[Heavenly Jumper]

I've been trying everything short of steel armor for my poor Azar.

This year the insects have been out in DROVES and are really hurting him. Tiffany is hardly suffering a bite!

His skin is raw in places, he's got open sores from the flies and biting insects. His mane has been roached because he rubbed it off...his tail is literally half gone. The top 6 inches of his dock is bare from rubbing. His face is nearly bald and he's so very miserable. I turned them out in the yard to graze the thick green grass and Azar RAN to the barn to get away from the bugs and began rubbing crazily...this horse loves food and would have to be seriously miserable to do that.

I have been covering him with swat on his sensitive parts and face. I've been fly spraying him EVERY day to try and help. Nothing is helping.

Since he is already SO itchy, would a fly sheet help? I feel like he would just rub so bad that it would tear and then be ruined for protecting him from the flies and bugs.

I need to heal the sores, protect him from more bites and get this poor boy some relief.

[Anti-Silence]

I have no idea what to do, but my Parker was really suffering too back at the place we kept them for the last two years. He was rubbing and kicking and scratching and nearly bald on parts of his face as well. He refused to go out in the grass and opted for standing under trees instead. The bugs are horrible here too this year, when last year, there wasn't half the bugs. We moved them at the start of the month, and suddenly there are hardly any bugs...

I don't know if a fly sheet would help, I would think so, but I can see why you'd be second guessing it. Makes sense that he could keep rubbing and tear it... but ya never know I guess. I'd probably give it a try.

[AllAroundRdr]

Not sure if this will work for you, but a friend has been having similar issues where she is (SC) with a couple of hers -- she swears by a mix of Apple Cider Vinegar & Garlic Powder and spray it on. -- I'm sure the smell isn't the greatest but she said it's the only thing keeping her horse's from being miserable.

[speedyscout]

Have you heard of Corona? It work's wonders for open wounds. I think a fly sheet would help acctualy, and you could get a really light weight one so he can still feel a breeze thru it and keep cool. Good luck with your fly delema!

[Appylvr]

My mare used to have awful fly allergies... our vet would give her a cortizone shot at the beginning of summer and it would last the whole summer. Seriously helped her a lot.

[imjustjoking22]

I think a fly sheet would probably help.

Have you tried a supp like anti-hist? My horse got bumps in reaction to bites but I give him that every day or so and he's got nothing now.

[Heavenly Jumper]

Oh the cortizone or anti hist would be something good I could try...

Like this IJJ? http://unitedvetequine.com/Merchant2...Category_Code=

[LuckyGurl]

My roommate and i have both just gotten fly sheets for our horses. We were both surprised at the amount of flys you see sitting on the fly sheet...which would other wise be on the horse.

The flysheets seem to be pretty tough. I have a weatherbeeta one, and my roommate has a saxon. Both of them seem to be of equal quality, and although they dont look like they would hold up, they have so far...including when my roommates gelding took his off in the pasture. We found the blanket with all the buckles still done up, and no tears in the blanket. I would reccommend the Saxon brand jsut because there a bit cheaper, and seem to be of the same quality. They are on ebay right now for $37.00 http://cgi.ebay.ca/SAXON-Softmesh-St...QQcmdZViewItem

My roommates gelding was having bad reactions to the bug bites. He felt like bubbble wrap, it was so sad. When the vet was out (on other issues) we just asked him quickly if there was anything we could do for him and they gave her an antihistamine (sp?) to control the reactions. Unfourtunatley he was sold shortly after and were not sure if works or not...I dont believe it was very expensive either.

I hope you can get him feeling better...poor boy

[AQHA Hunter]

I swear by Schreiner's Solution for the open sores. It tends to dry them out/draw out any nasties and they will scab over more quickly than if you use an ointment like Corona. It also repels flies.

I would also get the fly sheet, fly mask, boots, etc. on him. The antihistamine sounds like a good idea, and you might be able to use something topical, also, like Calm Coat to sooth his itching until the bumps go away.

[luvs2ride79]

I would seriously deworm him and call your vet for prescription antihistamines. Trihist is the one usually prescribed. The antihistimines will help calm his itchies that he already has.

I would also get him a heavy duty fly sheet with a belly band and tail cover (turnout style), and a fly mask that has ears and a nose cover. Fly leg wraps don't stay on very well with turned out horses, so I wouldn't both with those unless they just come as a set with the fly sheet.