by Admin on September 14, 2009
At horserugs.me.uk we do not concentrate solely on advice on which horse rug to buy. We take a holistic approach to horse care, and as we’ve been receiving a lot of emails about insect bites and what can be done about them, we’ve decided to take a wider look at equestrian products on the market. There is much more you can do than simply buy a horse fly rug or horse fly sheet for your horse. Regular readers will recall our article on how you can also change your horse’s diet and routine to limit the impact of insect bites on your horse.
We have also touched upon the use of fly repellents and sprays to help combat those insects that bother our horses. There are numerous companies out there that have products designed for use within the stable. A good branded product should eradicate flies and insects for almost one and a half months and will cover approximately one hundred square metres of stable.
Ensure that any product you use can be used on both porous and non-porous surfaces as well as soft furnishings. As ever with any product of this sort we remind you to carefully read the product’s label for instructions of how to use safely, for instance ensuring that the area you’re spraying is well ventilated and does not come into contact with your skin. You should also check to see how long you should wait before bringing your horse back into the stables or other area that has been sprayed.
There are many different brands of fly repellent and types of product including sprays, gels and wipes.
For anyone who would prefer a product without chemicals, addictives or artificial colours, they may like to try Absorbine Supershield Green Fly Repellent. Containing only natural products such as citronella, witch hazel and tea tree oil, it helps relieve minor skin irritations and insect bites.
Other spray products include the Absorbine Ultrashield which has been the best selling equestrian fly control spray in the United States for more than fifteen years and has now been approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) for use within in the UK and in premises; perfect for those running a commercial stables.
Gels on the market include the Barrier Superplus Fly Repellent Gel. The horse insect repellent gel is made entirely from natural products and is the gel version of Barrier Animal Healthcare’s best selling fly repellent, the Barrier Super Plus Fly Repellent. The fly repellent gel can be applied to all areas of the horse, even those which are already sore. The fly repellent gel contains avocado, which being rich in vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin D, will soothe irritable skin, providing deep conditioning to and nourishing your horse’s skin. Like many other products on the market it is HSE approved, but also importantly for those who like to compete, contains no prohibited substance under current Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) or Horse Racing Authority (HRA) / Jockey Club rules. Gels are best used in hard to reach places around the head and belly, though do use sparingly particularly in bright sunshine and ensure that the gel is fully absorbed into your horses’ skin.
If you’re out for the day on a long ride you cannot get any more convenient than the single use horse insect repellent wipes. The wipes are individually packaged, easy to stow away in a pocket and provide top-up protection to your horse. We recommend the Carr & Day & Martin hose insect repellent wipes which are citronella free, contain margosa extract, tea tree oil and d-limonene and come in packets of fifteen.
If you have feedback on these products or any others that you recommend please do not hesitate to write to us.
by Admin on August 18, 2009
Icelandic Horse wearing Sweet Itch Rug
Although it has not been the sunniest summer since records began this hasn’t stopped the accursed plague of flies and insects causing problems for our equine friends. For those horses that are particularly susceptible to insect or midge bites a horrific conditions called Sweet Itch may develop. We recommend a holistic approach to dealing with this condition from lotions, feed supplements and repellents, but prevention is better than cure. By far the best way to stop sweet itch is to stop your horse being bitten by insects in the first place. One of the most effective ways to ensure this is through the use of protective gear such as horse fly sheets or horse fly rugs, horse fly masks, also sometimes referred to as sweet itch rugs.
As well as preventing your horse from getting bitten by midges, a horse fly rug or sweet itch rug can protect your horse from injury should it try to rub itself. This will prevent nasty raw skin conditions and will in time help to ensure that any distress that the horse may have been suffering from is alleviated. The horse will calm down and revert to its normal behaviour.
So what is a horse fly sheet or horse fly rug?
A horse fly rug or horse fly sheet is a lightweight rug fabricated from a fine mesh which offers protection to any horse or pony out in the field from flies, insects and midges during the summer. There is a bewildering choice of horse fly rugs on the market and whilst each horse fly sheet may vary in feature, fabrics and of course price, it is important whichever model of horse fly sheet you go with, to aim to cover as much of your horse or pony as possible. As such many fly rugs will also (compared with a standard horse turnout rug) cover the horse’s belly and may also cover the neck. Many horse rugs include the neck cover in the overall design of the fly sheet, whilst others may have this as an attachment. There are many horse sheets available which incorporate these important additional protections; the WeatherBeeta Airflow Mesh Combo and WeatherBeeta Original Fly Shield being just two such horse fly sheets.
If you want complete protection for your horse, then no fly rug kit is complete without a horse fly mask. The development of horse fly masks has given your horse perhaps the greatest protection from horse flies, insects and midges. While a horse fly rug or horse fly sheet may protect the horses main body, the face is one of the most sensitive areas on a horse and equally one of the most targeted by insects. In particular midgets and insects tend to be attracted to the moisture in a horse’s eye and have even been know to lay their eggs there. This causes not only great discomfort to the horse but alarm to the owner as the larvae hatch. The horse fly mask is also good for preventing insects getting into the horses ears; being particularly of benefit to horses who are liable to pick up ear infections.
Whilst you are not going to be able to go out hacking with your horse in its full fly rug kit, it will provide the horse with protection during those hours of the day when your horse is most at risk. When out riding however we have found that the use of a horse fly bonnet, which fits over the horse’s ears and attaching to the bridle is a good deterrent to flies, insects and midges. The horse fly bonnet’s tassels come down over the horse’s forelock so that when the horse moves it head, the tassels sway from side-to-side thus deterring any insects or midges from landing on the horse, or if they do, stopping them staying there too long and causing discomfort.
As well as providing you with reviews of those horse fly sheets and horse fly masks, we will also bring you advice on how you can alter your routine, the diet of your horse and use repellents to ensure that you and your horse have a happy and fly free summer!
Visit our products page where you can purchase a selection of horse fly rugs, horse fly sheets and horse fly masks.
