Midges

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Annieryan

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Any recommendations on the best product to use for midges.
Horse can’t wear a fly rug as she gets to hot even overnight! I’ve read about Avon skin so soft? Does it work? And do you dilute it?
 
Anything Neem based is usually a winner. There are so many products out there now it comes down to trial and error for what works for your horse.
 
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Pro Equine Alternative Fly Spray contains neem and works well. I think it's more of a barrier than a repellent. However it does clog up every spray nozzle so is a pain that way.

My sensitive horse gets hot too with fly sheets too. I have an Amigo All Rounder rug and a weatherbeeta cotton sheet to use when its warmer and he stays cooler under them than normal fly sheets.
 
Please be careful using anything oil based on your horses when the sun it out. Under a sheet or rug is fine, but exposed areas in the blazing sunlight can burn quite badly with oil on them.

Personally, I'm having good success with Lincoln's Ditch the Itch. I bought a bunch of bottles on sale a while back, using them now. I go up when the midges are starting to swarm, and a couple sprays later and you can visibly see the difference. They still fly around the horses, but you can see that they're not landing anywhere near as much.
 
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Also some of the fly creams are good around the belly area and chest (check if they can or can’t be used around eyes nose sheath etc) I use a Nettex cream but can’t remember which one! Spray with various fly sprays. My boy has mild sweet itch too so he gets a dose of Switch applied to his mane and tail every fortnight which is incredible stuff.
 
Another vote for Ditch the Itch. I am also using Dermoline skin ointment where her mane parts as it is a bit red and the ointment contains coal tar which seems to help with the midges.
 
anything with lemon eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) oil is shown to repel cullicoides midges effectively - about as well as DEET. You can buy it as a human mosquito repellent almost anywhere, and it fixed my guy's midline dermatitis / sweet itch.
 
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