Spring Bugs and Insect Bites

Spring Bugs and Insect Bites 

It’s Springtime and like many horse owners, your horses are suffering from those nasty spring bug bites. Constantly kicking up at their bellies, swishing their tails and biting at their flanks. You keep asking yourself, to rug or not to rug, what can I put on my horse, is there anything I can give them to ease their discomfort? 

Firstly, why do your horses react so badly to insects? 

It’s the saliva from the insect bites that makes them itch. This causes an allergic skin reaction. It can affect some horses so badly they will rub themselves raw, then, unfortunately, you end up having to treat that as a secondary problem.  

The insects are most active at dawn and dust. Midges, gnats, flies, and mosquitoes are generally the main offenders attacking the belly, chest, neck, shoulders, and mane/tail areas. Luckily these outbreaks are seasonal, and our horses aren’t scratching all year long. 

What can you do to help your horse if they are suffering from insect bites? 

• Place a light rug on your horse, this can help by covering the areas the bugs like to bite the most, unfortunately not every part is covered so your horse may still itch in some areas that are still exposed. If your horse is suffering from bites on the neck you may need to use one with a neck rug. Rugs work well but it can be hard on those extremely hot days when you need to take the rug off to help keep your horse cool.  

• Try and reduce your horse’s exposure. If you have a stable, keeping your horse in until later in the morning and putting them back in during those twilight hours can help. Placing a fan above their stable is another option, midges can’t fly that well so the movement of the air will limit their ability to move about. 

• Topical Pyrethrin-based sprays/lotions can help, the length of their effectiveness varies so you may need to reapply throughout the day.  

• There are some wipe-on insecticides for horses that require a weekly application. They are a good option for horses that may be in areas where those nasty biting flies, such as march or buffalo flies, are quite common.  

• In extreme cases, Steroid treatment can be an option but not advisable as a long-term solution. You will need to discuss this course of treatment and options with your veterinarian.   

• Antihistamines can help and are a safer option long term than the above. 

• Feeding feeds high in Omega 3 oils. Omega 3 can help reduce skin inflammation and reduce the severity of the bites. Oils such as Grand Prix Oil are a great source of Omega 3, and is adequately balanced with Omega 6.  

• Remove and clean paddocks and yards of manure, and keep water troughs clean to help try and break the breeding cycle of the insects.  

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the hypersensitivity caused by insect bites. It is an allergy, but we can try and reduce the severity and treat the symptoms. As we move from spring into summer the bugs will reduce, and reactions will be less, but in the meantime, all we can do is our best to make our horses comfortable and safe!