Horseflies!!!!!!

Frumpoon

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Seem to be really bad this year!

Deosect isn't deterring the blighters and they are really targeting my poor little black horse

Any suggestions?

Coopers has gone out of production hasn't it?
 

cobsarefab

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The jungle max strength spray works for them. I put the roll on on cobbus face yesterday and it kept them away from her eyes where she had been getting 5 or 6 congregating.
 

Auslander

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The jungle max strength spray works for them. I put the roll on on cobbus face yesterday and it kept them away from her eyes where she had been getting 5 or 6 congregating.

Are you sure they are horseflies? Horseflies are after blood, so they would normally go for the body, rather than the eyes. As mentioned above, they are sight hunters, so not usually repelled by sprays
 

TGM

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I've heard this thing about horseflies only hunting by sight and did a bit of research to see what the truth really was. I found something from the University of Kentucky which says that, whilst horseflies do utilise sight whilst hunting, they are also attracted by odours that mammals give off such as carbon dioxide, which means that strong-smelling repellents can confuse them. I've certainly found that some repellents such as Power Phazer and Eqwax certainly do keep the majority of horseflies off. I found Coopers useless for horseflies and actually gave the last of mine away!
 

cobsarefab

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Are you sure they are horseflies? Horseflies are after blood, so they would normally go for the body, rather than the eyes. As mentioned above, they are sight hunters, so not usually repelled by sprays

Yes they're definitely horseflies. I don't know why but they bite her eyelids and the area just around her eyes a lot. There were a couple on there before I put it on and they left her eyes and face alone after I had.
 

Shay

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Only females are after blood - and even then only every 6 days or so to allow her to reproduce. Otherwise both males and females feed on plant exudates and nectar. This can lead to them congregating on eyes - although they usually won't bite there but further down the face. They are attracted by movement, warmth and carbon dioxide. Traps are the most effective means of control. Synthetic pyrethroids have some effect in repelling them - but nothing else. As Auslander says they are attracted by a warm dark moving body so it is hard to put them off by smell. They are inactive at night so turn out at night may help.
 

Auslander

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I've heard this thing about horseflies only hunting by sight and did a bit of research to see what the truth really was. I found something from the University of Kentucky which says that, whilst horseflies do utilise sight whilst hunting, they are also attracted by odours that mammals give off such as carbon dioxide, which means that strong-smelling repellents can confuse them. I've certainly found that some repellents such as Power Phazer and Eqwax certainly do keep the majority of horseflies off. I found Coopers useless for horseflies and actually gave the last of mine away!

That's interesting. I did notice yesterday that while the other two were being harassed by horseflies out hacking, Alf wasn't - they were flying near him, but not landing. I'd wiped him over with a cloth soaked in diluted Eucalyptus oil.
 

Auslander

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Yes they're definitely horseflies. I don't know why but they bite her eyelids and the area just around her eyes a lot. There were a couple on there before I put it on and they left her eyes and face alone after I had.

Oh - poor girlie. Horrid things. Useful info re the Jungle strength stuff - thank you
 

DabDab

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My bay is a giant horse fly magnet and although a variety of strong smelling lotions and potions will work for a bit, the moment he gets hot and sweaty he's covered in the blasted things again. So unfortunately we just have to go with ride on fly rug and sweet itch type fly rug in the field.
 

Carrottom

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I have found that a good covering of Power Phazer deters them from biting, they seem to fly around for a bit then fly off as long as I haven't missed a bit. It is hellish expensive though. It also seemed to cause a minor skin problem when I put it on a sweating horse, he was really scurfy for a few days as if the top layer a skin shed.
 

Gloi

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I got mobbed by them yesterday on a ride and now both my hands are swollen up where they were bitten as well as itchy bites in other places. I'm taking antihistamines but would love to find something effective. Poor pony was mobbed too but fortunately most of the time was fairly tolerant of them. Have a ride on fly rug but haven't tried it yet as he's only a youngster and not sure what he'll think of it but will try it on him today and lunge him and see how he goes.
 

PapaverFollis

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The one advantage (well apart from looking like a fairytale horse that one day of the year where you actually get them clean) of a white grey horse... Not quite as attractive to horseflies! They still get bothered but not quite as much.
 

criso

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I've certainly found that some repellents such as Power Phazer and Eqwax certainly do keep the majority of horseflies off.

Not for us they don't. One landed seconds after a good spray of powerphaser on a patch of coat that hadn't even dried. I swear it was laughing at me. Other things they ignore include DEET (active ingredient of Junglemax) and Saltidin/Icaridin (the new deet) and all natural products.
 

cavalo branco

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I have the solution! Ride a grey....in the company of a black horse....I guarantee that the little blighters will all follow your friend's horse! The only downside is that said friend may stop hacking with you until the winter......
 

Pinkvboots

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managed to squash 3 of the things yesterday one was the biggest creature I have ever seen, one of my horses will actually buck if one is on him when his ridden, I find early morning is the best time to ride or very late in the evening not so many of them about then.
 

cowgirl16

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I have found only one thing to repel these nasty little gits - cigarette smoke! but neither me nor my horse smoke any more so we just have to put up with the pain. Thankfully they shouldn't be around too much longer - pretty sure they all die off soon. (?)
 
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