Fly Repellant for Horse that will not be sprayed?

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YouOnlyLiveOnce

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Would appreciate any suggestions please.
I have an old boy who will just bolt from you if you try to spray him with fly repellant. He has a fly mask and rug on when turned out.
However since we have been at our new yard, the flies are really irritating him in his stable, which I have never noticed there being too many flies at other yards actually in the stable.
It is getting me quite down to see him kicking with his legs and swishing his tail at them, I wish I could stop them from bothering him.
I have got a repellant gel, however these are only really designed for face etc as it is impossible to cover his whole body in gel!!:eek:
Does anyone else have this problem and if so how do you deal with it?
Spraying onto a sponge then applying doesn't seem to work as the sponge just soaks it up before it gets onto his body.....
Thanks
 
YouOnlyLiveOnce said:
Would appreciate any suggestions please.
I have an old boy who will just bolt from you if you try to spray him with fly repellant. He has a fly mask and rug on when turned out.
However since we have been at our new yard, the flies are really irritating him in his stable, which I have never noticed there being too many flies at other yards actually in the stable.
It is getting me quite down to see him kicking with his legs and swishing his tail at them, I wish I could stop them from bothering him.
I have got a repellant gel, however these are only really designed for face etc as it is impossible to cover his whole body in gel!!:eek:
Does anyone else have this problem and if so how do you deal with it?
Spraying onto a sponge then applying doesn't seem to work as the sponge just soaks it up before it gets onto his body.....
Thanks
Click to expand...

If you have the time then I would suggest clicker training. Use a spray bottle full of water so you don't waste your fly repellent. Firstly just click and reward so he gets the idea what the clicker means. Next session bring the fly repellent bottle to him and let him sniff it, then click and reward. Repeat until he is relaxed with it. Next pretend to spray him but don't actually do it. Again click and reward if he stands nicely. Next stage is to spry, but not onto him. Just stand a few feet away. Spray the air, click and reward. Gradually spray closer until a bit of the spray hits his coat. You get the idea?
 
Wagtail said:
If you have the time then I would suggest clicker training. Use a spray bottle full of water so you don't waste your fly repellent. Firstly just click and reward so he gets the idea what the clicker means. Next session bring the fly repellent bottle to him and let him sniff it, then click and reward. Repeat until he is relaxed with it. Next pretend to spray him but don't actually do it. Again click and reward if he stands nicely. Next stage is to spry, but not onto him. Just stand a few feet away. Spray the air, click and reward. Gradually spray closer until a bit of the spray hits his coat. You get the idea?
Click to expand...

thanks for this, very interesting suggestion.
i always think that due to his age (22) that this behaviour is set, but i guess its worth a try. i think part of the problem is me as well, im too nervous to try it near him, i did once and he broke free and ran out of the yard onto the road (quiet country lane and thankfully there were no cars), so frightening!
i am also nervous to try it within his stable as if he does throw one of his strops i don't want to be squashed against a wall!!!
 
I have always had good luck with simply holding the lead and letting them go in circles around me as I spray. Every hard-to-spray horse I've ever had has eventually relaxed about it doing this. I start it in a round pen or small paddock, use water at first so I don't waste my spray and so the smell doesn't set them off, and just talk gently as I slowly follow them.

I pause frequently to reassure them and let them know I'm not "chasing" them, then quietly resume.

If you absolutely can't do this, use a towel instead of a sponge. This is what I do for my mare's face (mainly because she loves being rubbed with a towel) and it gets it on very well.
 
baymareb said:
I have always had good luck with simply holding the lead and letting them go in circles around me as I spray. Every hard-to-spray horse I've ever had has eventually relaxed about it doing this. I start it in a round pen or small paddock, use water at first so I don't waste my spray and so the smell doesn't set them off, and just talk gently as I slowly follow them.

I pause frequently to reassure them and let them know I'm not "chasing" them, then quietly resume.

If you absolutely can't do this, use a towel instead of a sponge. This is what I do for my mare's face (mainly because she loves being rubbed with a towel) and it gets it on very well.
Click to expand...


i absolutely cannot hold onto him when he wants to leg it from me :mad: will try the towel suggestion then, thank you, i guess this won't soak it up as much as a sponge does.

thanks for all the suggestions
 
My chap was terrified of the spray so I used NAF Deet in a tub and applied it with a cloth rather than a sponge, I also sprayed the same fly repellant onto the cloth so that he became used to the noise without the sensation. I've had him 4 years and he has gradually improved so that now he is totally unbothered when I spray him.
 
My big lad will only be sprayed if he has his face mask on - he worries about it getting into his eyes I think. If he has his mask on he is brilliant, if not, he's a bit of an idiot!

Coopers fly repellant goes on with a sponge once every few days. No sprays there. However, it would be better to teach him to stand to be sprayed so that if you want to use wound sprays/detangler/stain removers you can with no problems.

Pressure halter, lunge line and spray bottle of water in an arena, and keep spraying. If he tries to get away from you, use the pressure halter to pull his head back round towards you. It might take practice but if you are patient he will come round to it.

Clicker training may also work, it asks very little of their brains so works quite quickly :)

xxx
 
Just a thought, how about hanging some of those strips that have got sticky stuff on them (sorry forget what they're called) in his stable to catch the flies? A friend of mine has got them and it does work! ;)
 
My mare won't be sprayed, either. She's better now, after 2yrs, but will still dance around on a leadrope - when I first got her she was a bolter, like your boy. Most commercial fly repellants I think are *****e, so I use Neem Oil 100ml mixed with Benzyl Benzoate 400ml, plus about 5ml of Dermoline. I only need to apply it every 2-3 days and she's happy. I pour onto a grooming brush and apply it whilst she's eating dinner - doesn't even require tying up!
 
One of my horse's hates the spray, but tolerates it if you half depress the trigger so that it just trickles rather than sprays and hiss. Would he cope with that?
 
Hi
If your considering other brands, I've used Karen RUggles, "Ruggle IT" used to called Stop It all. I've used for years and we are in a bad area for flies and it works well.
It is an oil/balm (depending on how hot it is outside) and you use just a little to keep the flys off. Its a completely natural product too. Put down the length of the spine but not all over the coat so you don't use very much. Can do it with your fingers or put on a cloth.
 
My magical EDT solved my boys spray phobia in 10 mins!!!

He would bolt/throw himself around/ put his head down and leg it at the sight of it, but now I can spray with ease after just 10 mins!! Not saying it will be that short for everyone but... he turned his head toward him keeping directly 45 degrees from his shoulder and sprayed the air next to him... squirt squirt squirt... horse tried running but he kept his head turned in and made sure that he didnt stop spraying until the horse stood still. scratch on the neck.. well done... then again squirt squirt at the air, until he stands... pat pat... then squirt squirt slightly closer DONT stop squirting until horse stands still... pat pat, good boy. Squirt squirt all over (always air first so he knows it is coming, only stop when horse stops (yadda yadda) then on t'other side.. bobs your uncle! took me 2 sessions of circles after that and then now nothing, stands happily to let me spray :D Stress free squirtage for all involved!
 
Pink doesnt like it, i spray as much of her back and bum and then soak the soft side of my cactus mitt and use that. once youve used it a couple of times it'll distribute the spray perfectly.

Its how i get it on their tummy and armpits too.
 
I use Johnsons spot on cattle fly repellent.It is very expensive but you just drip on 5ml at the wither and 5 mls at the loin area and with no rain that lasts for 3 months so it is economical. It is also very effective :)
 
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