[My Mr. Ed]

Originally Posted by 3WishesDun

MME, Do you still use them and do you think they work well?
April

No....I stopped using the fly boots after they rubbed Stevey and Mr. Ed so bad. So, for Stevey....who the flys attack bad, I use the swat....Just pretty much gob it on. It's really messy, but, better then having their legs rubbed raw, or the rain rot. And, I did check these boots everyday. But, with the humidity, and hot weather, it only took one day to rub their legs bad. I felt like a horrible horse owner, but, I was trying to help them, and ended up not. SO, I strong suggest NOT using them.

As far as fly spray, I use Endure. After you build up the spray (takes about three days of daily spraying) it last almost all of the 14 days, and it's sweat proof. Some people don't have suggess with it, but, I do, and I really like the smell.....it's not cirtranea (sp?).

[CowGirlUp1833]

Originally Posted by My Mr. Ed

I felt like a horrible horse owner, but, I was trying to help them, and ended up not.

OMG, NO she is an EXCELLENT horse owner! Her horses have the best care, I can vouch for that!

[3WishesDun]

Thanks MME! Debating whether to buy the wraps, but since it is very hot and humid here(and often muddy), I will likely pass. I also started using Endure- and I love it. It leaves their coats nice too.


April

[*lauren & jp*]

the flies are so bad, these horseflies come when my horse is grazing, and they make him bleed! he has blood spots on his coat! what can I do because i know they're really hurting him. i put fly spray on but it doesn't do anything. it works for literally 10 minutes and then its worn off

WELCOME to my world.....lol here in Louisiana......our flys are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO BAD....and it's TOO hot for fly sheets and 1/2 the time...fly spray sweats off no matter what you do b/c of the heat. i go out to the barn everyday and spray JP down with fly spray and he's got blood spots on his coat and dried blood that's run down his leg still-all the time....our MASSIVE horse flys still bite with the fly spray-i guess nothings strong enough for them...
the fly spray helps for a little while....but not long
i really wish i could do something for my boy too b/c i know he hates it...but down here-i just have to make sure i spray him down real well everyday and everytime i see a horse fly on him i catch it and put it to it's death....evil flys....

anyways-i'd try switching fly sprays. what do you use now? i've used endure and pyranah and now i use repel-x. i quit using endure b/c it's almost the SAME as repel-x but it's got something in it to help it not sweat off...but that doesn't work down here.....too hot soooo-i switched to repel-x which is cheaper and the same thing for me! i still use pyranah and i love it. but-if you decide to use it-just be careful and use a little at first. it's very strong and i know several horses who are alergic to it and broke out and swelled up all over-vet had to come give a shot. my horses have always been fine with it though....and it really does work! but i'd be careful with it until you know if your horse can deal with it or not-if you decide to use it!
-hope you find something that works!

[My Mr. Ed]

Sure thing.
Since it's sometime muddy, it might also increase the chances of rain rot. My horses never had it before, but, after a few days with the boots on....I think the boots held in the extra moisture, as they sweat, they got the rain rot. We treated it really early, but, I feel like the boots are the main reason they got it.
I really like the endure!!! Yes it does leave them with nicer coats..and it has the added sunscreen with is really nice for Mr. Ed...he fads easily.

Originally Posted by 3WishesDun

Thanks MME! Debating whether to buy the wraps, but since it is very hot and humid here(and often muddy), I will likely pass. I also started using Endure- and I love it. It leaves their coats nice too.


April

[BestofPrincess]

Horse/deer flys are that bad here, I've actually sprayed a horse fly with fly spray didnt fase them.... You can try fly sheets, that has helped out the black perch. gelding with a docked tail at our barn alot. My mare though id manly white and flys dont get her as bad when they have 2 black horses and 3 bays in the same field as her. The times I feel really bad for her when they get on her udders, or gelding on their sheath... I use spot on fly stuff, and fly spray and depending on the flys even the fly sheet.

[QHGirl]

What about the stuff you can feed them that repels insects. smart pak has some of them!

[sher327]

definitely let them roll and stay dirty. I have been only brushing where my saddle/girth goes lately because the flies are awful. We put swat around the base of the ears and on them on the outside and like warpaint below (not too close) the eyes and it seems to help with the face at least.
I have the leg wraps and like them but only put them on for a few hours of comfort a day when I do.
BW-I'll have to try that spray. We were out riding the other night and one of a friends horses got bit and had blood running down his shoulder

[mtroika]

I had/have the same problem, my gelding Troika has lumps and open weeping sores from those darn horse flys all over him. I orderd SWAT and I have to say it doesnt work very well, it seems when its really hot it just melts off and the flys eat away.

I was told years ago to use Zyncofax (cant spell) Its a thick thick white diper rash and small sores and wounds cream. So I finnally tried it. It works AWSOME and its thick enough that it doesnt run off his sores in the heat and doesnt seem to sting him like the swat does.

I clean off all the areas with warm water and a sponge, dry the areas off a bit and then put the Zyncofax all around and on the wounded areas. Then I put a quick shot of fly spray over it, if theres lots of flys out, but I usually dont need to put fly spray over the Zyncofax, it works good enough.
When I come back out hours later or the next day theres still quite a bit of Zyncofax covering his bites l and they look better and theres no new open sores.

Try this it works really really well, you can buy it at walmart or any drugstore and its not expensive at all!!!