How to support and protect your horse against flies and insects...
Due to the impact of Covid-19 and recommended guidelines from The British Horse Society, some livery yards and horse owners are having to turn horses out in the field for longer periods than they usually might.
As summer temperatures are inevitably increasing, flies and other insects are an irritant that comes with this, potentially impacting your horse’s comfort and welfare. For some horses this can cause sudden behavioral changes in the field, in hand and when ridden. This can include leg stomping/kicking, lack of concentration, consistent tail swatting and head shaking. In the current climate with your horse possibly having to be turned out for longer periods than normal, it is important do your best to protect against flies and other insects that could transmit diseases and internal parasites.
What can you do to repel flies?
Here are some methods to repel flies and protect against them being a nuisance so that you and your horse can revel in the lovely weather of summer…
- The use of light weight reflective fly rugs, masks and leg wraps can assist in deterring flies. Some studies have shown that the use of fly equipment with a zebra striped pattern confuses flies discouraging them from landing on your horse.
- Maintain turnout fields by poo picking daily as this will limit the attraction of flies.
- Encourage as much ventilation as possible, particularly in your horse’s stable, as a strong breeze will make it harder for insects to hover.
- Avoid turning your horse out during dawn and dusk (if your yard’s Covid–19 restriction allows this) as this is when flies and insects are most active and likely to irritate your horse.
- Ensure your turnout fields are not near any bodies of water especially standing water as this attracts flies.
- Fly spray can be useful to protect your horse. Deet is the most common active ingredient used in repellants. Feedmark’s Blue Bottle Fly Repellent Spray contains Deet and PMD which keeps the flies at bay for up to 12 hours.
- Ensure a high standard of general cleanliness of your stable and yard – regularly clean buckets, water troughs and sweep up excess hay and dust.
- Keep feed bins securely sealed and stored in a cool lockable location to prevent infestation of flies and other insects.
- Consider your muck heap location. Ensure your muck heap is away from your turn out field and stabling as this is a prime location for fly reproduction.
- Good nutrition from the inside out. The use of oral supplements is an easy and time efficient method, especially if you have livery friends or yard owners currently caring for your horse. Feedmark’s Fly Formula is an oral fly deterring supplement, designed to help reduce irritation from flies. When ingested daily, the pungent aroma of the ingredients passes through the skin to discourage flies.
Extra help in deterring flies from your horse…
Fly Formula
- Repels flies and insects from the inside out.
- Feed daily to horses and ponies who regularly experience fly nuisance.
- You can add Fly Formula as part of your Bespoke All-In-One™ supplement.
- Contains Micronised Linseed, a source of Omega 3 fatty acid which supports healthy skin and aids a shiny coat. It can also help animals with fly bite sensitivity.
- Added Garlic is beneficial for deterring flies.
- Chamomile, Peppermint, Spearmint, Rosemary, Lemon and Nettle are used for their soothing, tonic effects on the skin, coat and digestive system.
- Added probiotic Yea-Sacc is a clinically proven live yeast to ensure ingredients are absorbed in the digestive tract.
Blue Bottle Fly Spray
- Top strength, high potent formula DEET and PMD based fly repellent.
- Blue Bottle is gentle on your horse’s skin.
- Provides up to 12 hours of fly relief.
- Using a sponge, apply to the face and areas prone to irritation (avoiding the eyes), you can also spray at a distance of 15cm from the horse to cover the body.