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Early Prep Matters
Owning horses in the south means dealing with the inevitable… flies. Typically starting in April and lasting until October, the flies run rampant. The fly season doesn’t just arrive; it builds over the summer months. It’s important to prepare early for the fly season, so you can keep your horses more comfortable and reduce stress later. Early preparation leads to fewer bites, calmer rides, healthier skin, and less pest-related anxiety. Good horse care starts before the problem presents itself.
Refresh the Barn Environment
Here are a couple of recommendations:
- Clean out corners, cobwebs, and damp areas where flies breed
- Check drainage around the barn to reduce standing water
- Add or repair fans (airflow is one of the best natural fly deterrents!!)
- We have simple ceiling fans like these.
- Prep manure management routines before the heat hits
- We make sure all manure is taken far away from our barn, in the woods. We like to take our tractor and move the manure back, which helps with decomposition.
This is your own “set the scene” moment—calm, tidy, intentional barn vibes.
Gear Check
What Needs Replacing or Upgrading?
- Fly masks: check for tears, stretched Velcro, worn fleece
- While my horses play too much to have their own fly masks, I used to buy these. They are my favorite because the Velcro is sturdy, and it has both ears and the long nose to guard against irritation and sunburn.
- Fly sheets: look for rubs, holes, or broken straps
- Fly boots: decide if your horse needs them this year
- For my chestnut boy, I try to put boots on during the fly season. I like to take them off at night while he’s in his stall, because 1) the flies aren’t as bad in a controlled environment and 2) It’s important to give their legs a break to make sure they aren’t irritated.
- I LOVE the Shoofly Horse Leggins, patented loose-fitting boots with breathable plastic mesh. They have been life-changing for my very sensitive chestnut gelding, Toy. They do not rub and keep the stomping to a minimum.
- Sprays, roll-ons, ointments: what you’ll keep on hand
- It’s important to rotate your fly spray a couple of times during the fly season to ensure the flies don’t get immune to your protections. I always keep Swat and Farnam Endure Fly Spray on hand.
Skin + Coat Prep
Before the bugs arrive,
- Start with a clean coat: curry, deep-clean, and condition
- My favorite curry is the Tough1 Jelly Scrubber. For your deep-clean, I recommend a bath with Cowboy Magic shampoo and conditioner. There is truly nothing better than your horse smelling like their rosewater products.
- Address any dry patches, fungus, or rubs early
- Shapley’s M-T-G is great for addressing skin issues
- Introduce coat supplements or skin-supporting nutrition before the flies peak
- I highly recommend Smartpak’s SmartDark and Handsome supplement for those with a black or bay horse. It has ingredients like flaxseed, paprika, copper, and zinc that make a dark horse truly shine.
Barn Management Systems That Make A Difference
If you’re able, an overhead fly system is extremely helpful in mitigating the flies. It’s not reasonable for myself, having a small farm with 3-4 horses, to install one now. Here are some suggestions, fly system or not:
- Keep fly spray on hand
- I find it easiest to keep it hanging in the barn isle.
- Create a routine for applying spray before turnout or rides
- Make sure you are brushing the fly spray into the hair! I find it works better being embedded in the coat vs. simply misted on top.
- Prep your stalls for fly season with masks, boots, sheets, etc.
- I love the bars outside of my stalls—I can hang fly spray and all of their accessories, organized for each horse.
- If you use fly predators or traps, put them up NOW!
- My favorites are:
- Black Flag Fly Stick –I hang these from the rafters in all 4 corners of my barn, as well as inside my tack room.
- RESCUE! Outdoor Disposable Hanging Fly Trap –I hang them outside of my barn from the overhangs.
- My favorites are:
Turnout Strategies for a Calmer Season
Since we love a fresh, organized barn, the flies are going to be worst in the pasture.
Consider:
- Adjusting turnout times
- Morning and evening are typically worst for flies. During the summer, my horses come in for the night and are out during the day.
- Using shaded areas or shelters to reduce irritation
- Side note: make sure to keep your shelters clean! Make a habit of weekly mucking out your shelter. If it is full of muck, it’s not helping!
- Rotating pastures to avoid overgrazed, fly-heavy spots
- I understand, not all of us are blessed with many acres of pasture. My farm is small. But, if you have several pastures where you could rotate, I recommend doing so.
- Drag your pastures
- I use a simple drag from Tractor Supply to drag my pastures, as well as my arena. A chain-linked fence will also work. It’s important to keep the manure to a minimum, since that is where the flies fester and produce more flies.
Doing the preparations above will help you to stay consistent without chaos.