Fly control-LONG TERM.

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Alec Swan

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Having read of, and tried countless home made fly repellants, which generally contain cold tea, citronella, soap, and lord knows what else, I've generally found that they are fairly useless. They may work for an hour or two, but that's about it.

I've also found that the darker the horse, then the worse the problem. I don't know why, but that seems to be the case.

There is an answer to it. Flectron cattle tags. They are made of a porous plastic which have absorbed an insect repellent. They are NON systemic and when they have direct contact with the horse after a day or two, the whole body is covered. Protection generally lasts from 4 to 6 weeks.

I've seen others who've attached them to the outside of a head collar, and predictably, they haven't worked. They will have no effect if tied to the mane either. If they are attached, one on each cheek, to the INSIDE of the head collar, and left on 24/7 then they are very effective. It takes a day or so for full body coverage to take place. The tag must have direct contact with the horse's coat, and with the constant movement of the horse, the effective agent will slowly be released, covering the whole body.

Flectron tags are harmless to the horse. They can be used on brood mares with no ill effect. By physical contact with the dam, the foal will also receive a degree of protection. Personally, I would never leave a head collar on any foal, whilst it's turned out.

I realise that many don't like the idea of leaving head collars on whilst horses are turned out. Stitching the tags into nylon head collars would be easier than leather, and a well fitting head collar will certainly lessen the risk. It might be worth attaching the tags to a head collar, but whilst the horse is in, taking the head collar off, on turn out. I've never done it like that, and can only imagine that it would take twice as long to achieve full coverage and protection. I suppose that the tags would probably work if they were stitched to the inside of a fly sheet, at the withers. Again I've never tried it, so I don't know.

The tags are available from any good agricultural merchant, they come in boxes of 20, and any yard could share the costs, which are minimal.

If your horses are being driven to distraction by bitting insects, try it. If anyone needs further help, then PM me, and if I can be of help, then I will.

Alec.
 
Thanks. I have been considering using these for a while but was worried because they aren't licensed for equines. My normally reliable Deosect is having no effect on the horseflies here & after being bitten by one on my hand, which has now trebled in size, I might consider using them on myself aswell!!!
 
I use cattle pour on fly repellent (on veterinary advice before you have a go at me) on all my horses, and it works wonders (and we live in a nasty midgey area with loads of clegs too). Just don't pour it on your show horse the day before a show ;)
 
It's just been pointed out to me, by PM, that Flectron cattle tags aren't licensed for horses. Whoops. The same chemical agent in these cattle tags is available for horses, but not in the form of a cattle tag, so I'm advised.

For those who use a pour on: Deosect contains the chemical Alpha Cypermethrin. It's a non organophosphate. It works, BUT, it's the application which is vital. If you apply it to a dry horse then it's a waste of time. If you hose a horse down, you will see that the coat forms into tiny spades, which direct the water away from the animal, keeping the skin dry. For a pour on to work effectively you need to SOAK the horse, through to the skin, with water, and BEFORE you apply the treatment. By doing this the mixture will make contact with the skin, and not simply run off. That's the best way to ensure that Deosect, a highly effective insect repellent, actually works. When the horse is suitably soaked, you take your mixture, and carefully pour from the neck, down to the dock, avoiding the eyes. If you're feeling lazy, then you can wait until we've had a night of rain, assuming that we ever get some, and apply it then!

Cattle tags, though un-licenced, also work, but again it's the application which is vital. The chemical contained within needs to leach out slowly, and with permanent contact. I've received another PM, telling me that they tied a tag to the horses mane, and it didn't work. It wont, and that isn't the way to do it. The tags need permanent skin contact for at least a couple of days. Then they work.

Alec.
 
That's interesting - there was a fad a few years ago for these fly tags and they seemed not to work, probably because of inadequate skin contact. I remember being in a agricultural suppliers on a mart yard, and asking for the horse ones. The owner told me they were exactly the same as the cattle ones but double or treble the price - I bought a cattle one but it wasn't successful, it was on the outside of a headcollar.
Maybe a field safe headcollar, or possibly attach to the inside of a fly rug?
 
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