How to get rid of ticks

[SKY]

hi, i am renting some fields from last summer and had the same problem, horses got covered in ticks and i used a cattle pour on, but wasnt great then was told to mix with water and sponge on ticks. this worked but still had to do this every 2 weeks.
why is there no tick solution for horses, as some horses you cant use this on. i even asked vets, they said use the pour on, but there is bound to be a better solution and one that last longer than 2 weeks. these are great fields but if i have this all summer and cant get a solution i am going to look for somewhere else. but these are great fields, loads of shelter, grass and space and running water ect. just tick issue.
please help, also what do horses in the wild do or if you had a horse that wasnt well handled what would happen. mine is great and will stand to be sponged but i dont like ticks on them like this.

please help, thanks in advance.

 

[nikkimariet]

Pair of tweezers and a strong stomach....

 

[SKY]

hi, thanks i can to pull them out,but there is soooooooooo many of them wee baby ones like pin heads. but how can i prevent them. is there a spray for the field, as it just seems to be in them fields they get them.
but why is there not a horse pour on or injection or? to prevent and get rid of them. like for dogs and cats there is frontline and it last for a month for ticks, so why not for horses.
i know you can use the spray, but why not a spot on for horses for ticks. cant find a horse treatment anywhere, why is this.

 

[lazybee]

We use Frontline in the 1/2litre spray bottle. I spray them now; or around the beginning of April, in their manes, between their front legs and under the jaw as this seems to be the favourite places. We had a big problem when we first moved in our place b/c the previous owner had sheep and cattle. If I ever find a big engorged tick that slips through the net, I have a tick removal fork I bought from the vets.The problem is getting less and less each year. If the ticks get the chance to engorge themselves and drop off, this is when they reproduce. If the cycle is broken you can slowly win the battle. I've heard there is a pasture treatment too but I can't remember what it's called. My farmer neighbour told me about it when we first had the problem.

 

[Jesster]

Don't pull them out with tweezers, you run the risk of leaving the mouthparts in and infection can develop!

 

[SKY]

thanks, going to get some frontline spray, but still will need something better, to last them. why is it so hard to get a tick solution for horses.

 

[VOM]

I have the same issue in one of the fields, its next to a bog and there are deer around. They drive me MAD the little feckers. I use pour on as well but have different stuff this year and its not worked at all, sorry but dont remember the brand I got last year which worked well (possibly Youngs, not sure though) will know it when I see it.

I pull some out, if I see them with my fingers and nails eww. Tweezers would take forever. Occasionaly one will swell slightly but not for long, all the horses out in this field arent in work.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

spin them til they drop off!

 

[mymare]

Don't pull them out with tweezers, you run the risk of leaving the mouthparts in and infection can develop!

^^^ this! You can buy a proper claw hook to turn them and remove them that way.

 

[Cuffey]

O-Tom tick remover from vets or ebay

Frontline Spray but test a small patch first, only ever had them on horses legs (dogs/cats all areas)

http://www.otom.com/how-to-remove-a-tick

 

[Ravenwood]

If you pull them off manually - always twist anti clockwise. If you have deer around, keep a close out for Lymes disease

A vet tipped me off about using a wormer that is Ivomectin based (licensed for cattle but not for horses so not advertised as such) but damned if I can think of the name!! Quite a popular one beginning with Equi..... This was many, many years ago so that information may be out of date now.

Mine get them mostly on their muzzle and I just twist them off with my nails and then grind them with my boot - very satisfying it is too

 

[GypsyGirl]

My mare had one on sunday and as our first aid kit was stolen with the tick pick thing in! So I got a piece of string(cottern thread) tied it round and it just fell off, most if the time I pull the string and the tick falls off but .. My last mare always used to get them, I looked into getting a spray I'm pretty sure that there's one out there called tick off that I was going to get before she went back?

Google it and see if it comes up, I'll order some if it's still there lol

 

[GypsyGirl]

Not sure if this is any good http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-ticks.htm

 

[Ravenwood]

GypsyGirl - I have never heard of taking them off using cotton thread - does that not just remove the body and leave the head in?

You can also try smothering them in Vaseline which prevents them from breathing and apparently they then just drop off - I have tried this but it didn't work!

 

[Hadders]

No idea how to treat fields, but Frontline spray is the best to remove tick in my experience - tried smothering in butter / vaseline, that does eventually kill them; tried pulling them out with tick tweezer things, but not great. Then vet suggested Frontlne spray, the same as you use on dogs! Great Stuff!

 

[twiggy2]

Anything than stresses the tick causes them to regurgitate their stomach contents increasing the risk of the spread of disease, so another in valentine, buying them, squeezing them with nails or tweezers. Also pulling off and using cotton increases the risk of abscess forming due thread Park being left in.
Tick removers really are the safest way to get them off.

 

[Cobbytype]

Dectomax pour on isn't licensed for horses but some vets will prescribe it when a horse is infested with ticks and individual removal of the critters isn't practical.

For individual or just a few ticks you can mix 1 part ivermectin wormer with 3 parts vaseline and smother the tick with it. The vaseline blocks the breathing hole of the tick and the ivermectin is anti-parasitic, so will kill the tick. It might take 2 treatments (1 treatment a day) to finish the tick off, but once dead they will either fall off or can be wiped away from the horses skin.

Hope this helps.

Edited to add: the Dectomax is poured along the horse's back where it cannot ingest the liquid.