# Tiny bugs sucking blood off my horse!



## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

So I go to brush my boys belly today and I see ALL around the skin of his sheath and legs are little crusty dried blood spots and some still fresh blood. Then I see this tiny little bug. Im like EW. Then I see if I can try and take it off and it comes right off and automaticlly pops and its FILLED with blood. It looked like tiny fruit fly with wings but the more blood it drank the bigger the but. It wanst a tick. 

It was only around its skin revealed areas. One or Two in the ears. Mostly around the sheath. and inner legs close to the sheath. Some of the other horses had them too. Mares and geldings same spots. Crotch and ears.

What are they? What can we do?


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

omg! i found those on my mare!! around her belly area too! except there wasnt any blood, only the bugs were filled with it.


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Yeah. Theyre so gross to peel off.


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## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

I believe they are called biting midges or "no-see-ums" 
Whenever I see them I just rub them off and usually I don't have much of a problem. I just put a little bit of antibiotic cream on any bleeding areas and put fly spray over the top. This seems to help.


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

I think theyre called Biting Gnats !


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Sounds like gnats to me.


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## Squeak (Apr 8, 2010)

I dunno but they bit me too. And left huge welts/made me bleed.


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## draftrider (Mar 31, 2010)

Gnats or midges.

I use Avon Skin so soft on my horses delicate parts- sheaths, udders, ears and noses. It works awesome.

I have very few bug problems on our farm because we have a large population of chickens and guinea fowl that snap them up like candy. =)


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks for the tips!


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

draftrider said:


> Gnats or midges.
> 
> I use Avon Skin so soft on my horses delicate parts- sheaths, udders, ears and noses. It works awesome.
> 
> I have very few bug problems on our farm because we have a large population of chickens and guinea fowl that snap them up like candy. =)


Gotta love the birds! I have been campaigning for chickens for some time now and think I finally found the way to convince my husband - TICKS! He absolutely HATES them (I do too, but he is fanatical about it). He has just returned home after being gone for 2 1/2 years and in just three weeks has complained about them almost every day --- I see chickens in our future :lol:


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## Chella (May 23, 2009)

We have wild turkeys they eat the tics too. Hate tics!! My guys armpits and sheath get attacked by the gnats. Swat in the armpits totally protects them and heals it nicely. Swat on the sheath also protects and heals it too.


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## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I hate those little gnat things!!! My geldings ears (as well as all of our horses) were filled with them. I brushed the geldings ears off today with my hand and the ones that flew out left blood all in his ear. There were still lots more in them. I put fly spray in their ears and it helps greatly.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Haha we have an Emperor Goose to eat all the bad bugs!


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## jeanlee411 (May 7, 2010)

I use Avon Skin so soft on my horses delicate parts- sheaths, udders, ears and noses. It works awesome.

I have very few bug problems on our farm because we have a large population of chickens and guinea fowl that snap them up like candy. =)
Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/tiny-bugs-sucking-blood-off-my-54247/#ixzz0OcspMhDZ
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