Stomp Out Flies’ Fervor with Farnam’s “No Fly Zone” Arsenal

Stomping hooves, swishing tails, and shaking heads can only mean one thing: fly season is in full force! My horse Knight’s otherwise peaceful Southern California pasture life has been interrupted by an array of buzzing pests since the weather warmed up. The flies have been relentless! Thank goodness, with the help of Farnam’s “No Fly Zone” lineup (props to Farnam for sponsoring this post), my Thoroughbred Knight and I can win the Battle of the Bugs. And so can you and your horse!

Block, repel, and reduce is not just a strategy for winning sports teams, but a three-fold approach to diminishing flies and other bugs in and out of the barn. Farnam gifted me with a portfolio of products to test and see what works best for Knight. I’m excited to share my experiences with several products now in my Farnam “No Fly Zone” arsenal. You can learn more about the best products for your holistic fly control strategy when you CLICK HERE.

Block Flies Completely

Knight is now on pasture 24/7 and a fly mask for summer is a must. The SuperMaskⓇ II Horse Fly Mask with Ears is the perfect way to block annoying flies from swarming Knight’s eyes. I’ve noticed when I remove his fly mask to put on his halter to bring him to the barn for tacking up, the flies immediately zoom in and crawl around on his face. The nerve! Knight has a fairly long forelock, but that alone would not be sufficient to keep the flies at bay on my bay!

What I like about the SuperMaskⓇ II Horse Fly Mask is the fleece that lines the edges so the nose band is soft. It has an expandable double-latch Velcro closure which his pasture pals can’t rip off should they engage in a boys-will-be-boys game of face tag. (Knight has the knicks to prove the face tag game is on for summer.)

Besides providing freedom from flies, the SuperMaskⓇ II Horse Fly Mask blocks Knight’s eyes from dust, dirt and debris. As summer wears on here in SoCal, dust will be everywhere. The mask will keep him cleaner and safer. If you haven’t tried Farnam’s line of fly masks, you should. SuperMask IIⓇ comes in sizes ranging from foal to XL horse (meaning your favorite equine is within the size range).

Repel Flies Entirely

Once I lead Knight from pasture to the cross ties, I apply Farnam’s EndureⓇ Roll-On to his face before I even begin to groom him. Literally, the minute I roll on the Endure around his eyes as though I am preparing Knight to be in an Egyptian Cleopatra costume, the flies scram and don’t return! I probably draw on the “eyeliner” about an inch from his eyes. For good measure I roll it on inside of his hairy grandpa ears too, even though I haven’t encountered any pests lurking inside his ears at this point.

A classic Farnam product that wowed me in the “repel” strategy is SWATⓇ Fly Repellent Ointment. A few weeks ago Knight got an ugly gash in the middle of his handsome lil’ face. It is covered up with his fly mask on (which he wears all day except for being exercised), but when I used another product to heal the wound, the second I dabbed that ointment on, the flies swarmed to the sore. I’m not sure if they liked the smell of the other medicine or what. But I noticed when I switched to the SWATⓇ, no flies dare visit his sore. I was impressed. I also like that the SWATⓇ is fairly clear in color and a good consistency–not overly gooey or thick.

Dual Defense Insect Repellent for Horse and Rider was new to me as a repel product and it works great. It has a unique continuous, non-aerosol sprayer and can even be sprayed upside down! I can use it on myself or on Knight. It lasts 12 hours and works against flies, mosquitoes and ticks–it even smells good! When I first used it, the flies fled and a few minutes later I saw only one fly hanging out for a few seconds on his hoof, where it certainly had zero impact on Knight’s comfort. Poor fly–so defeated.

Equi-Spot® Spot-On Protection also offers long-lasting control against flies, mosquitoes and ticks; you apply this once every two weeks to keep your horses happy and healthy! You apply in specific areas such as under the forelock, poll, neck, chest, withers, hips and all four legs.

Reduce Flies’ Tenacity (and Population)

Reducing flies’ irritating impact on your ride and on your horse is totally doable. An interesting Farnam fly reduction product (I haven’t tried–but sounds cool) is SimpliFlyⓇ, a feed-through fly control. It comes in pellet form and impedes the development of flies in manure, preventing larvae from developing into mature adults. I think this product would be perfect for equestrians with their own backyard barns–a way to take total control and reduce their overall house and stable fly population.

You too can create a “No Fly Zone” with the block, repel and reduce regimen that Farnam, your partner in horse care, provides with their vast array of products. Read all about their diverse and effective product line and add to your fly fighting arsenal when you CLICK HERE.

Thank you for reading!

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