Leaving a horse plaited - one weekend to the next?

We get masses of bot eggs on our horses every year.

I would never leave plaits in overnight, let alone longer. For many years I plaited about 12 horses three mornings a week - I got up early and got very quick at it! They had to be immaculate.
 
I didn’t realise we got bot flies in the uk until a few years ago. But in my defence we don’t get them up north. I only got my first clegg bite about 5 years ago although I was aware o them.
 
We used to have a communal bot knife at the RS / livery yard I was on as a teenager. We had it drummed into us that we must religiously check for & remove the eggs daily.

I will admit to not having so much as seen a bot egg since I left that yard & went to uni in 2009. Weird!
 
I saw bot eggs about 7 years ago in Leics. Noted inparticular as Dave squished a pear down my baack as I was scraping them off. Not seen since.

Going to the OP, I leave loose plaits in his mane often, I would never even contemplate leaving wrapped plaits in for more than a day.
 
For the first time in horse ownership I had to remove bot fly eggs from my horses last summer, I’m north wales now! Never saw any when I lived in Manchester.
 
I hadn't seen a bit fly for years until I moved to Wales, now they are a nightmare, seems to take me most of the day to get them off all the horses, so if anyone has any ideas of deterring the darn things it would be welcome!
Edited to add leaving a horse fully plaited for a week is just laziness in my eyes
 
When I had ponies, x amount of years ago, bots were an absolute pain. The ponies legs were covered. I can honestly say I havnt seen a bot fly or evidence for, it must be 15 years!
 
Sadly I can report bots are alive and well in Cornwall. I’ve got a knife and a scrapping stone type tool and they get a workout every year.
 
Let alone it not being fair to the horse - itchy and uncomfy for that duration - how on earth would they look presentable after 7 days!

I stitch my plaits in for dressage and they’re fairly Rooni proof but even they wouldn’t last 7 days.
 
Who else though will admit to finding that last plait nearest to the withers that has stayed in when you have unplaited after a long day out competing, the horse has his rug on and the following day has been a day off, with a rug change and turn out but not groomed.....I have found that last tiny plait lurking before now. How embarassing. And I am someone who has replaited the same day when had an early class and an evening championship.
 
humblepie said:
Who else though will admit to finding that last plait nearest to the withers that has stayed in when you have unplaited after a long day out competing, the horse has his rug on and the following day has been a day off, with a rug change and turn out but not groomed.....I have found that last tiny plait lurking before now. How embarassing. And I am someone who has replaited the same day when had an early class and an evening championship.
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Guilty of this a few times, or a random one. But never intentionally left any in over night. After hearing about the inflammation in the plaited autopsied horse, I dont think I could every plait over night.
 
And it seems the plaits have finally been taken out… today the day after hunting. I have now blocked the page as it was appearing too much on my feed for my liking and I can’t deal with seeing anymore like that!
 
I think i hid the page as sick of horse ones being suggested but when I've seen clips on here from there, she's struggled hacking him so why on earth is she thinking she's up to going and joining in something like that...
 
The reason for the decrease in Bots and Warble flies is that at one time it was compulsary for all cattle to be treated for them, in order to eliminate them as they were rendering the hides worthless.

Now that this is no longer a thing they are increasing in numbers again.
 
I bought a Welsh pony from an auction that had tight plaits in. It took me a week to get near him when I got him home. Poor little mite. It didn't seem to affect him but I never plaited him again as he was welsh!! I stopped plaiting for streeage years ago!! Couldn't imagine leaving them in for a week, poor horse.
 
rabatsa said:
The reason for the decrease in Bots and Warble flies is that at one time it was compulsary for all cattle to be treated for them, in order to eliminate them as they were rendering the hides worthless.

Now that this is no longer a thing they are increasing in numbers again.
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Ah, that explains that then!
 
I never understand where these people get their confidence from. If I had half the falls / bad experiences she seems to have, I'd not want to get on the horse, let alone hunt or jump. It's not like it's just a daft horse - they're pretty unstable, and chaotic in their approach to training. I just don't get it.

(I'm using "they" because the subject of the OP is only one of a few similar rider / influencer types.)
 
JFTDWS said:
I never understand where these people get their confidence from. If I had half the falls / bad experiences she seems to have, I'd not want to get on the horse, let alone hunt or jump. It's not like it's just a daft horse - they're pretty unstable, and chaotic in their approach to training. I just don't get it.

(I'm using "they" because the subject of the OP is only one of a few similar rider / influencer types.)
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I've sort of concluded that they're maybe just not great at decision making 🤷‍♀️
 
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