Keeping flies and gnats off horses can be challenging
Published 8:58 am Thursday, May 23, 2013
Common way of providing bug-relief to horses:
• Keep horses in stalls during peak periods at dusk and dawn
• Graze horses in dry lots with less vegetation, ample shade and drinking water
• Change drinking water frequently and add a small amount of cider vinegar
• Rub fabric-softening drier sheets over the horses’ coat
• Manually apply Avon Skin-So-Soft with a mild insect repellent using a fly-mit
• Protect the horses’ bodies with fly sheets during turnout
• Cover the horses’ ears and eyes with fly masks, but remove at night time (so they can see)
Backus suggests, “If you really want to measure your effectiveness in the battle against bugs, go into your barn at night, turn the light on, and just look up at the ceiling at the active bugs.”