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Quarabian
Platinum Member
 Wales
4340 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 11:57:13 AM
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Well, I hate to complain about the weather after all the rain, snow, ice, wind and anything I might have forgotten we now have the biting horseflies.
I have not been able to ride much because of work. then we get this glorious weather and even at 8 am the poor horse couldn't cope. They don't even want to go out in the field today.
Is it bad out there?
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Sharea
Silver Member
United Kingdom
289 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 12:06:34 PM
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| Yes they're suddenly out in force down here in Cornwall, got bitten on the leg myself this morning. Horrible things. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 12:08:12 PM
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| Our horseflies arrived last week, they are dreadful aren,t they, i have 8 horses living out all year round and i feel so sorry for them , i am spraying with fly repellent twice a day and creaming noses etc as the sun has been so hot, some are wearing flyrugs but they are still being bitten on their tummies , legs and faces , they do have a large shed to go in if they want but are pacing round outside, i am thinking about bringing some home later, they will have to be stabled and ionly go out in the school as we have sprayed the paddock so it will be tue before they can go out in there. They take a bit of killing as well, you have to give them a good thump to squash them which in turn makes the poor horses jump, hate the pesky things. I have started feeding haylage in the shed to try and get horses to use it , some of them went in this morning to chomp so at least they will get a break from them for a while. Do horseflies have any use other than to annoy the horses |
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Pashon2001
Platinum Member
3575 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 12:40:00 PM
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| I've been using a tropical insect repellent from Sainsburys. Have been careful not to put it anywhere they can lick but its excellent, especially for one of my stallions who won't cover ANYTHING if there are any sort of fly/midge around. |
     
www.jarvastud.com http://hocon.webs.com/ |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 2:33:56 PM
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We have been having flies and horseflies since a couple of months at least,sooner than usual actually,probably due to a rainy and humid winter.We also have crab flies and mosquitoes of course.Horses here have to just get used to them!Local horses do.
It's too hot to wear a flyrug anyway (33C these days,in the shadow of course) Mine live in flymasks because they will get swollen eyes from flies otherwise.They stay in full sun most of the time even if they have a shelter as the flies seem to love the shelter more!I spray them with a water based repellent which works a treat for horseflies and crab flies,but not with common flies,I think nothing works with them.
Horse flies and crab flies aplenty in the woods so I have to spray my horse before hacks.
As I told a friend,you don't know what flies are until you come to Southern Tuscany! |
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SuziQ
Gold Member
England
922 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 3:02:17 PM
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| They are yuk aren't they! I was riding out yesterday morning and got swamped..I smacked a few on the horses and interestingly they didn't jump, they obviously knew I was doing them a favour. |
Everyone in my life brings me happiness, some by arriving others by leaving. |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 7:17:40 PM
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| We have them in force here so am riding at about 7.30 in the morning and its much better not so many horse flies, I also find covering them in mane and tail spray or coat shine does stop flies getting a grip as the coat is to slippery, I have also been putting a few drops of lavender oil in the bottle as I read that horse flies don't like it, failing that they get squashed if I see them. |
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Nichole Waller
Gold Member
England
1168 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 7:46:00 PM
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I did a distance ride with ICENI GB today in Thetford and both me and Ozzy got eaten alive...! I'd covered us both in Deet NAFF spray before the ride but it didn't make any difference.... Pesky things  |
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Ari
Platinum Member
1657 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 7:58:06 PM
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I don't think any fly product lasts long it just costs a fortune! We were ok very early morning today until we got in bracken them we picked them up. Ari had Leovet Power Phaser on with no effect |
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glo
Gold Member
England
1297 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 8:25:54 PM
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| to day was the first day I wanted to bring the horses in all day, mare and foal have field shelter and stayed in all day, other mare stood in her shelter all day as well, and the others stood by the gate! they are all in at mo for feed and I will keep them in till later. |
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AnnaMaisy25
Gold Member
England
794 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 09:36:33 AM
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Splash gets bitten badly by horse flies, but always has her fly sheet on while in the field, and comes in during the day ion the worst heat because she has so much hair, but Freya seems to be uninteresting to them... And is out 24/7, her stable gets ridiculously hot, and I can't leave her in there if I start sweating after 20 minutes in it! It wouldn't be fair on her!!!
Maybe the amount of Garlic in her feed is helping?? Not sure.
She has garlic chop chaff, and a scoop of garlic granules on top. She can't get enough of it!
Splash has tow scoops, but is on dengie hi-fi lite [cus she's chubby].
Freya is also on Caladium pills, by equihealth, which are meant to repel biting insects. Maybe they are working their magic!!
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Splash&Freya. |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 10:03:57 AM
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| I don't know if you all realise that no fly repellent will work on the biting horseflies. They hone in on the heat of the horse. This makes sense as they get worse as the horse gets warm. Only solution seems to be swatting them. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 10:59:11 AM
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| They take a bit of swatting too, my blacksmith rang yesterday to see if i wanted horses feet done so i loaded Donk and drove up to fields, the horseflies were dreadful, my normally good to do horses and ponies were being driven mad, the blacksmith and i were squishing the little b*****ds on peace, he was using his rasp to squash them , its very satisfying when you kill them , i never normally kill any creature but these are the only thing i can squash as they are horrid. I had 9 needed their feet dressed and it took far longer than normal as the poor horses were stamping and pawing, i did find that my homemade fly repellent did keep them off for a while so was spraying while he trimmed, its got citronella, tea tree oil, vinegar, tea,water and a squirt of fairy liquid in and it was keeping them off as long as i sprayed loads on, was foggy her first thing so they were hiding, suns out now so they will be back. i brought three home last night to give them a break from flies, have washed their tails and back legs and will load them up and take them back out later today. |
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marionpack
Gold Member
England
1073 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 11:09:58 AM
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I think sometimes it depends on the horse, while riding at the week-end (early) with a friend who has a very dark bay I/D, he is always smothered in horse flies, where as Jojo (chestnut) doesn't seem to get them, but my friends hi-viz was also covered with little black flies and mine had none
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Berkshire
   
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Pop
Platinum Member
England
3051 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 11:19:48 AM
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I made some home made stuff, seemed to work because the horse flies left the horses and came after me; and I react to the bites.
Not pleased |
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Doris
New Member
United Kingdom
13 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 2:03:55 PM
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| I just thought I'd share this. I crush garlic gloves and mix with pig oil, I then bottle it. With a small sponge go along mane, spine and into the dock. This has worked really well with midges (no rubbing) and I have two who by now would have rubbed their docks of hair. I only do it once or twice a week and this is the first year I've done it with brilliant results. Warning: The smell of garlic is quite strong. |
Doris |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 2:37:05 PM
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| Originally posted by Quarabian
I don't know if you all realise that no fly repellent will work on the biting horseflies. They hone in on the heat of the horse. This makes sense as they get worse as the horse gets warm. Only solution seems to be swatting them.
Not true.The one I use does work.It's Permetrine,I buy it through a friend who buys it in bulk in pure form,one liter bottle,you mix 10 ml with a liter of water and do your own solution.Horseflies come close,then run away!same with crabflies.You have to spray evenly as if only one spot isn't sprayed,they will find it!On face I use a sponge.The only problem is when the horse sweats of course!And it doesn't work with normal flies,nothing works with them!
There is now a spot on product by Farnam,it's called Equispot and it's also Permetrine,it's supposed to get into the skin and last 14 days no matter how many showers or how much sweating your horse does.It does work at home but I didn't dare try it on hacks,I use it on Pasch who stays home.
Funny you say they don't come out if it's foggy,I noticed here cloudy days with little or no wind are the worst,they like it when it's humid! |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 2:46:14 PM
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Pasch it was like a damp fog if that makes sense, and not a fly in sight, it was lovely , i even managed to pull some thistles. Very hot and sunny now and they have arrived  |
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Slave 2 Magic
Gold Member
England
1023 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2013 : 3:07:03 PM
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| Well I have noticed that my mare doesn't seem as bothered this year and she normally gets runny eyes. The only difference is I now feed her brewers yeast. I have heard that it repels flies as well and it seems to be an added bonus to using it:) |
West Yorkshire
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 12:27:10 PM
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Horseflies are the only thing that I don't like about summer, I'm really allergic to them and have ended up in the hospital minor injuries unit before now being doused with iodine.
I've been sending Neem out with a combination of 3 different fly repels which I top up at lunch time, so far so good for her but I've managed to get bitten on my ankle  I'm waiting to speak to a doctor to see if there's anything I can take because I'm 39 weeks pregnant. Grrrr I'm so annoyed, ruddy flies. |
Heléna
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 1:30:30 PM
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Eeyore i was told to put vinegar straight onto the bite then take some antihistamine tablets as i get bitten and react badly, it worked when i was bitten last week, was a bit smelly though  bit like a chip shop. |
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Pop
Platinum Member
England
3051 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 3:37:34 PM
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| I got bitten on the elbow, and it grew and grew. Was really painful actually. I put some HibiScrub on it (because it was there) and it went down quite quickly. |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 5:12:37 PM
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| I got bitten by a horsefly two years ago on my calf. It swelled to double it's size and then the skin broke out as weeping blisters. It was extremely painful, I had to go to the GP in the end as it wouldn't dry up. I was on antidiabolicals and antihistimines for a week to settle it all down and the broken skin took weeks to heal. Horrible things they really are. |
Edited by - Suelin on 09 Jul 2013 5:13:39 PM |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 10:47:03 PM
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| Antibiotics get rid of diabolical things don't they? Hence antidiabolicals............we have our own form of language here |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 10:55:06 PM
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| I thought it was something like that,but never heard before,going to use that myself,works well in Italian,too |
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Topic |
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Weather and flies
