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The arrival of spring brings with it the return of insects: how do you protect your horse from insects like flies, mosquitoes and horseflies?
Insects are real pests for your horse and can even transmit certain diseases. What can you do to prevent your horse from being overcome by insects?
Stable management
- Avoid keeping your muck heap/manure too close to stables, as this is a great place for insect development.
- Regularly clear and clean stables to avoid the breeding of insects.
- Use insect traps and insect-repellent paint.
Pasture management
- Access to a field shelter, with an entrance equipped with plastic strips to prevent insects from getting inside. Your horse will therefore be able to shelter and protect itself from insects.
- Remove dung, a breeding ground for certain species of insects like gasterophilus, as well as internal parasites like worms.
- Living in a group allows horses to keep flies away from each other. They will position themselves head to tail to chase away flies. It’s also important not to trim the manes and tails of horses living out too short.
- Avoiding putting horses in the paddock during periods of high mosquito activity: between 5 pm. and sundown.
- Avoid fields close to areas with stagnant water or near lakes. These areas offer very favourable conditions for insect growth.
Managing your horse
- Fly mask and fly sheet to help the horse protect itself.
- Your worming programme is up to date to fight gasterophilus. This is a stomach parasite which becomes a fly once expelled by the horse.
- Regularly remove any eggs clinging to your horse’s hair. It’s important to remove eggs when the horse is outside of their stable, as otherwise the eggs may fall in the stable be eaten by your horse.
- Insect-repellent products.
- Use protective lotions if your horse’s skin is sensitive to insect bites or after having been bitten.
