Crab flys/spider as met in the New Forest ths summer

[Libbyo]

Can any one tell me anything abought the horrid beasties. They latch onto the horses with their pincers and cause mayhem. Cannot be removed by swatting.

Im told they are moving eastwards into Surrey now.

Caused me mega problems on a trial ride of a horse.

They are brown coloured and look crab like, they are not a body and then a leggy bit seperate.

Info link would be fab.

 

[Mehitabel]

what do you want to know about them? the best way to get shot of them is pick them off and tear in half - as you say, swatting doesn't work and they''ve got hard shells so stepping on them on grass won't do the job either. i've never found any mention of them online.

i woudln't think worse of a horse for reacting badly to them - one bit me once and the pain was an awful lot worse than any ofther bug i've been gotten by.

 

[Libbyo]

Are they usually specific to the New Forest. Fly or spider? Just interested really. Nasty things.

 

[Mehitabel]

fly, i think - they can fly, anyway. i've never seen them out of the NF area, except when one came with a competitor to the bath and west show one year and went down the lineup causing chaos! they also sort out the local competitors from the visitors at shows down here, as our ponies often eventually get used to them, especially if they're kept in the new forest or run out. our yard is not in the forest itself, so we don't have them at home, btu when we got to shows on the NF showground we find them there. poor petal got one under her tail at a show last year and she clamped down on it, and had two huge bites, one on the underside dock and one on the side of her bottom. they took ages to clear up.

 

[shandy84]

poor petal got one under her tail at a show last year and she clamped down on it, and had two huge bites, one on the underside dock and one on the side of her bottom. they took ages to clear up.

OUCH!!!

 

[alfie]

these are horrible things!!! they are called flat flies but most people know them as crab flies. I keep my horse in the heart of the new forest and he hates them, he will buck if one lands on him while out hacking which is.nt great while riding. I have had to buy him a riding fly sheet and I.ve been all through the fly spray range but nothing works. you are correct you cant swot them but need to twist them in half, they cause panic I my horse and I would love to find something to keep them off of him?? did a search on the computer and they are found in birds also, hope this helps??