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ARRG Horseflies!

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  equiniphile 
#1 ·
HOW do I get rid of these things? They're attacking me and whatever part of the horse isn't doused in Endure! Today my gelding Sammy got attacked right behind the ear, the one place I didn't spray, while I was in the saddle. No wonder he was acting up today T_T

These ******s are a good half an inch long and are driving me mad. How do I get rid of them? Do they nest? Have I been cursed?

I generally spray everyone once a week, twice if we have heavy rains. There just seems to be no killing these ugly ******s.


Help? Please?
 
#2 ·
I'm much too lazy to pull it up myself, but I wonder if Fly Predators help with horseflies... it's at least worth looking up. They're about $30 a month for up to five horses, if I remember right. I used them for a month and there was a noticeable shortage of flies. I only "stopped" using them because I'm poor and couldn't afford the next bag, lol. Other than that, I fly spray my horses daily, I have full face fly masks, and I feed garlic powder daily to help keep flies down. Maybe a good paddock picking would help too? Just throwing everything out there, I hope you find a solution. =]
 
#3 ·
Just pulled this off their website (fly predators):
Fly Predators parasitize Stable Flies and are an effective control tool. Proper sanitation and management of breeding areas will help control this pest. Research at Texas A&M University has shown that over one million Stable Flies may develop from the residue of one round bale feeding site. By cleaning any straw and hay and spilled feed that accumulates in pens and spreading it out to dry or disposing of it in a compost pile, their numbers can be significantly reduced. Stable Flies are not attracted to “odor” traps, but to specially designed Stable Fly traps. Since after a blood meal, the adults fly to a vertical surface to digest their food residual pesticide applied to those surfaces are often effective in decreasing Stable Fly populations.

I have been using them again this year (2nd year) and they seem to be working even better than last year (this year I did start earlier too). I really dont even think about it until I have someone over who comments on my Lack of flies even though I have horses/cows. I do still use fly spray on the horses, but Ive cut done alot on how much and how often (only a couple times a week and I just buy the stuff that is 5-6 dollars a bottle). And they are not all over me either when Im spending time with the horses. Makes for a much more enjoyable time spent with the horses.
 
#5 ·
We buy some kind of spray where you mix this stuff together, put it in the bottle, and then put some water in it. We only have to spray them once a day and the horseflies and smaller flies generally stay off of the horses. Of course, they relocate themselves elsewhere, and try to get at me. xD

I don't remember what it is called. I'll look when I go to feed later because I'm too lazy to walk out there now.
 
#7 ·
Equicare Flysect

I used to use this product that was GREAT at keeping all flies away--house flies, horseflies, deerflies, you name it. It was called Equicare Flysect, and there were two bottles: One for use at night, which had Citronella in it to ward off Mosquitos, gnats, and flies, and one was for use during the day that focused on defending against different types of flies and gnats. I used to buy both because they worked so well, but TSC stopped carrying it so now I have to go down to the tack store if I want it, and their prices are outrageous.

Here's the daytime spray:
Dover Saddlery | Equicare Super 7 Repellent Fly Spray .

Here's the nighttime spray:
Dover Saddlery | Equicare Flysect Citronella Spray .
 
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