps have gone down, but i am still curious.
Any suggestions appreciated..thanks
 
My horse has always had a bald patch on her chest (about 5p piece size) and if I don't put fly spray on it, loads of fairly small (not tiny though) flies attach themselves to it and suck my horse's blood!
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it gets a bit raw and bloody then, but doesn't bother her in the slightest apart from she tries to scratch the flies off occasionally. She also has patches along her midline under her belly where the flies stick to (like tiny black stalactites/stalagmites whichever one it is) and they stick to her udders too. I just brush them off with my hand and put loads of strong fly spray on, and keep it clean. She's never been lumpy though, just bald!
 
The front of the chest and half way up the inside of the neck, along with the underbelly, are the favourite dining haunts of flies. Your horse has, what most other horses at this time of year have, fly bites.

Rub some Summer Cream, for fly strike, on him as this also soothes aswell as repels the biting beggars!
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They're not any big deal, however sarcoids can result from them (depending on where the fly fed from last) so it is advisable to try to stop them from biting him there.
 
Good Morning,
Tia, what are those medium sized black flies (with yellowish bellies) that look as if they burrow in to the flesh called? Not like the UK horse or crab flies, these are evil sods, when they get me (through jeans) I come up in huge hard lumps that weep for days........gross
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Ok thanks tia, so the scab like things aren't eggs? When i pick the flies out, they are dead..and i don't remember my horse having them last year so i was just a bit concerned..thanks for your help!
 
mmmm my gelding getting dozens of those smaller blood sucking ones that youre talking about in one of these replies, what are they called? i clean his willy twice a day and have found the best repellant is jungle formula mosquito and insect repellent, used on humans, me! but its one of the few with citronella in, it works wonders, ive been looking for something good for days as im waiting for my citronella to arrive to make my own. you should always test an area first as if you were colouring your hair.
 
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