Flies that get in my horses' ears in the summer

[NewToMini's]

I need help identifying the flies that get in my horse's ears in the summer, so I can try to keep their population down this year.

Last summer, my mare's ears were tender and full of sores before I noticed them, and then it was another week or so before I knew it was from flies. Fly spray does keep them away, but if I go a few days without using the spray, the flies come back.

The flies are small (a little smaller than a small housefly, or maybe half the size), grey, and they don't make any noise when they fly. They seem to only target the horse's ears, I don't recall seeing them anywhere else on the horses, or even anywhere else on their faces.

 

[NewToMini's]

I probably should mention I'm in the Midwest in America.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Not sure if available where you are but we have fly veils here that go over the ears as well as across the face.

 

[NewToMini's]

We have those. I don't have any now, but I am planning on buying some for my girls this year.

 

[madmax]

I have had success rubbing Vaseline inside the ears and on the tips to repel flies. Also around the eyes.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A product called Swat has worked well for me. It has a thick cream base with fly repellant in it. Sometimes it is used for wounds to keep flies off.

A mask with ears, like Cashel's Crusader, is an extra protection.

 

[NewToMini's]

I want to know what they are, so I can know if a feed through worker will decrease the population. My fly spray keeps them away as long as I use it often.

 

[paintponylvr]

I would suggest you check with your county/state ag offices. I personally don't have enough info to go on with what you've posted. Have you got any pics?

It was always the gnats that bothered our horses ears - to include the types of sores you mention. I haven't found a product yet that keeps them away on a regular basis. They fly into open mouths (mine - when talking to horses or students or asking ?s during my own lessons) and my ears as well. They AREN'T quiet when in my ears. Dryer sheets (Bounce or generic) work to keep them at bay when tucked under halter bands, fly masks and under caps on human heads... Feed thru products, even regular fly spray doesn't work on gnats.

 

[NewToMini's]

No, I don't have any pictures. I thought I might have, but went through my pictures and didn't see any

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Some people say they get results with apple cider vinegar in the drinking water. There is a product called Dermafas that can help clear up those white discolored insect injuries in the ears. I need to order some again.

 

[NewToMini's]

What's the ratio of vinegar to water? I might try it.

 

[madmax]

The reason the Vaseline works is the flies cannot fasten their feet onto the ears or skin elsewhere it is applied. I had a little mare that would get attacked by flies on her eyes and Vaseline kept the area around them free of the flies. Fly masks irritated her and she would rub her head so much that the mask rubbed her eyes. Sometimes simple works best.

 

[NewToMini's]

The flies are back

They were swarming the horses, and they had bloody sores on their stomachs and in their ears (except for the little wooly mammoth filly). I put fly spray on them, so they should be fine until tomorrow. There were no flies out before today or even this morning, so the sores just started today, and they're already bad

The filly needs a refresher with the fly spray, and the riding horse was never trained to stand for it, but at least Miracle remembered her training and stood perfectly still

I also have more information about what they look like, if it will help identify them... They almost look like the heavy-bodied black sweat bees, except they're grey.

 

[amysue]

I mix fly spray concentrate into a jar of vaseline and smear it all over the bite prone regions on my horses and my calves.

 

[Minimor]

here we call them sand flies. They are also known as biting midges. Vaseline or Swat works best--I have always found fly spray just makes them more ferocious. They go after ears, bellies, bag/sheath area and chests.

 

[NewToMini's]

The fly spray works on these. When I started rubbing fly spray in their ears last summer, it allowed the sores to heal.

These are also heavy-bodied and fat looking.

 

[paintponylvr]

I mix fly spray concentrate into a jar of vaseline and smear it all over the bite prone regions on my horses and my calves.

me, too.

here we call them sand flies. They are also known as biting midges. Vaseline or Swat works best--I have always found fly spray just makes them more ferocious. They go after ears, bellies, bag/sheath area and chests.

and if they are sandflies, they could have been out when you weren't and wouldn't have noticed. The swat/vaseline works great on the bellies and chests - I had more issues with it in sheath/udder/thigh areas - caused irritation to the ponies. BUT if put on the belly leading up to the sheath/udder, I found it wasn't necessary there.

I even found the vaseline/swat on myself helped - but can aid in creating a sunburn and the wind will cause hair, hay, dust, dirt, manure etc to stick to your arms/neck/face too. Sometimes worth it, when they won't leave you alone. The itching caused by those little devils is painfully intense!