Extreme reaction to flies, not sure what to try next??

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Ginn

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Long story short have a very sensitive mare who has always got a little upset by the flies but until this year nothing out of the ordinary...

This year on the other hand she is repeatedly reacting in a totally irrational way (exploding when she feels them on her, let alone when they bite!) and today in her bid to escape them jumped 6 lots of electric fencing and a 5 bar gate!

She wears an Amigo Bug Buster fly rug, mask and is covered in fly spray daily with extra application when ridden so not too sure what to try next??

Have wondered about Spot On (for cattle/sheep) but don't know how effective it is? Have also thought that I may bring home their fly rugs and soak them in a citronella bath (or similar) over night as the insecticide in the rugs has, imo, never really been very good.
 
Yep, do that too provided weather not horrendous at night. Doesn't seem to change the behaviour and makes riding almost impossible when she gets upset.
 
I used Global Herbs Skratch last summer and found that flies landed less on my boy than the others. They do a product called FlyFree which, I think, does the same (similar herbs in both). I also feed Brewers Yeast / Marmite which seems to help too. The Global Herbs stuff smells really strong and I find you have to introduce it very gradually or the smell seems to put most off - I don't think it tastes of much as they will eat it happily once they get used to the funny smell!
 
I've one that is very sensitive to flies, and found the only rug that really helps is the sweet itch hoody, as it is a bit thicker, fits more round the belly and goes over the ears.

I echo the leave them in during the day comment.

Haven't found a fly spray yet that does anything! I kind of feel that you may as well pin a tenner on their rugs, and miss out the tack shop, for what they're worth!
 
Will look into sweet-itch hoodies. Reason we got the Bug Buster was that it is very tailored under the belly but obviously doesn't cover her enough??? Only reservation about rugs which attach to ears is that she has a very long neck and most rugs with a neck only go half way along it... do the SI hoodies have longer necks then the average full neck rug??

Re putting things in feed... if they have a smell then I can guarantee she won't eat it (fussy madam) which only complicates matters. Have tried marmite (won't eat it), garlic, brewers yeast etc and all have had no effect what so ever :(
 
My boy completely 'lost it' today on a hack due to horse flies. I have never known him to be so upset. I actually got off and led him the last few hundred yards and he so disrespected my space, so unlike him!

I do keep him in during the day when flies are bad as he hates fly spray as indeed do I. The less chemicals the better. He also dislikes rugs. I shall only hack, away from trees, and in the evening or very early morning for the meantime.

Jane
 
Thanks Pastie2 - will try and get some of that too! Am thinking Spot On on the horse and a fly tag on rugs/tack might just do the job then :)
 
Excellent thanks! How often do you apply? Every 8 weeks or just keep topping it up every 2-3? And would it be ok to pop a wee bit on her belly, just infront of her teats (which currently looks very sore where she's been bitten and kicked herself!) to keep the flies away from her lady bits?
 
Just a suggestion: but you might need to consider a "Boett" rug?? They're used for sweet itch horses but as yours has an extreme reaction to flies then it might just be what you need. They're not cheap, but apparently do the job very well.

Mine has a Rambo Sweet Itch Hoody and that seems to do him OK, plus a fly mask when its really bad.

I've heard that the Snuggy Hoods sweet itch rugs are good too, but haven't ever tried one myself. Again, not cheap.
 
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