Remove Fly Breeding Grounds
Sanitation is the best first line attack against flies. Muck out manure regularly from stalls and corals. However, dumping it in a manure heap only creates a prime breeding ground. If you can create a properly "hot" (above 140 degrees) compost pile, flies cannot breed in the pile. Creating a well-cooking compost pile is somewhat of an art form, however, so if you are not sure how to get one working, pay a hauler to remove the manure pile regularly. Alternatively, spread it very thinly (less than ½ an inch) on pasture where no horses or other animals graze. It will decompose rapidly if applied very thin.
Other organic matter can attract flies too, so remove all wet grain/feed daily from stalls and corrals. Even when not wet, grain can attract flies, so make sure you have tightly fitting lids on all food products.
Ponds can be treated organically with non-toxic tablets called "mosquito dunks" to prevent the hatching of biting fly or mosquito larvae. Remove stagnant water and places it collects, such as old buckets, tires and barrels.
Unfortunately, even fresh moving water can be a hatching ground for certain types of flies, and flies can travel from miles away. Therefore, you will need the below:
Fly Repellents
I’ve never liked the idea of using harsh chemicals on my animals to control pests. For one thing, insecticides kill all bugs, including the beneficial ones who actually eat fly larvae and grown flies. Second, they are toxic. "Feed-thru fly repellants" are basically poisons put in animal feed that are expelled in their manure. Does it make sense to you to poison your animal to control flies? I hope not.
There are two lines of attack you can use for non-toxic fly repellant. 1) Beneficial, predatory insects that feed on flies and their larvae, and 2) natural, non-chemical fly control products.
Natural fly sprays and traps contain pyrethrum, a plant extract that is also used in organic gardening (not to be confused with pyrethrin, a poison to be avoided). Pyrethrum kills and repels not just flies, but other summer pests such as lice, gnats and mosquitoes, even ticks. Farnam produces a fly repellent with this natural compound, called Equisect.
Use fly bait jugs around the barn and pasture and in shady areas where flies like to congregate. Buy bait jugs which contain scent attractors. They work well on all types of flies.
Don’t bother with sticky traps inside stables; high dust levels in barns make them useless. Fans, however, can keep flies out of buildings as they do not like moving air.
Natural fly sprays can be applied right onto the horse and typically last all day. For open wounds, petroleum jelly helps heal sores, is cheaper than market-brand gels, and will prevent additional bites.
Another type of natural insect repellant is citronella, but I’ve found pyrethrum to be more effective. If you’d like to try citronella to see if it works for you, Nature’s Defense by Farnham or Espree Aloe Herbal Horse Spray are citronella-based.
As with all fly control products, dilute before use on young horses, pregnant mares, or sick animals. Check for rashes or hives and discontinue use if they develop. Even though natural and non-chemical, plant oils can be irritating to particular animals. In that case, switch to a different formula, such as one derived from eucalyptus or marigold. Eucalyptus has calming properties, so that can be an added benefit.
Next, order some beneficial predatory insects and calendar a release schedule. These predators - small wasps - feed on fly larvae and are very efficient in reducing fly population. It is best to release them at night around manure piles and other boggy, wet areas of your property. Arbico Organics sells predatory wasps and can help you plan a fly control program.
Depending on how many horses your barn has, release a new batch every 2-3 weeks (as that is the life span of the wasp). For over ten horses, release the wasps every other week. Predatory wasps do not bite humans or animals and are far more effective than traps and sprays since they stop flies before they hatch.
Protective Fly Gear
Flies are carriers of parasites and can deposit worm larvae on your horse’s eyes or lips, where they eventually make their way to his stomach and breed. Fly masks protect a horse’s eyes not only from these pests but also harmful UVA and UVB rays thought by many experts to be a cause of equine uveitis or moonblindness. Masks also relieve stress caused by the presence of annoying flies.
For fly masks to be effective, purchase several and wash them regularly. If grit gets underneath or on the band, it can be very irritating to the skin. Some come pre-coated with pesticides; watch out for that if you're trying to be organic with your pest control.
Also, do not leave the mask on continually - remove it at night. If your horses are always on pasture, get a breakaway mask so it can come off if it gets caught on a branch. Ideally, look for a mask that has triangular seaming around the eyes so that it juts out and does not rub the eye area:
Fly sheets can provide relief from bites, however, if it’s very hot, this may not be a comfortable option for your horse. On those days, allow the horse some sort of stabling or other ample shelter. Horse and deer flies do not like to go indoors, so a clean stable can mean relief from these big, biting flies. Install very fine mesh on barn screens to keep out small midges that can get through large-mesh screens. Use fans to keep out other flies, and always stable at night if you have any level of pasture infestation by nighttime pests like gnats or midges.
On cooler days, fly sheets protect not only against flies, but also pasture bleaching (where dark bay horse fur turns light brown or blonde from the sun.
Vaccination and Deworming
Mosquitoes are members of the fly family and carriers of the dreaded West Nile virus and equine encephalomyelitis. Fortunately, vaccination is available against these deadly diseases. Prevention is always the best strategy.
For the worms that flies carry, develop a deworming program under consultation with your veterinarian. Drug resistance can be a problem with worms, and some horses are naturally resistant to worms. Therefore, repeated fecal testing is better than blind deworming with one product all the time. There are natural dewormers using diatomaceous earth if you wish your horse to have a completely chemical free regimen.
Flies are major pests for our equine friends, but we owe it to them to try our best to keep them healthy and pest free. Hopefully, these tips will have you on your way to an organically fly-free barn.
