Before getting your horse, you probably pictured yourself in the stable enjoying quiet, serene moments with him. In reality, the stable may be full of flies buzzing about, disrupting those idyllic moments—not to mention, many types of flies threaten the well-being of your horse.
Horse flies, deer flies, stable flies and face flies are among the most common, but stable flies and other blood-sucking varieties are the most menacing. Whatever the kind, flies in your stable or pasture must be controlled for two chief reasons:

1. Health – certain types of flies transmit diseases, such as Equine Infectious Anemia (swamp fever). Stable flies especially can feed off your horse’s blood and cause painful welts.
2. Safety – flies can cause horses to run through fences, buck or accidentally kick another horse or human.

Being annoyed by biting and swarming flies is enough to make anyone (or any animal) react poorly! A horse plagued by flies will naturally be on edge compared to a horse whose stable is free of the winged pests. Horses who are pestered by flies every day will stomp, pace or snort even when removed from the fly-infested area for a short time, making them less safe to ride.

Fly control can be approached in a variety of ways. Begin by talking to your veterinarian for suggestions based on the specific type of fly that’s bugging your barn (if you don’t know what type of fly it is, consider inviting your veterinarian over for identification and assessment). Then, consider these techniques for keeping your horse’s home free from flies:
 

Keep it clean

A clean stable and paddock don’t appeal to flies. Removing manure and uneaten feed daily is the best defense against flies that breed in these places. The cleaner the stable, the fewer the flies, and the less likely you’ll need to resort to other measures to control them.
 

Fly traps and fly zappers

Capturing flies in large numbers without using insecticides or other chemicals, these mechanisms come in all shapes and sizes. In particular, traps can be hung almost anywhere and can be placed out of reach of children easily.

Insecticides and fly bait

Foggers and sprays kill flies using chemicals, while fly bait uses poison, which is why most equine owners first attack fly problems through manure removal and other chemical-free techniques. If you do use an insecticide, educate yourself as to which one is best for your climate and stable.
 

Repellants and fly strips

Repellants are applied directly to the horse to keep flies at bay. On the other hand, fly strips that contain repellant can be attached to halters, so you won’t need to be concerned about irritating your horse with direct application.