Developing a fly-control plan is not an easy task. With weapons in your arsenal ranging from sprays, to sheets, to supplements, and everything in between, it’s a well-known fact combating these pests is a never-ending battle.
Although waging war with flies will never completely eradicate them, it’s well worth the investment of time, effort, and resources to keep your horse’s environment as fly-free as possible.
Buzzing from the Barn
Manure Management
Flies are drawn to fresh droppings, since this is their preferred spot to mate and lay eggs. Cleaning your horse’s stall and pen daily to remove manure will help to keep flies out of your horse’s living area. Take the manure to an off-site location or as far away from your horse’s pen as possible. If necessary, cover the manure pile with a tarp, so flies can’t get to the manure and you can dispose of it later.
Minimize Moisture
Water draws in flies since it provides an adequate location for breeding and drinking. Cleaning water tanks often will help keep the drinking water clean and free of flies. Eliminating sources of stagnant water, such as unused feeders or buckets and puddles around the barn should help with fly control.
Products for Protection
Spray
Using a fly spray will help guard your horse against these pests and add to your horse’s comfort. Simply spray on the repellant and your horse will have relief from stomping and biting at flies. A natural fly repellant such as Nature’s Force Fly Spray will ensure that he doesn’t experience irritation from chemicals that can be found in some fly sprays.
Barriers
Items such as fly masks, sheets, and boots provide a barrier between the flies and your horse’s skin. Combining barriers with repellants will give your horse the ultimate level of protection and comfort against these pests.
Traps
Setting traps in your barn will lure the flies into a bait trap or onto a sticky surface. Once the flies are trapped, they will perish, and you can throw the traps away. These are a great option to add to help with fly population, which will in turn keep the numbers down so your horse can remain comfortable.
Supplements
Feed through pellets that you add to your horse’s feed will pass through your horse’s manure, where the ingredients prevent fly larvae from maturity—so flies never leave the manure. Each horse will need to be dosed individually to ensure this method words properly and the horses receive the correct amount of the active ingredient.
Fly Away with This
Flies are more than just a nuisance, they can cause a threat to your horse’s health. Being highly effective at spreading diseases such as equine infectious anemia and vesicular stomatitis (a virus that causes painful mouth ulcers). Flies can also cause impact related injury from constant stomping.
Using these methods in combination will help your horse continue to be comfortable, happy, and healthy as the summer months approach.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the TLC blog, sponsored by Manna Pro, where we’ll share tips about the extra, pampering things you can do for your horse…just because you love him. Our pointers will help you foster your horse’s wellbeing by boosting his health…or just making him happy.
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