Let’s Protect Our Horses 24/7 Against Flies!

We are coming to the time of year when flies are always a concern, however this year more than in the past as with visits limited to once a day in most cases, fly control can become an issue.  This is even more of a worry for those whose horses are afflicted by sweet itch which is a horrible condition and distressing for both the horse and the owner in differing ways.

In order to minimise the effect of biting flies, different management strategies can be adopted including stabling during risk periods i.e. dawn and dusk, utilising fly sheets or rugs that prevent flies landing on the horse or using fly sprays. Stabling is a very useful technique, but in lockdown conditions may be difficult for some people to achieve this year.  Fly rugs can be very effective as long as you don’t have a ‘rug thug’ but fly sprays are effective only when applied regularly, and once a day may not be enough to be effective in 24/7 turnout. An alternative approach is to use nutrition to help.

Garlic, Allium sativum, is a herb with a pungent odour that has been utilised by humans for centuries. Horslyx Garlic Balancer contains pure garlic oil to help provide a natural, effective and long-lasting way to help combat the problem of biting insects. Linseed oil and antioxidants are also added to help support the immune system and skin condition alongside the high specification balancer package to balance the nutrient deficiencies in forage and grazing.  The free access lick promotes a natural trickle feeding pattern that allows the horse to self-regulate and consume Horslyx as and when they need it.  This leads to the diet being balanced plus a supply of garlic being available round the clock and so the fly deterrent properties of Horslyx Garlic Balancer are not reliant on a person visiting once daily, but are simply present 24 hours a day to help reduce the irritation from flies and other biting insects.

Independent research, using Horslyx Garlic Balancer, conducted at Aberystwyth University reported that horses offered Horslyx Garlic Balancer had 64.5% less landing on them compared to control, unsupplemented, horses. A follow up study with horses who were already showing symptoms of sweet itch resulted in horses offered Horslyx Garlic Balancer spending less time on behaviours associated with sweet itch relief compared to unsupplemented horses. This research concluded: “Feeding Horslyx Garlic Balancer helped to alleviate irritation caused by sweet itch, which in turn may reduce stress, making for a happier, more responsive and co-operative horse”.

Horslyx Garlic Balancer 5kg and 15kg tubs are currently on offer at your local Fane Valley Store.