Help with horseflies?

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Jinx94

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They've started appearing again - so much hatred for these things.

Was working the horses in hand earlier (at different times, of course), nearly got knocked over by one when she freaked out and basically went "get it off! get it off!", then had the other throw herself backwards and then rear because the one that I knocked off of her shoulder decided to attach itself to her neck.. :mad:

Has anyone got any recommendations for fly sprays or something that will keep them away??
 
Jinx94 said:
They've started appearing again - so much hatred for these things.

Was working the horses in hand earlier (at different times, of course), nearly got knocked over by one when she freaked out and basically went "get it off! get it off!", then had the other throw herself backwards and then rear because the one that I knocked off of her shoulder decided to attach itself to her neck.. :mad:

Has anyone got any recommendations for fly sprays or something that will keep them away??
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Just get the good repellent from the market and get them off.. It is not that tough
 
Silly as it sounds... I use canter mane & tail as it's so slippery... no fly can get a grip and therefore can't land. If one manages to I love splatting a fly!!!! I have it on good authority that lavender oil is a good repellent... I haven't tried this one myself yet but I intend to put a few drops into my M&T and give it a good shake and groom with it... see if it works.

Also, around about August I spray their legs so bots can't get a hold either.
 
Yep fly splatting is one of my past times :eek:. I just give a quick once over spray of cheap furniture polish, i find they cant get a grip so to speak. Spray after you have put saddle on, but cover saddle with towel or something tho.
 
Spray has little effect on horseflies as they are sight hunters. Splat them.

They go particularly for dark objects so large dark horses are a favourite. My mare is besieged by them as she is black and half shire so large!
 
hoggedmane said:
Spray has little effect on horseflies as they are sight hunters. Splat them.

They go particularly for dark objects so large dark horses are a favourite. My mare is besieged by them as she is black and half shire so large!
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Did not know this! :eek:

Evil things.. Will definitely be trying out all suggestions!! Probably on myself as the horseflies don't like me stealing their original meal :o
 
The power phaser fly spray is the best I've found for keeping horseflies at bay. Other than that, I splat them.
 
Jinx94 said:
They've started appearing again - so much hatred for these things.

Was working the horses in hand earlier (at different times, of course), nearly got knocked over by one when she freaked out and basically went "get it off! get it off!", then had the other throw herself backwards and then rear because the one that I knocked off of her shoulder decided to attach itself to her neck.. :mad:

Has anyone got any recommendations for fly sprays or something that will keep them away??
Click to expand...
I've always found Coopers Fly Repellent Plus the best for keeping the horse flys away, makes the coat nice and shiny too!
 
I saw the first ones of the year yesterday :-(
One got me on the arm and I react to them quite a lot so I have a hot red lump 3" across itching like mad today.
If your horse really hates them in the worst times you can always hack out in a thin fly rug. Round here they laugh in the face of fly sprays.
 
The spray with the yellow label on the front of a white bottle they sell in Robinsons (Cant for the life of me think of the name!) is fab - were all over my friends horses yesterday whilst riding - not one on my boy!
 
KeithWade said:
Just get the good repellent from the market and get them off.. It is not that tough
Click to expand...

Great first post, glad you have it sorted then....

I was bitten on the palm of my hand yesterday, woke up in the middle of the night scratching it like hell, hate the bloody things!!
 
I also found Power Phaser works, but the spray, not the gel, for some reason that isn't as effective. My horse is haute cuisine for the little b***ers, they love him. Might try the coat shine though - his coat is very shiny anyway having had linseed for a few months.
 
I read (im sure on this forum last summer) that if you get the fly tags that cattle wear and cut them in half then attach to something the horse wears in the field- they suggested a headcoller and stick one either side for two weeks, apparently the stuff gets into the horses blood stream and is amazing at deterring horse flies.
I have no idea if it worked as last summer it rained and they weren't a problem so much but I fully intended to try it out.
Not 100% sure what the tags were called unfortunately now....Has anyone heard of this or tried it by any chance?
 
KeithWade said:
They've started appearing again - so much hatred for these things.

Was working the horses in hand earlier (at different times, of course), nearly got knocked over by one when she freaked out and basically went "get it off! get it off!", then had the other throw herself backwards and then rear because the one that I knocked off of her wedding dresses decided to attach itself to her neck..

Has anyone got any recommendations for fly sprays or something that will keep them away??Just get the good repellent from the market and get them off.. It is not that tough
Click to expand...
Need to ask my expert friend for this
 
They are dreadful up at my parents place, believe live in long grass and they have 300 acres grassland next door! I found power phaser the only one that made any difference and also avoiding riding through the long grass on warmer days, we would go into the woods instead.
 
I use power phaser and love to splat.

KW what's the prob love are they feeding you oats? Just chill a tad nobody fights before post 10 on here unless they live under the bridge .....
 
Really I think that someone needs to come up with some kind of disease that wipes out the whole horsefly species. Think of the money we would all save, and the hassle! Horrible things.
 
Yes - they go for dark beasts at a walking pace so you have to trot or faster to lose them.
Summer Nights ( biteback) is the best I've found to stop them biting.
 
At home we find Super Plus fly repellent is the best. We have used it for years and it hasn't let us down. Also NAF off deet GEL is good especially for horses that don't like having their heads sprayed. However this is the only NAF product that seems to work, the spray and powder don't!
 
They have arrived here in Hertfordshire too had 3 buzzing round us yesterday on a hack, I find they are worse near the crop fields so we stick to the woods mainly now, horrible things they are my horse was so good though he just carries on bless him.
 
They are dreadful here every year. I didn't find any topical thing that works apart from neem oil - power phaser didn't help. They bite through rugs, too, so I revert to keeping mine in through the day - and cover them with stinking neem oil when they go out, or for exercise. Splatting is instinctive, but then another 3 appear...
 
_GG_ said:
Don't knock them off...splat them.

Would also love to find a good repellent.
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Horse fly splatting is one of the top sports round here, y'know ;) I blow up if they get me, one more splatted is one less to worry about :o

Agreed that Power Phaser is the best I've tried, still doesn't keep the ******s at bay, though.
 
Waiting for the boys fly rug to come. He had about 7 on him the other day and he was shaking all over :( he suffers terribly from them, hes black. My skewbald cob who is mostly white never gets bothered by them.
 
KeithWade said:
Just get the good repellent from the market and get them off.. It is not that tough
Click to expand...

Not a particularly helpful start to the forum... I wonder if you were a former H&H reincarnated.

I use this stuff seems to work but it stinks and is brows not so good on a grey horse.

I also use redtop fly catchers to help control the overall fly population this product is very very effective.
 
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