"The Flies are horrible this year!" I have heard that a lot lately.  Hopefully these tips will remind you of what you need to do to keep your horse and yourself the most comfortable.

Flies are relentless - they live basically to reproduce. A typical life cycle of a fly is 21 to 25 days from egg to adult, and do they keep busy during that brief time! A female fly often lays twenty batches of eggs during her short life span, with each batch containing between 40-80 eggs. In fact, two flies can easily produce 1.8 million breeding pairs within just 12 weeks. All the more reason for horse owners to become vigilant in their fly control efforts. PREVENTING FLIES One of the keys to fly control is preventing them from inhabiting your stable and it's surroundings in the first place. If you make the environment as uninviting to flies as possible, it is likely that they will decide to find somewhere else to live. * Keep the area clean. Cleanliness is your number one defense against flies. Remove manure daily, either adding it to a carefully constructed compost pile, or spreading it thin, to allow it to dry in the sun. Rake up grass and leaves frequently. Clean any spilled hay or grain immediately and store food in sealed containers. Don't forget to scrub buckets thoroughly after a feeding to prevent flies from hanging around there. Clean bedding frequently. * Keep food off the ground. Since food can become moist when on the ground, it is best to keep your horse's hay and grain in a feeder rather that allowing him to feed off the ground. This will keep flies from laying eggs in the feed and the horse from digesting the bot eggs. * Do not allow standing water. Standing water is very attractive to flies, so prevent any water from becoming stagnant in or near your horse's living quarters. This includes water left in buckets, on the ground and under faucets. Consider installing dry wells under outside faucets to prevent water from collecting. * Remove the trash. Trash is music to a fly's ears, so be sure to keep trash sealed and far away from the stable and pasture. * Ventilation is key. Proper air circulation is essential in keeping your barn dry and uninviting to flying intruders. If possible, install fans to aid in this process. * Repellent. There are all kinds of fly repellents on the market, including sprays, lotions, and ointment, but all are to be applied directly to your horse. They can be very effective at controlling fly problems on your horse. Many contain an insecticide that kills flies soon after they land and prevents them from landing on your horse to begin with. Whichever type of fly repellant you choose to use, be sure to test it on a small area of your horse before applying it all over to make sure your horse doesn't develop a reaction to the product. In addition, for maximum effectiveness, be sure to apply as often as the directions instruct. * Deworming agents. Putting your horse on a regular deworming schedule, in combination with other fly control methods, is critical in keeping your horse free of most parasites and flies. Deworming agents help prevent any bot eggs ingested by your horse from hatching into parasites and wreaking havoc on his intestinal system. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL Biological methods do not use any insecticide to control flies; instead, they take advantage of natural fly control methods. It is usually most effective if used repeatedly during a fly season, and many times the horse owner will need to use another method to keep flies under control. * Fly predators. Fly predators are tiny, nocturnal, sting less wasps that lay eggs in fly pupa. The wasp eggs then use the pupa as food, thereby destroying the eggs and preventing them from hatching. The fly predators stay within two-hundred feet from their original quarters, therefore, many "batches" of fly predators are often needed to control an area. To be most effective, they should be released very early in the fly season and every 1-2 weeks thereafter. Commercially-raised predators can be purchased from a number of sources. The success of biological control depends upon the area being treated, the number of predators being released, and the severity of the fly problem. Hopefully, by using all or a combination of these options, you will be able to reclaim your barn and horse's living quarters as fly-free! Your horse will definitely thank you for it.