# Tick Control Suggestions?



## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I'm not 100% positive if it's completely safe for horses, but next time I go for anyhing more than a real quick trail ride through the wood, I plan on drenchig myself in Deet (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called). I still have to buy it, and I'm not sure how much it costs, but I'm pretty sure it's spray on..don't think it works on flies too though. i'll try an get the "recipe" for what my friend used for awhile for flies, and never had a problem with ticks..
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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

You can buy de-lousing powder at pretty much any store (Co-op, UFA, Lammels, Welsh's, etc) that's cheap (I can't remember exactly but somewhere's around $10/bottle). It's a powder you put on them, rub it in. If she's got ticks, do her once, then again in two weeks to get the remaining eggs that hatch. 
I do mine in the spring and winter and never have a problem. 

As per fly spray, I wouldn't reccomend using human bug spray on a horse, but I have used non scented dryer sheets (just rub over them) and it works well. Or just the spray you can get (some are pre-mixed, some are not - you'll have to watch labels) and spray her everytime you go out to see her.


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## PoohLP (Jan 15, 2009)

I was thinking less about stuff to get them off than stuff to prevent them from taking hold. I've got fly spray that works ok, but was lolling for something that lasts a little longer, like a feed supplement or something thhat last for a few weeks or at least days ata time.
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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

If you find something that keeps ticks off please post it.. My horses live in tick central.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I use Equi-spot. It comes in 3 packs for about $10. It's like Frontline for horses. You apply a tube every 2 weeks to the horse's topline and legs. It supposedly kills whatever ticks are there and repels the ones that haven't shown up yet. I'm in a very high tick area and so far so good. Ironically I bought mine late this spring. We had an early warm snap in March, and my horse got Lyme disease. No ticks since I've been back to using it.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

There are feedthrough fly control products that cost around $30 for a 2 month supply, but they don't keep flies off the horse. They kill the larvae before they can mature into adult flies. These are the products like Equitrol or SimpliFly.

You can feed garlic supplements or apple cider vinegar to keep flies off your horse. (You can't just top dress with garlic powder, it needs to be a commercial supplement.)

I'm probably admitting to being a bad horsewoman, but all I use for worming is ivermectin, and it kills ticks. As for keeping them off, I'd try WSArabians' suggestion.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Garlic powder and Ivermectin. If it's a big problem where you are, a daily look-over on the legs and in the ears will alert you to their presence. Then you can take tweezers and pick them off. =]

aforred - My veterinary book says that so far, there are no cases of worms and such building an immunity to Ivermectin. =] Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "you can't just top dress," can you elaborate? I buy it by the pound in the bulk foods section and it's helped TONS with my mare. She reacts pretty bad to bug bites but since I've started using the garlic powder, she isn't getting bitten anywhere near as much.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

I meant you can't use garlic powder you buy at the grocery store. You CAN top dress the stuff made for bug repellent.

Really? In that case, I'll try it. I thought there was something special about the garlic supplement they make for horses. Maybe I'm thinking about the benefits of eating garlic in humans (it's hard to keep it all straight, LOL).


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I would. I never tried the official "horse" garlic powder, because it's ridiculously expensive and I can buy it at like, $1/lb at WinCo, haha. My guess is there is more in the garlic supplement than just garlic.


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## PoohLP (Jan 15, 2009)

riccil0ve said:


> I would. I never tried the official "horse" garlic powder, because it's ridiculously expensive and I can buy it at like, $1/lb at WinCo, haha. My guess is there is more in the garlic supplement than just garlic.


How much garlic powder do you use? Do you have any trouble with your horses objecting to the taste?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Feeding Garlic to Horses

If you use "human" garlic and not something specifically for horses, know that garlic contains a substance that can create havoc with a horse's hemoglobin. (blood) Above is a brief article about it.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

PoohLP said:


> How much garlic powder do you use? Do you have any trouble with your horses objecting to the taste?


I just sprinkle a little in their grain. Ricci ate it up just fine, gave it a sniff and a questioning look at first, but ate it. Gracie sniffed it and got ****ED that I dared to add something so horrid to her grain. I just added a bit of water in her grain [read: alfalfa and/or grass pellets] and when it was soft, I mixed the powder in. She got used to it, and now I don't have to do anything special with it. If that doesn't work, I'd suggest adding something extra tasty to her grain, like a touch of molasses if you're horse can handle it.

MyBoyPuck, my girls have been on it for a year and have had no problems. My friends horse has been on it for two and has never had a problem. I haven't read the article yet, and I will. I'm just saying.

EDIT: Ahh, I read. It doesn't say that "horse" garlic powder is any better, just that garlic is bad. I suppose I'll stop using it completely, and look more closely at the "horse" garlic.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I think the horse would have to be fed massive quantities to do damage, but I just wanted to put it out there. It never hurts to have all the information available.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

Thanks for the info MyBoyPuck.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Yeah, true. As mentioned, I only give them a dash a day, but still. I'd have to have their cells tested to know if it's making that bubble the article mentioned, and it's easier to just keep up the fly spray regimen and quit giving garlic. But again, I'll look into the horse garlic and see what I can find out. It really has helped with flies, Ricci used to get covered in welts before I started and when I did start, she only got maybe a dozen all fly season instead of a dozen every week. But, I suppose some welts are better than anemia.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

What about the apple cider vinegar? Does anybody feed that? I would be interested to know how much to give and how well it works.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

aforred said:


> What about the apple cider vinegar? Does anybody feed that? I would be interested to know how much to give and how well it works.


I know lots of people on here SWEAR by it for just about everything, lol. I'll be interested to see if there are any answers to this.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I cant say much for prevention of ticks other than my barns solution...Guinea Hens. Those squacking birds eat every bug in sight. We are in a high tick area and my horse has never had a tick at this barn. For flies, we used 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar in the feed twice a day...the horses barely notice it and it helps keep the fly population managable. Then we spray the horses with the 'middle of the road' flyspray which here is absorbine bug block. 

I lost a horse this year to end stage lymes disease...it was horrible. He was a rescue case and was literally covered in ticks. It took us 2 weeks to pronounce him tick free. A year later, we had to have him put down because of the terrible problems he had with his lymes disease. From what I understand, it is pretty rare that a horse would get it so bad that they would die from it but some of the complications are really frightening. He took seizures and became insanely aggressive. In the end, that is what did it. While grazing in his own pasture he jumped a 4 foot fence and almost stomped a horse to death. Sorry to be such a downer, but I regret not being able to do more for him.


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## twogeldings (Aug 11, 2008)

I use Endure on my dudes. When I first got Sammy he was literally covered in HUNDREDS of ticks. I got those off...then he picked up more from my pasture. Since Endure, I have MAYBE one tick every few months if I don't spray him when I'm supposed too >-<


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