Oh no, Horsefly murdering time again!

Red-1

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
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RED-1 has just successfully, single handedly, and with bare hands...... drum roll...... squashed and killed 9 horseflies on our ride, and left another shaking upside down in the throes of death.

Then, on the driveway I splatted 3 more! Got blood all over my hand, and shuddered until I realised it was, in fact, Jay Jay's blood.

Bless the horse, in summer he puts up with me whacking his neck, shoulders, face, tummy. He allows me to whoosh the whip around the bits I can't reach.

I would have had a couple of dozen more horseflies, but he has to remember not to shake as soon as they land. Once he realises I am on side for fly murder he allows the bite, and turns to me with the offending part. Unless it is his tummy, he just walks like he is moon walking with his back legs, whilst whipping his tail round like a propeller.

Oh yes, it is THAT time again!

Tomorrow we will be going out covered in mesh, from his nose down to his tail. Me too, as they usually bite me too.

Anyone else got horseflies out yet? I know our area is particularly bad, low lying, with ditches all over the neighbourhood.
 
Yep. One double normal size was on my arm earlier. I was so taken aback by its size I brushed it off rather than swat it. So annoying. I saw some lumps on my mare yesterday and so that was my cue to put the fly rugs on all of the horses. They look a lot happier for it.
 
I've been bitten 3 times in 2 days by them. Sure they seem far worse this year. One of mine is managing just 30 mins to an hour before he's desparate to get back into his stable away from them again.
 
He has been rugged up with fly rugs since early spring when turned out, and has had a mesh rump rug for riding out, but for the very special summer flies we add a face mask, and the front of an old fly rug to cover the neck and shoulders too. I am looking at ebay for a cover all, but TBH they don't look any better than our put-me-on ones.

I got the extra additions out yesterday as I saw just one or two of the nasty so and sos, but it was sooooooo hot I thought we would manage just one more day with just the rump rug.

My bad!
 
It's funny when I got to the yard tonight I said to someone I'd not seen any horseflies this year yet, should never have opened my mouth...put pony out and forgot to put cream on his undercarriage so wandered out to field to apply it and once I got up to the horses I could see it was indeed THE RETURN! Hate the things! We're south west.
 
I saw the first ones on Sat, was enjoying a nice early hack and then there the hideous creatures were, one on the horses neck and one on my leg....ugghhhhh. One of my mares hardly reacts at all and the other one goes completely bonkers. I know which one I'll be riding more over the next few weeks :)
 
They appeared in Herts yesterday, killed several out riding and my retired boy didn't want to leave his stable to browse the hedgerows and then kept stopping to present various parts of himself so I could kill them. They only go out at night but will have to have fly rugs on for the few hours before dark as they get really bothered by them.
 
Had our first ones On Sunday. We were attacked as we rode up a field with longish grass but they disappeared once we got to the moors, thank god.
 
Hate the bloody things! My poor mare who is used to fly rugs and being bought in is having a bit of a wake up call!! She has a foal so no fly rugs possible poor girl, she was straight over to me this evening trying to squish the horrid things off against me.
 
Ours have just started to come out as they are cutting the hay....one of mine gets really really stressed by them so we won't be going round the feilds that much in the next few weeks 😢
 
We have them in force here. They were horrendous when hacking out yesterday, horse was really nappy which he hasn't been for ages. Tonight when lunging poor boy was plagued by them . Only did about 15 mins then we had both had enough. Out in fly rug now much happier.
 
I am the unfortunate owner of 8 angry bites, I bloody hate horse flies. I am the ultimate delicacy :( I cut short my session with my pony this evening because we were both being eaten alive. I have ordered him a new fly rug and I'm still looking for my solution, nothing as yet has worked for me.
 
LHIS said:
I am the unfortunate owner of 8 angry bites, I bloody hate horse flies. I am the ultimate delicacy :( I cut short my session with my pony this evening because we were both being eaten alive. I have ordered him a new fly rug and I'm still looking for my solution, nothing as yet has worked for me.
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Have you not had a reaction to them?? I'm currently reacting allergically. Taken loratadine and put cream on bites to stop the itch and hopefully reduce the reaction but still feeling a bit wheezy. I've been told avon skin so soft works well to stop them biting us.
 
Ive yet to SEE one, but my poor boy came in on saturday evening with a leg the size of an elephant. Course i was in a state and called my YO to come out immediately (had funeral planned and all that) but she had a look over and spotted the blood from the bite and calmed me down lol gave him a hose, which really helped, and some bute and it went down in a few hours. Its funny all that goes through your mind when you see something wrong!

If i see any now, i will be taking revenge on the attack with deadly force!
 
spike123 said:
Have you not had a reaction to them?? I'm currently reacting allergically. Taken loratadine and put cream on bites to stop the itch and hopefully reduce the reaction but still feeling a bit wheezy. I've been told avon skin so soft works well to stop them biting us.
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I don't feel unwell but the bites themselves are like golf balls under the skin, they turn hard almost immediately, then go and angry red colour and emit heat, then they blister, then after about 10 days they fade. Last year I counted 32 on me at one point and was sent to hospital.
Tried skin so soft, sadly not seen much of an improvement. I have been able to reduce the swelling though by immediately treating the bites with a muscle balm, it's menthol-y and seems to really help.
 
LHIS said:
I am the unfortunate owner of 8 angry bites, I bloody hate horse flies. I am the ultimate delicacy :( I cut short my session with my pony this evening because we were both being eaten alive. I have ordered him a new fly rug and I'm still looking for my solution, nothing as yet has worked for me.
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I get eaten alive and then react REALLY badly to them, anthistamines don't touch them, best thing so far has been menthol. I'm in Russia again in 2 weeks, last time I went I was more swollen weal than normal flesh but this time I am trying Biteback Flies Undone which is supposed to be as effective a repellent as you can get against the cleggs. Will report back in 3 weeks if it works!!
 
Saw first ones Saturday evening when I got the horses in. We've been really lucky so far as the cooler weather and wind has been ideal for the horses so Sunday was the first time fly-rugs went on. Often we go straight from LW TO to fly as midges are so bad but this year they've had lots of lovely nakedness.
 
I am terribly allergic to the bites and swell up fit to burst. Then last year someone told me about bite relief/stop, it's ammonia and stinks, but it really works. Boots do their own version and you can buy packs of three from Amazon.

One thing I've found is that if you can't put it on straight away just scratch the bite until it bleeds then apply the ammonia and it works nearly as well. The stuff is a life saver.
 
It's called after bite on Amazon and bite and sting relief in Boots. I've not had a leg size arm since I got some, or laid awake all night scratching.
 
dollyanna said:
I this time I am trying Biteback Flies Undone which is supposed to be as effective a repellent as you can get against the cleggs. Will report back in 3 weeks if it works!!
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I am using Red horse super which has the same active ingredient and sadly we were attacked on our hack on Sunday minutes after spraying all over.
 
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