If it's not the flies and midges biting your horse making them antsy, it's you plowing your head in and swarm and eating a handful of gnats when you are out on a hack!
Here are 6 tips to help both you and your horse banish the flies!
1- Invest in some high-quality fly gear for your horse. We would at the very least recommend a fly mask or fly fringe to help keep those pesky flies off their eyes and ears which will reduce irritation, even though you cannot get rid of every fly you could also add a fly rug for added protection- there are now a few different designs with some really cool patterns such as a Zebra Print!
2- Manage the Manure! - There is nothing worse than your horse being in his/her stable with a load of flies buzzing about the place, frequently cleaning the stable keeping it clean and clear of soiled bedding will mean fewer flies hanging around, it will also reduce flies from having a chance to lay their eggs in your horses' bedding. The same rule applies for all areas your horse will be in or near such as the barn, yard, and tracks, when cleaning these areas make sure you dispose of the manure as far away as possible.
3- Hang a few fly traps about the yard
You can buy fly traps that have sticky tape or ones that are filled with water, when choosing locations to put these make sure they are out of the way of curious horses and children!
4- Sprays, Roll-Ons, Wraps, and Tags!
Using fly sprays helps reduce the number of flies landing on your horse and will stop them from biting and laying their eggs onto your horse's fur. When applying fly spray make sure you follow the recommended amount on the packaging, if you apply too little it may mean that spraying your horse has no effect at all, make sure they are well accustomed to the spray and when applying to the face spray the liquid onto a cloth and rub onto the face taking care not to get any of it into the eyes - your horse will NOT thank you you for that!
When out on a hack try adding the New NAF Off Tag to the bridle of your horse and wearing a NAF Citronella Wrist Band, this will help you enjoy your ride much more and not worry so much about swatting those winged insects away from you!
(check out our fly rugs and repellents here: Horse Fly Repellents & Fly Rugs | Upton Equestrian | Free UK Mainland Delivery )
5- Put your horse in a herd!
If you haven't already, keep your horse in a herd, not only are they sociable animals that naturally like being in a herd they also help each other out by swatting the flies with their tails when stood together.
6- Turn out at night
Due to the temperature being cooler in the evenings flies are generally less active so turning out at night when the weather is warmer (usually June-August) may help your horse cope better.
The summer months can be a pain with the flies but using some of these tips it can hopefully be a bit more enjoyable for you and your horse!
If you have any tips or tricks to banish the flies then comment below!
See our latest blogs - 5 tips to re-hydrate your horse this summer.
Don't forget at Upton Equestrian we offer FREE UK Mainland Delivery for all orders over £ 25