Failing fly spray

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Cherylx

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Hey all!

I am now on my second type of fly spray. They just don't seem to be working and my little mare is still getting bitten everywhere.

I am also using a citronella wash when she has a bath (leave in).

She does have a fly rug but she itches like crazy and it will just get torn (on cool and hot days she's like baloo with the trees).

Any ideas appreciated. Thank you lovely people xx
 
Or bring in during the day. We always start doing that as soon as the horseflies appear which is usually around now for us.
 
If you are talking about horseflies, they hunt by sight so no repellant is going to help. They look for large dark shapes, so my almost black horse is very much favourite, and hence the rugs with zebra stripes. Really only fly rugs help - does she have an allergy which is maker her itch? In which case she is pretty much like a sweetitch horse and there are as many remedies as there are owners of affected horses, you will need to do some research.
Meanwhile electric fencing is your friend, stop her scratching and the itch will decrease - I find stabling mine makes him worse because he can scratch on the stable door etc.
If you are just having a problem with other flies, Power Phaser is the one I found most effective.
 
Spot On , but you may not be able to get it however just once a month stops them. Butox swish is another alternative sometimes can get 10 weeks control. Neither licenced for horses guess why? Been using for 15yrs and no problems to report on large numbers.
 
I can't advise, I don't have much experience of itchy horses but I wanted to share something that has surprised me. My sister's horse used to react very badly to midges - she would rub her mane and tail away at dusk and used to wear a Boett and get bathed regularly. This year she has not yet worn a fly rug and is relatively untroubled. I use Neem oil on her mane and tail regularly (having read about it on here). The only other things that have changed are - she has not had a bath in nearly 3 years and she gets Mag Ox, and Brewer's Yeast in her diet.
I don't know which if any of these things has helped, or if we have just been lucky and there have been fewer midges this year; but the improvement in this one horse is marked. I hope it continues and is not just a flash in the pan.
 
Be careful using Spot on as it caused swelling on my TB when I used it. It might be ok on thicker skinned types though. I am trying Deosect this year as my mum had good results with it last year
 
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