How to Control Barn Flies

In the heat of summertime, barn flies are an unavoidable nuisance and can be a health hazard, should you have a horse with sensitive skin. Following these steps will keep that nuisance to a minimum and will help your horse's overall health and peace of mind.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fly repellent
• Stall cleaning equipment (broom, pitchfork, wheel-barrow)
• Insecticides

1. If your barn is not kept clean, you will not be able to effectively control the fly population. You must clean stalls at least daily, carting the manure to a location far from the barn itself and keeping it covered. This will be your most effective step in controlling flies. Also remove trash, hoof clippings, horse hair trimmings and manure from the aisle of the barn as needed to reduce flies. Sweeping the aisle if it is concrete will also help.
2. Spray all horses daily with a fly repellent before they are turned out and again when they are brought back into the barn if you find the repellent to have worn off. Fly masks and sheets can also be used but be sure to use with caution if you are turning the horse out with them on. These items are designed to break away should they become caught in fencing or underbrush, but some horses are more accident prone than others and can injure themselves.
3. Placing insecticides in and around the barn will help, as well, but these must be used with caution. If you are using fly strips, fly paper or traps, place them out of reach of all horses. Spray insecticide only on areas where horses will not graze or chew on the surface sprayed. For example, spray the dirt in the arena and the outside of the barn area that is used for tacking up or grooming but do not spray fence rails, posts or inside stall walls. Always read directions, follow all precautions and dispose of empty container as specified on the labels of such chemicals.
4. There are supplements available, called feed-through fly control, that can be fed to horses daily to prevent flies but it must be fed to all horses in the barn to be effective. Being at a boarding barn may prohibit you from doing this if all owners do not agree on it.
5. There are also fly predators available through vet-supply stores. These insects will feed upon the eggs and larvae of the flies, thus killing them before they mature.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your horse daily for an adverse reaction to repellent and/or fly bites.
• Trial and error work best to determine the right combination to control flies for each horse individually.
• Check fly masks and sheets daily for broken straps or other damage that will need repair.
• Always use repellents and insecticides with caution.