flys on bum - my horse bucked me today - how to stop it?

[darkhorse123]

As above - to get anywhere we have to got through a wood and wow were the flies in force today!

They went straight for my poor cobs bum - hes a really chilled laid back cob and for first time in 2 years since ive owned him he bucked like a good one, after a great deal of tail swishing !

I always blather him in fly spray before we hack out but obviously these flies were immune!

I checked for stings etc - none so obviously some super fly was bugging him and it honestly sent the poor lad crazy (and dangerous)

So what can i do - would baby oil or vaseline help?

 

[Megibo]

i'd say get some leovet and take that with you! or go at a brisk trot, then he's moving quickly and it is harder for the flies to settle on him then.

 

[darkhorse123]

ty tazz but im googling that name - never heard of it xxx

 

[L&M]

I have the same problem with my chap - he fly bucks with both horse flies and midges, and had to stop showing him for a while over the worst of the horse fly season as bucked with a judge!

I too started to use the Leovet Power phaser and found it helps to an extent, but find the best thing is to ride early morning or late evening to avoid the problem.

At least we are coming in to Autumn so will give some respite....

 

[planete]

Try tacking him up with one of these high-viz mesh quarter sheets. Stopped my horse bucking at our New forest crab flies. He now cannot feel them if they land on his croup which used to be the trigger.

 

[idx]

Hi

I think you do get ride on fly sheets, they may help.

 

[Allover]

I used to ride out in a mesh sweat rug when the flies got bad, i rode with it over the saddle and dont up at the front, it always stayed put no matter what we did

 

[darkhorse123]

ty for your replies - i do normally ride in a hi viz exercise sheet that does cover his bum - didnt today because it was so warm and we did ride later than we normally do , was about lunch time x

 

[lazybee]

I don't know if your horses are out all day? ours are out 24/7 they tend to get used to the flies and act as if they're a minor inconvenience rather than a major crisis. Some friends of ours put their hoses in in the daytime and turn them out at night as they hate flies and play up and spook etc. This has the adverse effect in my opinion, as their horses never get used to flies.

 

[skydancer]

ride with a whip and constantly run it over his body getting rid of anything thats landed if his as laid back as you say he wont mind

 

[darkhorse123]

ty all yes he is laid back and wouldnt mnd me rubbing my whip on him - though ill have to dig one out because i dont normally use one.
He is out all day and night all summer and this is very unusual for him, he normally just flinches a bit - this was different, definiteley hurt him
Some good advice here - as usual - which i will try x

 

[MagicMelon]

I did see a quarter sheet - mesh sort of stuff which is meant for keeping flies off. You could try that?