River apparently has an allergy to his fly spray. :( I was using the Pyrhana stuff and noticed that his skin was starting to scab and peel randomly at his elbows. Tried putting MTG on it and no improvement. In fact it got worse and started spreading to his neck/chest area too. I looked it up and found that scabby, peeling skin (if it's not rain rot) is often a symptom of fly spray allergies. So I rinsed him off thoroughly and stopped the fly spray, and what do you know?! Two days later he is nearly 100% in the skin department.
The flies are still AWFUL though, so any suggestions on fly sprays for a moderately sensitive-skinned horse are welcome! I'd get him a sheet, but I'm pretty sure he would destroy it in the woods, and being in during the day isn't an option as I can only go out once a day. I know the spray doesn't work all day, but it helps me feel a bit better at least!
We've been doing groundwork only because of said awful flies and lack of fly spray--my idea of fun is not being on a horse that's getting bitten by a horsefly. But on the ground The Buddy is fantastic. :) He loves loves lungeing. Weird but true. I think he just likes moving forward, period! I need to get some poles and start lungeing him over poles and doing some more advanced/creative groundwork; he's definitely ready for it.
Pyranha has pyrethrin. Maybe try something with permethrin instead? Ultrashield Sport has cypermethrin as the main ingredient, not pyrethrin. Or Ultrashield Green: it really is all-natural. Smartpak carries both. Hope you're able to find a fly spray that works for him!
ReplyDeleteDeo lotion is my new favorite for my sensitive horse. It is sold as a concentrate so you can make it as strong as you want and it's supposedly safer. They also have a version that is actually lotion consistence but it'd called deogel... The lotion is the concentrate. Smartpak sells it :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.smartpakequine.com/deo-lotion--1518p.aspx
I know it's a little late for the fly sheet season anyway, but sstack.com has AMAZING fly sheets. I bought the dura-mesh fly sheet last year, which is still in good shape and I plan to use in the future. I bought the mosquito-mesh sheet because it looked cooler this year, and it's held up all summer. It has a few picks in it but is still useable! Wiz is allergic to flies so I try to keep a sheet on him 24/7... I've never found a fly spray that actually works :\
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about his allergies!! That must be very frustrating. I have no reccomendations sorry as I have no experience with this problem and the flies aren't as bad here in NZ as where other bloggers live.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find one that works/suits him though.