Here we go.. Midges and flies already

[Barton Bounty]

They are arriving in droves with the warmer weather. No horseflies yet!!!! But they are the worst.

Horse and hound wrote a good article recommending a few….

Last year I used hot horse spray and plan to see if that still works this year. Hoping to douse myself too so I do not get bitten again as I appear to be allergic

Fly rug is washed and ready and also stockings for the beebster

Also ordered absorbine green and going to give it a try too.

Looking for a fly spray that actually works? We’ve put them to the test

Are you looking for the best fly spray for your horse? Take a look at this selection of the best fly sprays for horses and their premises

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

First fly spray of summer happened yesterday!

 

[Barton Bounty]

First fly spray of summer happened yesterday!

Mine was monday

 

[outdoor girl]

I'm thinking of starting to use spray too. Which one is everyone using this year? Can't remember which one I used last year, but it didn't do a very good job.

 

[PurBee]

There is a company in scotland (if i remember correctly?!) using a formula that seemingly works well on horse flies snd midges….ive been trying to remember their name. I found out about them via here last year, testimonials were very positive for it working for hours against midges/horseflies…but i cant remember the name.
Its a more natural formula than the chemical alternatives.

I think @Errin Paddywack might have mentioned it last year and would remember?

(i didnt end up buying it due to postage+import tax and costs to ireland made it very expensive)

 

[Errin Paddywack]

There is a company in scotland (if i remember correctly?!) using a formula that seemingly works well on horse flies snd midges….ive been trying to remember their name. I found out about them via here last year, testimonials were very positive for it working for hours against midges/horseflies…but i cant remember the name.
Its a more natural formula than the chemical alternatives.

I think @Errin Paddywack might have mentioned it last year and would remember?

(i didnt end up buying it due to postage+import tax and costs to ireland made it very expensive)

Not sure if it was me, if so has completely slipped my mind.

 

[PurBee]

Not sure if it was me, if so has completely slipped my mind.

i just found the thread…you were asking about the product…hedgewitchessentials

Has anyone tried this product to repel horse flies. Just saw it on facebook.
https://www.hedgewitchessentials.co...Kvos2djvWPR1dHSN_0ZSvsxlbvzuBhzoZiwE02wD0TEgM

Ahhh thats it! They use icaridin, which i briefly researched and found it to be of lower toxicity than usual fly-deterrent chemicals.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

They are arriving in droves with the warmer weather. No horseflies yet!!!! But they are the worst.

Horse and hound wrote a good article recommending a few….

Last year I used hot horse spray and plan to see if that still works this year. Hoping to douse myself too so I do not get bitten again as I appear to be allergic

Fly rug is washed and ready and also stockings for the beebster

Also ordered absorbine green and going to give it a try too.

Looking for a fly spray that actually works? We’ve put them to the test

Are you looking for the best fly spray for your horse? Take a look at this selection of the best fly sprays for horses and their premises

www.horseandhound.co.uk

Must admit I very rarely use fly spray now.

1. mares don't like it
2. cant be bothered
3. don't find they really work now
4. expensive to buy

 

[JBM]

I find coopers spot on helps for flys and lice not horse flies tho as they hunt by sight lasts a month

 

[dottylottie]

i find phaser the best, i also use it on myself because i’m very allergic i got bitten on my finger last year, and it swelled up so much in the space of a day that the pharmacy said if i couldn’t get a dr’s appointment that day i’d need to go to hospital and i managed to get bitten again a week later on my knee, best believe i was prepared that time with germolene and antihistamines in my grooming kit lol

 

[Gloi]

Black flies sucking blood on my pony's sheath today . Horrible things.

 

[Barton Bounty]

i find phaser the best, i also use it on myself because i’m very allergic i got bitten on my finger last year, and it swelled up so much in the space of a day that the pharmacy said if i couldn’t get a dr’s appointment that day i’d need to go to hospital and i managed to get bitten again a week later on my knee, best believe i was prepared that time with germolene and antihistamines in my grooming kit lol

I used to like phazer but dont find it effective on horseflies

 

[Barton Bounty]

I will definitely be slarrying myself and BB in everything, since the vet thinks he took an anaphylactic shock to them last year and this was my poor boy and poor me, every bite went like this

 

[Chianti]

For midges I now mix some neem with water and a bit of shampoo. Pony has SI so is pretty much covered except for his sheath. Last year I used Leovet Phaser cream on this.

I just bought my first pot from the feed merchant and it's gone up to £18.45! I think it was £15/£16 ish last year. I go through pots of the stuff over the summer.

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

Black flies sucking blood on my pony's sheath today . Horrible things.

Yes w have those little horrors too. They go into the horses ears and suck the blood inside their ears. No wonder they are all tossing their heads out in the field

 

[PSD]

I like the well gel fly products. I use the spray on his body and mine, and then the cream on his face ears and my face too!

 

[Gloi]

My nearly new pot of yellow fly cream has gone missing

 

[wills_91]

The stuff i used last year worked well. Can't gor the life of me remember what it's called but still have the bottle so will check tomorrow.

 

[catkin]

Last summer I found a combination of things worked: washing sweat off thoroughly, a deet based spray all over and 'summer freedom' cream on sheath.
Also have anti-histamine cream on hand for any lumps.
When riding I carry a schooling whip and a homemade flywhisk from baler twine which reach the bits of pony that full native manes and tails don't reach.

It seems to be different things work for every location/horse combination, even down to different fields.

 

[holeymoley]

Yes I noticed we had midges last night . I used something last year and I can't remember the name of it. It's a big bottle with a yellow label and you buy pouches to refill and mix with water. I think it worked really well.

 

[spotty_pony]

I’ve been fly spraying for a couple of weeks now - the midges are really bad here. I’ve found the Carr&Day&Martin one to be really good so far.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yes I noticed we had midges last night . I used something last year and I can't remember the name of it. It's a big bottle with a yellow label and you buy pouches to refill and mix with water. I think it worked really well.

Sounds like hot horse?

 

[holeymoley]

Sounds like hot horse?

That's it! hot horse fly shield

 

[Barton Bounty]

That's it! hot horse fly shield

Yeah it worked for me too, i try to but the 4 refill packs then it works out a decent price

 

[Surbie]

I use udder cream on my horse's sheath, seems to work as a barrier. I've been killitching for the last couple of weeks on mane and tail and I'm making new ears out of old sweetitch rugs for the fly masks as the horrible bitey b*stards are small enough to get through the holes on the mesh Shires uses.

My horse has been rubbing his tail a bit despite the killitch so am likely to have to leave the SI rugs on 24/7 at the moment. The warm/wet weather is bringing the midges out in plagues.

 

[smolmaus]

I've gone through most of a bottle of biteback already, just ordered another refill. We had midges in FEBRUARY. Had the first fly hit me directly in the eyeball on Thursday, so thats a disgusting milestone for springtime. And she's already rubbed out a bit of her mane. Great start all round.

She was supposed to get her first bath today too but I dont think its warm enough!

 

[Barton Bounty]

I've gone through most of a bottle of biteback already, just ordered another refill. We had midges in FEBRUARY. Had the first fly hit me directly in the eyeball on Thursday, so thats a disgusting milestone for springtime. And she's already rubbed out a bit of her mane. Great start all round.

She was supposed to get her first bath today too but I dont think its warm enough!

A fly in the eyeball or the nose mouth area always gives me the boak! I spend way too much time thinking of how many poops they have been on

 

[smolmaus]

A fly in the eyeball or the nose mouth area always gives me the boak! I spend way too much time thinking of how many poops they have been on

That wasn't a thought that popped into my head tbh, but I'm sure now it will be

I mostly don't want a leg coming off while I'm fishing it out and floating round the back where I cant get it