So I have noticed some posts popping up talking about fly sheets, etc. I plan on getting my mare a fly mask, but I have this feeling that with the way she is, she's tear up a fly sheet if I put one on her. She's just too active and fiesty with her neighbors and I doubt if that thing would last a week and I can't afford to replace a sheet a week for the next 4 months. So, what other things do you use to keep the fly control? Is there something I should feed her?

 All my kids are tough on their winter "clothing", so I can't imagine what they might do to a fly sheet!   But, they do wear their fly masks without a problem and actually seem to *like* the protection they offer.  I, for one, can't stand to see the flies crawling around their eyes!

I use Repel-X concentrate fly spray.  That way, I can make it up myself at the concentration needed.  I also like Tri-Tec, but it can get a little pricey, but works very well.  I save that for the trail rides.  I have fly traps around the property and sticky tape "traps" in the feed room to help a little with control.  I also clean the pens twice a day and move the manure away from the horses.

I also feed granulated garlic in the summer.  It really seems to help repel the flies and mosquitoes.  It's not a total control or repellant, but does seem to work for my crew.  The garlic is also supposed to help repel ticks, but I don't have any personal experience with that matter.  If you research feeding garlic to horses, you're going to find pro and con arguments, as you will with anything regarding horses.  You're invariably going to find the reference that it will make your horses anemic.  One particular study that is always brought up involves onion tops, not garlic.  Or, in another study where the horses showed anemia after being fed garlic, were fed massive amounts.  I still haven't figured out how they managed to get the horses to eat that much!  My horses haven't had any anemia and blood work shows that they are fine.  Just a heads up if you want to try it.  Another benefit is that the garlic will mask any medicine flavor in their feed and the feed roomssmells like an Italian restaurant! 

I use the "fly predators".  I've noticed a huge difference the last 3 years.  I still will use fly spray.  Mainly to ward of skeeters.  I love the Mosquito Halt fly spray.  Which, does work on flys.  I also use fly masks.

 Yeah I'm pretty sure a sheet would be a huge waste of money. I have Equisect fly spray right now and I am going to order her a fly mask. I just wasn't sure if there was more I could do to keep it under control.

Does anyone has a preference over fly mask with ears vs. without? My Arab that I had wore a mask with ears and nose extension because she had a white face with pink skin under it, but my Hanoverian has huge ears and I'm worried the one with ears wouldn't fit. I'll have to check in to the garlic thing. I'm just not sure my barn and the guys that feed would appreciate the smell.  

 What do you mean by "fly predators"?

I use the fly predators too.  I stopped for one year and the flies went crazy!  Fly predators are teeny, tiny wasps (no sting) that feed on the fly larvae and prevent the flies from hatching.  they ship the wasp larvae to you monthly and you sprinkle them on moist manure or damp ground around water troughs and voila! they take care of the flies.  I like spalding labs the best.  check out:

http://spalding-labs.com/

 I have never heard of these things. I have to admit they creep me out a bit but I'll definitely look into them. Thanks.

Y'know, I thought about using them, but I figured it was a waste of money since I'm surrounded by farms with cows, sheep, and various other livestock and no plan to use predators.  I figured the flies would just migrate as fast as the predators could kill the larvae. 

Can you tell me what your situation is in terms of other farms and flies coming in from uncontrolled situations?  I'd love to get rid of my flies if I could!  I've just ordered a big supply of feed-through stuff in hopes of maybe making a dent in the population that way.

 Yeah I was wondering about that because I think the predators would really only work if everyone at the barn used them. I board my horse at a local barn with abut 20 other boarders. I asked me traineron Wednesday about fly control and she said that she would just get a fly mask and spray because she bought a whole bunch of feed through stuff last summer and her vet told her that he was having tons of cases of colic on the stuff so she decided that they were not going to use it. So be careful if you get the feed through stuff. You might want to consult your vet too.

My situation:

I have 7 horses on 5 acres and am surrounded by small farms like mine with horses, sheep, goats, some cows, etc.  And I am not the best at cleaning up all the manure every day(I have to admit).   The fly predators definately cut down a lot on the flies even though not all my neighbors are great about manure management.  It costs me $25 a month for the fly predators during fly season.   I will still have a few flies, but not many.  The year I didn't use them we had flies everywhere.  Read through the Spalding site, they explain how far flies migrate and how to use them to the best advantage. 

If you have a large boarding farm, they should buy enough predators to handle the number of horses on site.  It is cheaper then fly spray and a lot cheaper than the feed through method.  (Thanks for tip on the colic cases!)

Let me add just one more plug for fly preditors.  My neighbor and I share an order and we have, compared to other barns, no flies!  We have been using them for about 5 years and it gets better each year.  I don't even use fly masks anymore!  Now, if I could just remember to use fly spray before LEAVING my barn ;)

 Fly predators work in some situations--but you have to be the consistent type.  They don't last forever, and if there are cows around, you will have flies.  Deer also bring their own brand of torment.  The predators work primarily on the house and stable flies that breed in moist manure and garbage.  The blood-suckers--deerflies, horn flies, bull flies, horse flies, etc. don't breed in those areas and the predators are weak fliers.  So don't expect miracles from the little guys.

 Also, mosquitoes are the bigger disease carriers-not flies.  OOPS!

 Then there are the blasted pesky gnats down this way that get inside the horses' ears and leave them bloody and raw. Oh, yeah, been down that road.

 Feed her?  Watch the garlic--it needs to be air-dried granules and the ONLY place I know of that carries them is Springtime, Inc.  Everybody else uses the freeze-dried stuff and it does make a difference.  You run the risk of making a horse anemic through a complex reaction.  The air-dried stuff loses the compound that is guilty of the problem.  Other than that, lose any molasses based feeds.  She complain and try to convince you that you are the meanest owner on earth, but the pests will leave her ALONE.  Sugar isn't good for them either.  Ditto the apples, carrots, and other goodies.  Just say no. Remember that you can't buy love and that it's for her own good.

As for sprays--Avon's Skin So Soft in the original formula works--1/2 capful in a quart.  Just don't spray under the saddle--it's slippery.  I mix in Neem oil, too.  The bugs hate the stuff.

Equi-spot works for pastured horses quite well.  Just remember to check midlines for summer sores that the face flies will start.  My mares object to the oil--I think the creeping feeling makes them nuts. We're still in negotiations on that one.

Best of luck--if all else fails-try Bounce dryer sheets-original scent-and I'm not joking! It works! 

I have also heard that feeding Vinigar is good. This came from a vet that is very into natural remidies. I can't find the email where she told me how much to feed though & am not in the horse group anymore. Any sugestions on amounts as i'd like to give it a try.

639220 (Whew! That's a mouthful!  LOL), I remember a barn owner talking me into vinegar, garlic and Skin-So-Soft.  The horses smelled like a salad brunch at a spa.  It did keep the flies away, however.

I just started my horses on a feed-through product that's primarily diatomaceous earth.  Naturally the experiment was interrupted by a cold snap and torrential downpours, so we haven't seen a bug other than gypsy moth larvae since I started it.    On the up side, perhaps this will give the animals time for the stuff to build up in their systems and, consequently, their manure. 

I haven't tried fly predators but have heard good things about them.  I now use fly spray and fly masks only.  sheets would last about 5 minutes on a good day around here!  I've had best luck with Tri Tec and Endure sprays.  If you check for specials in catalogs you can sometimes save a lot.  I haven't tried all kinds of masks, but stick with the Farnams because they work, and they last, and they are good price.  I also like that they have fleece  edges; I tried another brand once with just this ribbon type stuff on the edges, and it rubbed hair off under my Arab's ears.  Lucky I noticed it before it rubbed deeper and got sore.  I have never had that happen in the Farnam masks.  I haven't used the ear ones so don't know how they are.  I tried some Equisect spray last month and it didn't work well at all.  I think a lot depends on where you are, and your climate.  Hope you find a good solution; I hate flies!  Good luck!