Fly bites - tips for preventing and treating please

Bernster

Bernster

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Any tips please?

Firstly, to try and stop them in the first place. Thinking of getting a sweet itch rug to keep them off. Normal fly rug is ok but they get in under the belly so new nag looks like she's been attacked by a swarm of wasps on her tummy :( She doesn't seem uncomfortable but they don't look pretty and am sure she'd prefer not to have them! Or would some kind of supplement work? Don't think fly spray will last long enough for when she's turned out.

And, until I can get that sorted, any ideas for how to treat? Washing in some kind of lavendar shampoo/tea tree? Any sprays that I could try?

This might be another one to add to the thin skinned high withered TB thread :rolleyes:
 
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This is how my girly looked last night :( Think she's probably had a reaction from the bites as some of these are as big as my hand and solid.

I lavender-washed them, then hibbi-scrubbed, then put some Deet on them and a fly rug and then got her some Piriton to try...

Nasty little flies....this rainforest like, swamp weather is really not helping.
 
Huge and scary ! Your poor girl. Tinky's were just like that, but not so many of them thank goodness. Did all your treatments seem to help?

She wasn't itching them or anything, and seemed happy in herself, and fine to ride but they do look ugly don't they?? If she gets any around girth/saddle area, I won't ride though.

It's positively tropical round here atm. Sigh.

Good job I don't have plans to show her !
 
The only thing to prevent them in the first place is a sweet itch rug of the boett style. Boetts are hughly expensive though and you can get some good quality copies such as the one I bought which was the equitheme one. If you do get one, get a size larger than usual as they come up small.
 
They do seem to be keeping them at bay thank god.
My other boy has suffered with Sweet Itch (Hairy Show Connemara) since we bought him (11 years ago) and so we have had all of the rugs, lotions, potions and washes you can think of! Thes best rug we have found is the Mark Todd fly one- even better than the Boett imo. Fits perfectly and keeps him well covered (long backed, 15hh deep shouldered boy) plus is less expensive- bonus although he would have more expensive if it worked better!
http://www.equestriansuppliesshop.co.uk/products/Mark-Todd-Ultra-Combo-Fly-Rug.html

The best thing we have found for him is keeping his skin moisturised and covered all year round (he is NEVER without a neck cover when out unless it is snowy and he has his annual 10 minute play and roll!) we use Nettex Itch Salve which is very good and soothing for bites too! Wash regularly with antiitch shampoo (head and shoulders!) and keep him clean so nasty flies stay away.

As for Goldie though, she did go out for the first time last night in a fly rug, but it is a bit of a viscous circle- she is an unbeliveably hot blooded horse (fully clipped middle of winter in a medium weight with no neck and is warm!) and so therefore sweats in a fly rug, which means her blood is fantastically ripe for the flies....horses!!! Got to love them!

Lavender wash seems to be good though- I buy the mammouth size one at the beginning of the year and always sponge them off when sweaty after riding with it- and also Coopers (with some quick squirts of NAF DEET daily).

I feel for them all though- sat there last night when I turned her out and all of them in their paddocks where head shaking, tail swishing and generally looking annoyed with them.
 
Thanks everyone. Lavendar shampoo on the shopping list. Will have a hunt for better rugs that cover her belly. Will go for a sweet itch type one if it carries on being bad but am hoping it is just a summer/tropical rainforest weather thing so only temporary!
 
Hello, I live on Mallorca and the flies out here draw blood when they bite (people and horses). My horse was kicking his feet around so much that he was hurting himself and now I resort to the following;

Tea Tree Shampoo - proper wash all over, about three times a week.

Shredded Garlic twice a day,

Natures Botanical Spray - it is made in Australia I think and comes in a cream or a spray, it is pricey but REALLY works. http://www.naturesbotanical.biz/products.html

Veredus Bio Repel Gel - for any sensitive places.

I have also heard that these http://www.snuggyhoods.com/Index are brilliant, but haven't had to get one yet as the fly sprays and gels seem to be doing their bit, and as they have natural products in I don't mind smothering him in it all everyday.

Oh, and he wears over-reach boots so that he doesn't hurt himself if he kicks himself in the chest (again).

Hope you find something that works!
 
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Make a solution of TCP in a spray bottle and use to spray on bites, I also spray the top of my horses tail to stop him rubbing it
 
golden_revolution said:
They do seem to be keeping them at bay thank god.
My other boy has suffered with Sweet Itch (Hairy Show Connemara) since we bought him (11 years ago) and so we have had all of the rugs, lotions, potions and washes you can think of! Thes best rug we have found is the Mark Todd fly one- even better than the Boett imo. Fits perfectly and keeps him well covered (long backed, 15hh deep shouldered boy) plus is less expensive- bonus although he would have more expensive if it worked better!
http://www.equestriansuppliesshop.co.uk/products/Mark-Todd-Ultra-Combo-Fly-Rug.html

The best thing we have found for him is keeping his skin moisturised and covered all year round (he is NEVER without a neck cover when out unless it is snowy and he has his annual 10 minute play and roll!) we use Nettex Itch Salve which is very good and soothing for bites too! Wash regularly with antiitch shampoo (head and shoulders!) and keep him clean so nasty flies stay away.

As for Goldie though, she did go out for the first time last night in a fly rug, but it is a bit of a viscous circle- she is an unbeliveably hot blooded horse (fully clipped middle of winter in a medium weight with no neck and is warm!) and so therefore sweats in a fly rug, which means her blood is fantastically ripe for the flies....horses!!! Got to love them!

Lavender wash seems to be good though- I buy the mammouth size one at the beginning of the year and always sponge them off when sweaty after riding with it- and also Coopers (with some quick squirts of NAF DEET daily).

I feel for them all though- sat there last night when I turned her out and all of them in their paddocks where head shaking, tail swishing and generally looking annoyed with them.
Click to expand...

Totally agree about the mark Todd rug, I used the combo on my SI pony, it's so much stronger and hard wearing than a Boett, I found hopevalley saddlery the cheapest via eBay. They have a Velcro hook at the top on the neck which you can then loop through the fly mask hole for the forelock. I thought that was a great idea to help the neck stay up and the mask stay on.

If I remember reading it's a close weave material and also lined on the neck, shoulders and I "think" the belly cover.

I sprayed the rug with Deet, used neem oil on his mane and tail and he stayed itch free until a "friend" left his rug off for the weekend .......
 
golden_revolution said:
photo.jpg


This is how my girly looked last night :( Think she's probably had a reaction from the bites as some of these are as big as my hand and solid.

I lavender-washed them, then hibbi-scrubbed, then put some Deet on them and a fly rug and then got her some Piriton to try...

Nasty little flies....this rainforest like, swamp weather is really not helping.
Click to expand...

OMG I thought that was my boy for a second! he came in exactly like that! poor baby! :( :(

I havent managed to get a fly rug to fit yet unfortunatley (as he is a little chubby atm) so I have been covering him in fly spray and it seems to do the trick, I'm on the look out for a fly rug with a belly tho to stop ^^^^ problem!!
 
oh ive also seen a lick (paddock size) cant remember the name of it that is supposed to help with flies, think there is a suppliment as well, and apparently feeding garlic works :)
 
Can I urge OP against spending a lot on so-called "Fly" powders & concentrates as IME they're completely blimmin useless!!

There's another thread on here about using Cattle Fly Tags: one on each side of a headcollar which you leave on the horse so the coat is thoroughly impregnated with it.

"Alec Swan" (hope I spelt that right - mebbe two n's) - is an "expert" on these fly-tags apparently! - and has some good advice (Ya there Alex???)

There's also stuff on here about home made fly-repel recipes: I think black tea mixed with Tea Tree & boiled up with some Elder-tree leaves??? Plus I use Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Body Spray on mine as he's got sweet itch and its cheap and cheerful www.avon-shop.co.uk - its the one with the blue logo you need (the Original).

Also I swipe over his coat (when riding) with Pig Oil with a splash of either Neem Oil, Tea Tree, or Citronella in it - but you need to be careful of applying oil if turning out in bright sunshine coz poor horsie will just BOIL!!!

But best thing is to stop the flys biting in the first place with a fly/hoodie type rug: I use the Rambo sweet itch hoody for mine - pricey but can't be bettered IMO; also the Performance Equestrian ones are cheaper and extremely serviceable.
 
I can honestly say that the Natures Botanical spray/cream stuff works - I use it on myself as well as the horse when the flies get really bad!

I feed my horse Garlic shreds - someone said that there has been a trial that concluded that garlic doesn't help with flies, does it help with anything else or am I throwing good money after bad by sticking it in his feed everyday?!
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Can I urge OP against spending a lot on so-called "Fly" powders & concentrates as IME they're completely blimmin useless!!

There's another thread on here about using Cattle Fly Tags: one on each side of a headcollar which you leave on the horse so the coat is thoroughly impregnated with it.

"Alec Swan" (hope I spelt that right - mebbe two n's) - is an "expert" on these fly-tags apparently! - and has some good advice (Ya there Alex???)

There's also stuff on here about home made fly-repel recipes: I think black tea mixed with Tea Tree & boiled up with some Elder-tree leaves??? Plus I use Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Body Spray on mine as he's got sweet itch and its cheap and cheerful www.avon-shop.co.uk - its the one with the blue logo you need (the Original).

Also I swipe over his coat (when riding) with Pig Oil with a splash of either Neem Oil, Tea Tree, or Citronella in it - but you need to be careful of applying oil if turning out in bright sunshine coz poor horsie will just BOIL!!!

But best thing is to stop the flys biting in the first place with a fly/hoodie type rug: I use the Rambo sweet itch hoody for mine - pricey but can't be bettered IMO; also the Performance Equestrian ones are cheaper and extremely serviceable.
Click to expand...

Haha - on the basis that another of my threads is about how blimmin expensive it is getting a new horse, yes you can urge me to save my pennies.

Is it me or do we seem to have an infestation of flies this year, so many threads on this?! I did do a search before I posted but got fed up after page 2 of the results, so started my own !

Have lots of things to try, thank you all, but agree best bet is probably a better rug to keep them away in the first place. Hope they do matchy matchy ones ...
 
I read this and panicked, I had someone else checking my boys for me the last few days as I have been snowed under. My big hairy cob has such severe sweet itch, his belly is raw and he always has new lesions from scratching. I have tried all sorts of potions, deosect, Avon skin so soft, every fly spray going and most recently neem oil. Well...he is healing!!!!!! :)

I am so chuffed, I have just got back from the field and hubby says I'm being silly but I could jump through hoops I'm so happy, he had raw cheeks that he rubbed on a tree and they are healed :) his tail is looking better and no new lesions. Neem oil is the way to go, I got mine on ebay
 
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