Crab Flies?

[flump1967]

Down here in the New Forest we get a very nasty type of fly called crab flies. They are extremely unpleasant beasts, cling on to the horse like ...well crabs I suppose - and don't fly away when swished at like any normal fly would.

They don't bite but feed on the horses sweat. Hence they often lodge themselves up poor horses bums etc and drive them mad with the clingy/crawly feeling.

They are very tough and hard to kill, you literally have to pop them or grind them apart -yeuck!!!

Ponies born and bred down here get accustomed to them in the main, but it always a risk bringing in ponies from out of area as some never seem to tolerate them. Certainly I know of one pony who doesn't get ridden at all when the crab flies are out (April-Sept ish) as he bucks bolts home, and another who had to be sold out of area as he would rear when attacked by the crabbies and frightened his owner could not cope.

These flies seem completely immune to all known fly repellants.

When Arns arrived last October he came across a couple of crab flies and apart from a bit of tail swishing he was fine so I was most relieved. However, in the last couple of weeks fly season has started with a vengance and the poor boy has been smothered with them on recent rides and is most upset, stamping and swishing and wanting to get home as quickly as possible.

I am trying my best to limit the numbers by avoiding riding the wetter areas (crab flies much worse around marshy bits and streams) and am hoping that as his fields border the Forest the flies he gets in the field will accustom him to tolerating these evil things.

I feel really sorry for him and yesterday when I was poo-picking he actually came over to me clearly asking me to pick them off, which I had been doing whenever possible when we are out.

I am now trying not to though as my instructor says the kindest thing is to let him get used to them as they are impossible to avoid and not actually hurting him - as said they don't bite -just irritating.

Suppose am just wondering if anyone here has any suggestions or help from dealing with their own fiercesome flies? Is there some new wonder product I haven't heard of at all?

Its so bad at the moment that I am going to limit our hacking and stick to the school until I think Arns can cope better with the crabbies as I don't want either of our confidence ruined.

 

[Ruskii]

Hiya,

I was recommended a product buy a RS owner/instructor up in Odgens, it's Coopers spot on. They used it on their own horses in the summer put dont place it on the wither as instructions say, but on the croup (to stop it being under the saddle area)

I was a bit dubious, but as my boy HATES them with a vengance, to the point where I can always tell when he has one on him in the field, his lifts his head in a strange way there is much tail flicking and stamping going on.

I tried it and hand on heart, they haven't stopped all landing on him, but I have noticed a HUGE difference in the amount bothering him. It works a bit like frontline, in that you apply it every 4-6 weeks. I do it around that often only during the summer months.

Wonder stuff.

It can tingle though when applied to the horse and some dont like the sensation. My boy didnt give a hoot, but OH's horse did a little bit of a song and dance with much skin quivering and a big shudder. But he was ok

If you wanted to, I could bring some round for a try if you wanted to try it out, I brought a small bottle of the stuff and you only apply 15ml to them.

 

[Trewsers]

Much sympathy for the crab flies. We don't get them, but we do get milliions of horse flies and they seem to love biting our pair. Storm is almost white now and you can see lots of blood being drawn on her. Only thing that works is putting her fly rug on and even then they can still crawl underneath it. I've tried just about every fly spray money can buy and non of it works. My vet used to make his own and sell it but sadly can't anymore as it had citronella in (I believe since we joined the European thingy its a banned thing for animals). I know you can buy it neat from the chemist but I wouldn't be sure what to mix it with.
Each season really does have its drawbacks doesn't it? Hope Arns gets used to the flies soon.

 

[Yann]

I suppose there has to be a drawback to having all that heavenly hacking... I sometimes visit that part of the world and I know some horses do react badly even to the particular sound they make I hope you manage to sort something out, they're ghastly things.

 

[shockblue]

I bought some citronella and mixed it with grape seed oil as a base and it worked well.