Also looking forward to the summer season so much? Finally driving in the outdoor arena again, horse riding in the forest, outdoor competitions, organising barbecues with stable mates and enjoying the sunny weather…Just sad that mosquito’s and flies like to join our activities too. Read our 7 tips to protect your best friend from this annoying bastards, because they are early this year and very thirsty!
Especially no-see-ums and horseflies are a pain in the neck. When no-see-ums bite your horse, they can cause sweet itch with their saliva. Horse-flies have sharp scissors around their jaw, so their bite is bloody and painful. What can you do about it?
1. Don’t place your horse front row
Keep your horse away from places where horseflies and no-see-ums love to spend time, like hot, humid, windless spots and forests. No-see-ums are extremely active during the dusk, so it’s a good idea to bring your horse to the stable before dusk.
2. Rugs are always a good idea
You probably just released your buddy from its winter rug, but rugs are also very useful during summer to protect your horse against insects. Is your horse sensitive to sweet itch? In that case, a sweet itch rug is exactly what it needs to prevent suffering. A fly rug is enough to protect against (horse)flies.
3. Keep everything clean
Horseflies and no-see-ums love humid areas and that’s exactly where they lay their eggs. Also still-standing water is a paradise for insects. That’s why you need to keep your horse away from lakes and use the pitchfork a little bit more regularly to take away the humid areas in the stable.
4. Come up with diversionary tactics
Horse-flies are attracted to hot, moving surfaces. So your sweaty horse is clearly their target. A solution to this problem is a trap in the form of a dark surface, which gets hot in the sun and moves slowly. Did you know that it’s easy to make a trap yourself with a bucket and horsefly glue?
5. Nice breeze
Horseflies and no-see-ums can’t fly that well. Place a ventilator near to your horse to make it extra hard for the insects to reach your friend.
6. If the harm has already been done…
Does your buddy still has insect bites? Try to find out which care product is the right one for your horse to alleviate the pain or itch. Our tip: Itch Balm and Derma Shampoo. These good, caring products with alleviating effect support the recuperating power of the skin.
Keep an eye on open wounds and clean it properly. That way, you prevent inflammations. If you don’t trust it, please consult your veterinarian.
7. Are we forgetting something?
Of course, there are many more insects who like to tease our best friends during hot weather. Let’s not forget about the ordinary house-fly. They like to sit around your horse’s eyes because they are crazy about tear fluid. Fly masks and fly fringes could help your horse to keep the flies away.
One last tip: don’t forget about yourself! So put a bottle of anti insect spray in your grooming box. Enjoy the splendid summer and if you have a good tip as well, don’t hesitate to let us know. We are very curious about your experiences.
