With the warmer weather has come lots of insects! Now Scottie isn’t usually too bothered by biting insects, but so far this year he has been eaten alive and spent the first few mornings covered in lumpy bumps! However, I quickly shook up his management and wanted to share with you what’s in my bug busting kit!
Repellents
Fly Spray
Now the jury seems to be out when it comes to fly spray with many people not seeing a difference. But I personally think that if you find the right fly spray for your horse, it does a fantastic job!
For Scottie I use NAF Citronella and have done since day one. He gets covered in the morning before going out. If he is wearing a fly mask/rug then I only spray the exposed areas.
Fly-Off
I just received the exciting news that I will be being sent a new fly repellent product, Fly-Off and I can’t wait to give them a full review for you! These all natural inserts use essential oils known for their repellent properties. You can attach them you your horse’s legs, girth, rug, headcollar etc to give them fly protection on the go. If your horse is sensitive or spooky about fly spray, this could be a perfect solution for you.
Protection
Fly Mask
Having flies around their eyes is just horrible and especially now that Scottie is turned out by himself, he can’t stand head to tail with his buddy to help keep the flies out of each others faces. So unless I think it is going to rain, he wears a fly mask most days out in the field.
Now all horses have slightly different fly mask needs. Sensitive ones may get rubbed by some styles and some may need extra UV protection. But luckily for me, Scottie is pretty easy and copes perfectly well with his cheap and cheerful mask. Even if he does occasionally get it off.
Fly Rug
As much as I love fly spray and really see the benefits. I think a fly rug can be an even better option as they can stop many insects from getting to the horse in the first place. I always make sure I have a fly rug to hand during the summer months as you never know when it may come in handy.
This spring despite plenty of fly spray, Scottie was getting eaten alive overnight in his stable. Since putting his fly rug on overnight, I have seen a massive improvement and he isn’t covered in lumps in the morning.
Fly Trap
My latest bit of bug busting kit is the Sticky Trap. I received this from Equine-Innovations to review and you can read the full review here. This fly trap works by attracting and trapping biting insects so that they cannot bother your horse. Scottie has this out in his field and hasn’t needed a fly rug during the day and doesn’t appear to be bothered by any insects out there. I am planning on making a smaller one for his stable to see if that helps too!
What are your bug busting tips?
Last Updated on 21/06/2019
