Keeping flies at bay...

[Castlelough]

Our horses are turned out for the summer and are really driven demented by the flies this summer. They seem much worse this year than any recent summer.

Can anyone recommend something to help? Preferably a homemade concoction as spraying three each day could become costly!

Also would a garlic or other feed supplement help?

Thanks!

My gelding is really suffering with flies - the first thing I got him was a fly mask - he is so much happier - they still bat round his face but he isn't going crazy shaking them off anymore.
And he has a fly rug - although not sure how much good it does tbh but it does keep the sun off him too.

Shetty is getting away with it but he isn't in the same field and up a slight hill so and they seem to stay away.

Both mine get garlic but I can't say it makes any difference .

I have given up with any type of spray.....

Oh dear, I just bought a garlic supplement today! Will have to look into fly masks... maybe online. Any advice on which type of fly mask?

Fly repellents only ever last a couple of hours at most, so best used when you're riding. The rest of the time, a good fly rug (pref with tummy covering) and fly mask.

Go to a local tack shop and get their advice. You need whatever make of fly rug fits your horse (from having winter rugs you should have a good idea of what rubs/doesn't for them), then a fly mask made of strong mesh.

I have a full length (with nose) because he also gets sunburn so that helps with that - and get one with ears!

I can't remember what brand but it was about £18 . It was a shire one irc.

I've only had him a week or so - first thing I bought along with the rug! I swear he sighed with relief .

This is similar to the one I have.

Fly mask with nose guard, fly rug, fly spray put on every morning and a marmite sandwich!

Ooh I have that one Bonkey (without nose), its great. I was a bit unsure about the ears but they don't bother my gelding at all and it means the flies can't get into the mask as easily as some other masks.
If you get a mask make sure the eye part really comes out from the face so it doesn't touch the eyes. I've seen so many masks where they seem to sit on/rub the top of the eyes which must be reeaally annoying.
Where we are the horse flies have been particularly bad this year, apparantly the mild winter didn't help.
Hopeing they are coming to an end now as riding out isn't much fun. I'm considering a ride-on fly rug for next year!
Spent £36 on what is supposed to be a great fly spray but doesn't seem to make any difference so giving up on that.

I wasn't keen on ears Snowpo but they do the trick. And yes make sure they don't sit flat on the eyes , mine comes out a fair bit.

First time I tried to put it on him he did a very impressive giraffe impression (full up 16hh can get rather tall!) but once he realized it got the bloody flies off he shoved his head down and can't wait

Best thing have ever bought in my years of horse ownership!

I can ride in mine too so will try that I think once I eventually get on him!

R&R sell tri tech which is expensive but definitely works. Dmare has gone from looking like she has hives to not one bite. I spray every 5 days although the pack says it lasts up to 14 so it's very economical. The UK packaging says not to apply directly to the animal but this is a licensing issue peculiar to the UK. If you Google there's lots of info on the licensing situation and it's used successfully in other countries.

Oh sorry, meant to say, watch fly masks carefully. They can cause serious injury to eyes, I've seen two horses lose an eye altogether (rubbing them so they twist) and another with a lifelong injury requiring daily washes and eye drops and causing loss of vision. The injured one was caused by the mask bending in and rubbing the eyelid/lashes.