[mackandblues]

I was grooming my mare yesterday after not seeing her for 2 days and I noticed all these scabs and small bleeding areas on her chest and between her front legs. So I looked closer and saw several small flies with their heads in her skin. What kind of flies are these and will normal fly spray work?
Sarah

 

[tealamutt]

Mack- what you're describing sounds a lot more like mites to me. Do you have pictures? I'd also need to know where you are to have a better idea of what it might be, but understand maybe you don't care to share your location. You could PM me if you want. I'm studying parasites of horses right now and we have yet to discuss a burrowing fly but maybe we haven't gotten there yet! Did they have wings for certain? Ryle, can you weigh in please?

 

[mackandblues]

I'm in Eastern North Carolina - we've had a really wet winter. They did have wings for sure. I will try to take some pictures when I go to the barn today. The barn owner looked at them and so did the other boarders who have lived in this part of the country for a long time and they had never seen them before.

 

[tealamutt]

Do you think they could be chiggers? And sorry, I meant LICE not mites. I have to stop posting before I've had coffee!!