pls help?How to get rid of flies, they are buging my horses.?

Question

the flies are really bad i have tried every fly spary on the sleves of tack stores nothing works.

i put fly masks on the horse to keep them out of there face, they are really bugging the horses, the horses are going around kicking and stoped there hoofs.

anybody have any good ideas to get rid of flies.

i have a pinto, a buckskin, a dun and white pony.

Answer 1

Keeping your horse clean does nothing but attract them-the dirt prevents the flies from getting through to their skin-that's why they roll all the time.

Here's some herbal remedy recipes. It'll depend on which area you live as to which one works...we've used them forever on our horses and dogs. (benefit-they smell REALLY nice and are super shiny...and no harmful side effects, etc.)

Citronella Repellent
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60 drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in place of the witch hazel.

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2 cups white vinegar
1 cup Avon Skin So Soft (Bath oil)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil
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If your horse is allergic to fly bites, try 1/4 cup of apple cider
vinegar on their grain once a day. This raises the blood acid level
just enough to bother the flies, but it is completely healthy for the
horse. It takes about one week to start seeing the effects. Several
old timers have told me that they always put vinegar in their horse's
drinking water during the summer to repel flies and mosquitoes.
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For cheap fly repellent, mix about 1 1/2 cups of plain white vinegar into about every 75 gallons of water in your horse's water tub. If you use this it in the water about a week before flies start biting, it will have circulated in your horse and it helps keep flies from biting.
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1 oz. Citronella Oil
2 oz. Skin-So-Soft or Coat-So-Soft
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
Mix in a 20 oz. spray bottle

(Fly control is important too-try fly balls or bags (they are ugly and stink but work). The site also has some fly management recipes. Keep the manure picked up and moved away from their shelter as much as possible too.

We alternate these according to what we have on hand at the time. We did not like commercial sprays b/c of their smell and bc of handling precautions. We couldn't risk the small children at the stables getting ahold of them.

Answer 2

I've been at a stable for a number of years that you rarely see a fly. The trick is good manure managment. Keeping the stalls, arena and pastures clean. They also use an automatic sprayer in the barn that sprays a bug spray into the air thats safe for humans and horses every 5-15 minutes. For a spray to apply directly to the horse try the Pyrana brand - its oil based so it doesn't evaporate off and last a good 24 hours. The only thing is you need to is periodically wash your horse because the oil build up can effect their coats.

Try hanging up bee and fly traps near the manure carts and dumpster. These are diiferent than the fly strips. They are a jar that lets the flys in but not out. You bait them with water, juice and either cat food or tuna. The flys are attracted to the smell of the sweet juice and rotting meat, get in and eventually drown in the water. I've used a fly trap in my back yard and after a week of emptying ever couple days there was a significant reduction in the number of flys and wasps in the area. Because you only buy the trap once they are very inexpensive.

Answer 3

Hey, those spray repellant recipes sound great.
What colour is your horse? For some reason chestnuts attract bugs galore - they must taste sweeter, lol!
A stud nearby, and myself swear by adding yellow sulphur to the feed (sometimes also called milling sulpher). After it has built up in the system biting insects seem a lot less interested in the animal. I've seen horses stand side by side - one covered in flies, one clean. The only difference was the yellow sulpher (I know this because I know both owners well and exactly what they feed/spray, etc... Cheap, and worth a try. Use the sprays (or swab them on if your horse doesn't like the sound of squirting) until the yellow sulpher takes effect - this could be up to a few weeks.
Hope your baby gets some relief! :)

Answer 4

There are several things u can do to make them more comfortable. There is a product called fly predators that are little bugs that kill the flys larva breaking their life cycle. I got them at www.spalding-labs.com.

I also use sun/fly sheets. (i get them from www.sstack.com, their only like $50, its a great investment!!!) basically they are sheets that the horses wear like blankets but their just a thin mesh. They help keep the flys away and prevent fading. I use them in addition to fly spray and they work really well and they don't really add any warmth.

If your horses have stalls then bringing them in during the day will help but clean their stalls several times a day to help cut back on the flys. also using fans in the stalls will help keep the air moving so the flys don't linger.

If your horses are sweaty then hose them down to get rid of the sweat, it attracts flys terribly!!!!

And finally fly traps, they are awesome!!! sticky ones work best. i put one in my horses stall and within two days it was filled up.

Answer 5

The best way is to get the manure as far from the barn as possible and keep the stalls clean! Use a bug zapper after dark and sticky fly strips in the barn to kill as many as you can. Ask your local vet (or stable owners) for a recommendation on a fly repellent that you can safely use on horses.

Answer 6

I had the same problem last year. Just make sure there isn't loads of manure out in the fields- have them cleaned every once in a while. Also, hang fly traps everywhere you can- the sticky kind, as long as they won't get in the way. You can also try roll on fly repellent. If you roll it onto their legs, stomach and anywhere else, and also spray them, the flies won't be as bad. I hope this helps!

Answer 7

I've heard good things about the parasitic wasps as a form of fly control, but that requires planning. At this stage of the game, use the baited and sticky fly traps. I have chickens and they help break up the manure so that it dries out quickly and does not become a home for fly larvae. Good luck!!

Answer 8

Becasue our horses spend time out on pasture we chose to use a feed thru fly control this year.
It works pretty well. I still spray them most days but there are way less flys this year.
You feed them the pellets every day and they flys con not hatch out of their manure.
It works well but you have to start in the spring.
Same with the fly preadators.

Answer 9

I use horse and pony fly spray and bronco I don't know if you have used these but they keep the flys off of my horses but I ususally spray them twice a day

Answer 10

I have always heard that if you take a ziplock baggie and fill with water that it will fool the flies into thinking there is wasp around.but thats mainly for your house.As for horses I would talk to a vet and see if they have or recommend a certain shampoo or spray for the horses that work for flies.