Tackling the Fly Population for Horses

There are steps you can take when Tackling the Fly Population for Horses. The following graphic changed the way we look at flies:

Fly graphic stating flies drink FOUR cups of horse's blood every 10 days.

That’s right. Flies drink 4 cups of your horse’s blood every 10 days. And that’s not including blood loss from ticks and mosquitos.

Steps You Can Take for Tackling Fly Population

The best approach is attacking them at all life cycles.  They build up resistance easily so changing parts of your fly control program each year directly relate to the success of keeping them away.

  1. Fly Larve – For next year it is best to start this right after the last freeze of the Spring.

    1. Put all horses on a Feed Through IGR (Formula 707 Multifly (not on website but I have it), Clarify, Simplifly,) .  It only works if the entire barn is on it.

    2. Fly Predators – I like these too!  However, if you do not get them out early enough in the season, you miss your chance on them being effective. I would consider these next year for sure!

  2. Adult Fly Feeding (Contact with Horse)

    1. Fly Spray

 i. New Ultrashield Gold has been working wonders this year!  They added a component to it that makes it so flys cannot smell the horses and therefore do not land on them

 ii.      Eco-vet – this stuff is potent but it works like a charm

  1. Ear Tags – can be added to halters or tied into mane and tail to eliminate flys. – better option for the horses that live in pasture and are not being handled (fly sprayed) daily.

  2. Shoofly boots – Keeps horses more comfortable and reduces chance of sore feet due to excessive stomping, eliminates chance of summer sores on legs, and cuts down on high frequency fly feeding areas.

  3. Fly Control Shavings – Don’t waste your time or money on these, across the region they worked for ½ a season and have been useless since.

  1. Barn Control:
    1. Baits: Quick Strike (this kills them but is not safe if a dog or cat ingests it.  There are some spray options that a dog or cat would have to be stupid to try to “eat” but it is a risk.)
    2. Premise Sprays & Foggers: CV-80D or Prozap LD-44Z – spray this in each stalls and around the barn each morning.
    3. Fly System:  Options for concentrates with more pyrethrin and permethrin!
    4. Fly Traps and Bags – Not aesthetically pleasing but they do catch some flies!

4. Other Options:

        1. Citronella Shampoos
        2. Tick Sprays

Visit Cherokee Feed and Seed for products and advice on Tackling the Fly Population for Horses! We’re here to help. Check out some of our options here. 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Articles, Front Page, Horse. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.