# Tail has been cut can't get flies now HELP please



## Sp33dymonk3y (Aug 22, 2015)

Okay guys same horse that had the hoof issue horizontal crack, hoof is going good but I have another problem the previous owner cut half his tail off because it was knifed bad apparently so nothing can be done from what that owner did but I love my horse and it breaks my heart to see flies on his legs! I thought about hair existent ions so he can get them flies on the legs that his tail can no longer reach maybe? Silly thought but I'm trying to think... Horse fly only last half a day to a day before they are right back! Any shampoo? Taking all advice


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## Sp33dymonk3y (Aug 22, 2015)

The flies are eating him, horse fly spray can only do so much each day.


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## Kay Armstrong (Jun 28, 2015)

Do you have or are you using a fly sheet, or fly mask?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Rinse him with apple cider vinegar once or twice a week. Mix about 1/2-1 cup of ACV with about two gallons of water and sponge it over him.

Also, depending on how short his tail is, you can braid the last little bit and add several long strands of baling twine into the last of the braid. That way it acts like an extension of his tails and he can flick it like he would his tail. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Use SWAT on his legs daily.

I have used vaseline mixed with Tea Tree Oil also, but it looks to me it has gone far enough to need SWAT.


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## Sp33dymonk3y (Aug 22, 2015)

I don't have fly mask or sheet, his upper body is fine, it's more of his right inner leg.. A little above his hoof where he cannot swat them flies with the tail. I am going to try the twine.. Thank you for that suggestion! I will for sure do that this weekend.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I would suggest getting some fly leg wraps.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Fly wraps. 

And make him a tail bag out of a tube socks and make him a nice thick tail out of yarn! :wink:
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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Poor guy :-| With it looking that bad I'd definitely look for some fly boots.


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Agree about the fly wraps...poor fella, that looks nasty!
I wouldn't even be sure about spraying it with regular spray when he's that chewed up. I think coating them with Swat is a good bet. And a tail bag with attachments for swatting flies can both help protect his tail as it regrows and provide a swatting tool. They do sell them pre-made if, like me, you're not very crafty. Here is an example of a good bag for that.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

Ditto with the fly boots if he'll keep them on. Draft horses that drive often have docked tails and I've seen many of them with strings from hay bales tied into the longer hair tails to make a decent fly swatter. Pyrhanna makes a good shampoo that I use a couple of times during each fly season. You have to let the shampoo set for 15 minutes or so before you rinse, but the pyrethrens help extend your daily fly spray application. Read the directions because you aren't to use it more often than every 2 weeks but it really works for us! On the existing fly bites, be sure to wash them with soap and water, then apply something like Calm Coat which has tea tree oil to soothe and heal those nasty little bites.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

SWAT. Extend his tail with twine (love that idea Drafty) or string or yarn. Braid them to make them even more intense of a swat to get those dang flies.

Flies and then urine or poop has probably irritated his legs. Hose them off, treat them with neosporin, SLATHER in swat. 

I haven't used fly boots but if that's an option then do it girl!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If it's the flies that go after the lower legs and ankles, heel flies as cattlemen call them, use dirty good old 10W30, yup, engine oil. Wipe on the hair from just above the knees down. Not pretty but does an excellent job. It does shampoo out.


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## Kristyjog (Nov 11, 2013)

A reined cow horse ranch where we often ride has all their show horses tails wrapped like this. 


The Equestrian Vagabond: Equine Paris Hilton Extensions
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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Are you sure that is all from fly bites and not some sort of dermatits?

I have two Appaloosas with a typical sparce tail, and they don't have any more bites on their legs then the rest of my horses. Flies here, anyway, prefer the neck and body. I find it strange that he is fine on the rest of his body, even without any fly sheet.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Skyseternalangel said:


> SWAT. Extend his tail with twine (love that idea Drafty) or string or yarn.


Baling twine is usually readily available, it's free, and it has more weight to it than yarn or string. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

In show barns we braid the tail up and roll it up and wrap it with Guard Tex or Vet Wrap. When you roll the tail up, you slide 6 or 7 strands of baling twine through the hole in the middle and then wrap the Guard Tex around everything with the baling twine sticking out on either side. Voila, instant tail.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> In show barns we braid the tail up and roll it up and wrap it with Guard Tex or Vet Wrap. When you roll the tail up, you slide 6 or 7 strands of baling twine through the hole in the middle and then wrap the Guard Tex around everything with the baling twine sticking out on either side. Voila, instant tail.


That's exactly what we used to do when I worked for my friend. Or we used an old polo wrap in place of the baling twine. 

This was my old gelding, Dakota, sporting the polo wrap tail extension.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Here's a pretty good step by step, with pics. https://theshowgroom.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/preparing-a-show-tail-for-pasture/


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Here's an excellent video showing how to do it. The only thing she doesn't do is to put the hay strings through the loop of the braid before she wraps it, but doesn't look like she's in fly season where she's at anyhow. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uewsoHlGa2E


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

anndankev said:


> Use SWAT on his legs daily.


*That is genius! *
(Don't know why I didn't think of it first...)
ALSO, use SWAT about one inch under each eye and coat his ears with it, too.
SWAT is fly repellent wound salve, for those who don't know, and comes in white, which quickly goes clear, so you can use it in the show ring. It used to come in neon pink ONLY...but I liked using it anyway. =b


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I like the bright pink because when it fades, you know you need to put more on.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

Smilie said:


> Are you sure that is all from fly bites and not some sort of dermatits?
> 
> I have two Appaloosas with a typical sparce tail, and they don't have any more bites on their legs then the rest of my horses. Flies here, anyway, prefer the neck and body. I find it strange that he is fine on the rest of his body, even without any fly sheet.


Our one gelding (who by chance is full appy) gets like OP's horse in heavy fly season, but not nearly so bad... I watch him and he just doesn't stop the flies!! I don't get it, but he stands there and lets them chow down on them all dang day long! He once even let a horse fly hitch a ride for minutes while we were trail riding. While I love this trait since he is my daughter's horse, it isn't great for his own health! lol (Oh, and our guy also is fine on the rest of his body- only issue is on his legs, specifically lower parts for him).

I take zinc oxide cream and slather that on his legs, then mix on a bit of swat. It gets all gnarly and messy with dusty dirt, but it works great for several days at a time to prevent the flies from biting him. 
Regular fly spray works fine everywhere else. 

The zinc oxide also helps to sooth that sore skin.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

And PS- for zinc oxide cream, I buy the store brand jar of it in the baby care section. He doesn't seem to care how it smells. It is also a higher percentage, which is great for sunscreen, and that also makes it thicker, which is great for stayability.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I've never understood "slathering" with SWAT. There are a million other things... like fly repellent..

SWAT is expensive and there are downsides to just slathering it on as a "go to".

I also think there's soemthing else going on aside from his tail.

Do you clean his leg? That needs to be cleaned daily, at least.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

Yogiwick said:


> I've never understood "slathering" with SWAT. There are a million other things... like fly repellent..
> 
> SWAT is expensive and there are downsides to just slathering it on as a "go to".
> 
> ...


That's why I do the zinc oxide, and a touch of swat for the chemical in it.  I think Swat being used in small amounts is fine, but yes, it is $$$ for regular large are use around here.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I use flyspray and roll on flyspray for touch ups (trouble spots or ears/face).

Works well... lol. No need to go all crazy.

Our mare with sweet itch is a different issue, but even when you do "go all crazy" with her it doesn't work any better. For any other horse that will work just fine.

At this point though that poor horse is so chewed up he does need something. I would put triple antibiotic ointment then probably just flyspray over (assuming it looks the way I'm guessing it does lol).

If he's really cut up he may need more, we were doing swat on a horse at the barn and it didn't help because the wound wouldn't close. Wonder dust dried things out and actually kept the bugs off pretty well. Sometimes it just needs to dry.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I would wash his legs really well with chlorhexidine or iodine diluted in water, before just putting swat on there. To me they look like they could be rainrot or gross from him peeing on his back legs (common with geldings IF they stand a certain way)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

The blood is why there are so many flies!


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

I have NEVER seen that much blood on a horse from flies...and here in VA we have a lot of flies, I have seen horses in the field who have nothing on and they don't come in looking that bad. I would wash his legs off good, make sure that nothing underlying is going on and go from there. 

I use SWAT for a few places on my horses bellies where the flies seem to like to go, tip of ears, under eyes, and yes, some smeared in my hands and down the legs does help. So does spraying your horse twice a day, early morning and after the evening sun just about goes down for the night. I have even used SWAT between the top of the hips on their back where those huge black flies love to land where the horse can't quite get them...just a smeared line of SWAT helps out greatly.


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## Julia and Gringo (Aug 30, 2015)

MTG (stands for Mane Tail Groom) perhaps.. it helps with hair growth and protects against fungas and flies.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^Are you saying MTG for the legs or the tail?

It won't keep the flies off, but would help the tail grow.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Create one from baling twine, the hemp kind with lots of knots then braid it into his tail.


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