Flywear

If you are reading this article, your horse probably wears a fly mask, fly sheet, fly boots or some combination to protect him from pesky flies and biting insects. Dirt, mud and sweat can easily accumulate throughout the summer and cause discomfort and potential health concerns. Routine cleaning of your horse’s flywear is important for the horse’s comfort and to prolong the effectiveness of the fly protection.

Just as certain as death and taxes are for humans, so are flies and biting pests for horses. Warmer temperatures bring out more flies. There are a variety of fly control products that you can buy to use around the barn and on your horse, but while shopping, you might question are these products are worth the investment. Why do I need to protect my horses from the flies?

As summer starts to warm up, the bugs start to come around. When bugs are around, your horse’s comfort can decline. Biting insects such as black flies, horse flies, mosquitoes and bot flies are not only annoying but can carry disease to your horse, pony or donkey. How do you stop the swarm and the stomping? Fly spray is one method, but it can only protect your horse for so long. Enter, the fly boot.

Flies can be more than just an annoyance for your horse. These tiny pests can transmit diseases, cause welts and extreme discomfort and can damage hooves and cause lameness issues. Every summer horse owners spend the entire summer fighting flies and trying to keep their horses comfortable with the latest and greatest fly protection—from fly spray and fly masks to fly boots and fly sheets. All of this gear can be expensive, especially if you’re having to buy multiple bottles and multiple sets, so the million-dollar question is what really works?