In pre-chemical days a human assistant was the method of fly control. The shoer's assistant would gently waft away the flies that the horse couldn't reach with his tail, using a fly chaser made from horses' tail hair.

Thank goodness those days are long gone, although we all have to admit to helping our horses by hand at sometime or other.

During the summer months flies are a major irritation to horses and in some cases can quite literally drive them mad. Flies carry disease and can leave nasty bites on the skin - and the effect on the horse's legs must be taken into consideration. To get rid of flies they stomp their legs hard to the ground, which can result in cracking the hooves and if repeated enough, can lead to abscesses. Constant banging on the ground can cause permanent damage and inflammation in the legs, and if no relief is found this will lead to weight loss.

By providing simple shade, preferably in a breeze, you will be able to help your horse to a certain degree to get rid of these pesky winged critters.

There are four lines of defence: prevent flies from breeding, larvae from hatching, capture adult flies and protect your horse. So how do we achieve these four steps?

Manure and moisture management are very important in preventing flies from breeding. Remove manure and urine soaked bedding daily; this includes removal of manure from paddocks. Make sure that the muck heap is situated well away from all stalls and all vicinities where horses graze, preferably down wind. Ideally spread the manure thinly on to land and harrow it to allow rapid drying. This will take away favourable conditions for parasite eggs and fly larvae.

Moisture control is not just in the stall; it should be around water troughs and feed buckets. Rake around troughs, pick up old food and repair leaks.

To prevent larvae from hatching the use of an oral larvicide such as one from Rabon, prevents the development of larvae in the manure, and natural fly predators such as wasps that kill fly eggs can also help. For obvious reason we don't want to many wasps flying around, but they do the job well.

To capture the adults use fly jars, which can catch thousands of flies at one time. The most commonly used variety are the ones were you place meat or fish in the bottom in liquid to attract flies, but be warned - they really can smell rotten after a few days and need emptying regularly.

Fly paper is another option and comes in various lengths and widths. A few brands of fly paper use insecticide so it is important to read the label before placing them around animals and food. They are an inexpensive, disposable method of fly control, just a little sticky.

Insecticides should always be used very carefully, if at all, around animals as they can be very dangerous. Always read labels carefully and if necessary contact your veterinarian for advice. Premises sprays are for use in and around buildings. Some are not safe to use on livestock, manure or bedding; again you need to check the label.

Fly zappers are a mechanical method of killing flies by attracting them to a bright light where they get electrocuted immediately upon contact.

For the larger indoor barns there are special misting systems, which I used in the Middle East. A series of pipes run over the top of the stalls releasing a fine spray of cold water. It had a duel purpose as not only did it help keep the horses cool in the summer months, but by adding fly repellent to the water, it acted as an effective indoor fly spray system.

To protect your horses directly can be mind boggling as there are quite simply hundreds of different sprays available on the market. Most come with a pretty hefty price tag and unless one brand comes recommended by a friend, the choice can be very difficult. The ingredients tend to be the same just arranged in a different order.

When choosing repellents try to stick to 100pc natural products like the Aromaway range, they are safer and this particular brand is very effective for your horse. If you are competing you must check the ingredients on all natural repellents because, for example, under FEI rules lavender is a prohibited substance.

We can help our horses internally too; by the addition of garlic we are causing the skin to secrete garlic scented oils which deter flies, and by adding a little vinegar or cider vinegar to the feed or water bucket we raise the pH balance in the horses blood sufficiently enough to put flies off biting. Elder flower sprigs in the brow band whilst riding and hanging a large string of onions or garlic outside the stall can also help to repel these annoying pests.

There are many home-made remedies that have been passed down from one horseman to another over the centuries, some work and some don't, they can repel one breed of bug but not another, why? No one seems to know.

I do wonder if flies can actually get used to one smell and become immune to its repellent effects, and after much research I still cannot find the answer.

So help to make your horse more comfortable this year through good management combined with internal and external help, it is beneficial to you as well as you now have somewhere to hang the onions!

Prevention the best way to protect equines

SWEET Itch is an allergic reaction to midge bites. You will know that your pony is suffering from this by checking his mane and tail for bald patches and scabby, weeping sores. He will also be madly scratching these areas at every given opportunity.

Midges normally strike between April and November, but this may vary with the temperature. They thrive near water and the female midge will only bite during dawn and dusk (the male midge does not actually bite). So ponies turned out to graze near water overnight are most likely to suffer from Sweet Itch.

Prevention is better than cure, so if you can stop your pony from getting it in the first place, this is the best solution.

Using fly repellents is vital to discourage any flies and midges from biting in the first place. Avoiding turning your pony out to graze at night near water will limit your pony's contact with the midges.

In extremely bad areas where your field is particularly plagued by midges, and you have no alternative but to turn you pony out at night, a fly blanket is a good solution.

Adding garlic to your pony's feed is also a good idea as the smell comes out in your pony's coat when he sweats - and flies hate the smell.

There are several products on the market, which combine midge repellent properties with soothing ingredients to alleviate the symptoms. Clipping scabby areas will allow soothing lotions to penetrate and be more effective.

If you are concerned about the welfare of an equine, you can call the International League for the Protection of Horses hotline on 0870 871 1927. All calls are confidential.

Published: 06/05/2005