Little black bugs!

[Apalacia]

Hi!

I am new to this forum but was looking for some help!

Basically, my horse seems to be targeted by these tiny black bugs all over her stomach and inner thighs..the first time I found them she had been kicking at her belly all night due to the irritation and was raw and swollen. I washed it with hibiscrub and it is no longer raw, but they are still around her all the time. The three other horses in her field have a few on them but she is being covered at most other times. Does anyone have any experience of these? She is already in a fly rug and mask with fly spray (I have a cattle tag for when the real flies turn up).
Just wondering if anyone had any smart ideas?

 

[Triskar]

One of my horses gets them too, and in the same place. She hasn't had them so badly since she's lost weight, but I use Deosect, from Deosan (buy it from the animal health counter at Countrywide or farm supplier). It's a systemic insecticide, and rather noxious to apply - you should wear protective clothing and avoid breathing it in. You dilute the Deosect 1:50, then I slosh it all over Shiks, especially her tummy and udder area. I do this fortnightly and it gives me the satisfaction of thinking that if any of the little blighter does bite her, it'll die and won't bite anyone else! I also put plenty of a citronella based flyspray on her with particular attention to tummy

 

[Enfys]

Horrid things aren't they? in the UK they used to drive my horse wild, he'd have raw patches on his belly and sheath due to the bites. I used to plaster the bits that got bitten with vaseline or sudocrem, really thickly, that helped quite a lot.
I'd use the fly tags now if the flies are that bad.

 

[darkangel1243]

Wow, never saw those tags before how do you attach them?? I always assumed they were data tags for the cattle and not actualy doing a purpose too.
I'm sure your not adding them as earings to your beloved horses

 

[joanne1920]

My cob gets them too.... he kicks out at his tummy and manages to kick his little hernia which then swells and looks bugger just to panic me! but the horrible little flies bites his sheath and bely button, they seem to crawl under his hair and then when you go to squash them they fly away!

 

[Tia]

I use Summer Cream for fly strike - it's bright yellow and it works perfectly as it also soothes aswell as keeps the flies at bay. You just smother it on and it's not expensive and still works well.

 

[Cuffey]

Agree with Tia--buy it for sheep/cattle usually cheaper than if labelled for horss!!
http://www.battles.co.uk/productlist.asp?product=Summer+Fly+Cream&submit.x=48&submit.y=12
Nettex also do similar product
Use a disposable glove--it stains under your finger nails

 

[ru-fi-do]

My mare suffers terribly with these, i use Avon skin so soft and fresh dry oil spray or a light coating of baby oil, this way the bugs are unable to stick to the skin.

 

[Emma27]

second ann82 - Avon skin so soft forest fresh is great stuff it even stops the midgies up here, but word of warning don`t leave a bottle of it in your car if you have kids, curiosity will ALWAYS get the better of them - my lovely Lexus now reeks of the stuff!!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Yes my girly has suffered from these this year, particularly where the hair parts between her front legs and on her belly button - what sort of flies are they? I wondered if it was sweet itch at first. My garl also suffers from midges, but only on her face, which is sensitive chestnut fur & skin (like on her belly and shoulders. The rest of her is white with thick cobby hair.

I slather ion camrosa - the flies dont seem to be able to get through it.

 

[Apalacia]

Yes, will have to try a few of these. At the moment I am just using zinc and castor oil which they seem to fall off too! Yeuch, they are revolting, and they just hang around and irritate her.
Cattle tag going on on Sunday.....depends if she is bad as to whether it goes through the ear or not!! (haha, just going to plait it into mane.....not planning on taking her out in Public any time soon so all of her field friends can laugh!)