Expert Insight: Jennifer Little BSc Hons MSc RNutr at Equinutrition shares her thoughts on summer nutrition and managing flies for horses.
Summer vs. Winter: Summer is generally more pleasant for horse owners compared to winter. However, over 50% of the UK equine population is overweight or obese, making grass growth a concern. Measures like grazing muzzles, restrictive grazing, and soaked hay can help control grass intake. Horses maintaining good body condition on grass may not need additional food but will require vitamins and minerals, which can be provided through fortified chaff, balancers, or supplements. Horslyx Balancers are a convenient option for horses in paddocks or on track systems.
Image/priority images/blog images/horse and flies.jpg – personally im not too keen on this picture as i feel it looks dirty? But it does give a good image on fly trouble
Insect Challenges: Summer brings back biting and nuisance insects, which can cause significant issues for horses. Biting insects trigger inflammatory responses, leading to itching and scratching. This can escalate with more bites and prolonged exposure. Some horses develop Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH), causing severe reactions to bites from species like horse flies, stable flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Non-biting insects can also affect horses by altering their behavior and posing infection risks.
Management Strategies: Protecting horses from insects involves various methods:
- Physical Barriers: Fly sheets and masks can be effective but may be damaged or uncomfortable in hot weather.
- Topical Treatments: Repellents and insecticides have limitations and potential environmental impacts.
- Biological Control: Increasing bat populations to eat insects can be effective but requires time and investment.
- Dietary Supplements: Supplements like garlic have been used historically to reduce insect challenges and manage inflammation.
Garlic Benefits: Garlic has anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. Its biomolecules, known as organosulphur compounds, inhibit inflammatory cytokines. Garlic supplementation can reduce the body’s response to fly bites. While it doesn’t affect internal parasites, it can reduce the number of flies on horses and lower the incidence of infectious diseases.
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Conclusion: For horses meeting their nutritional needs through summer grazing, adding a vitamin and mineral balancer block with garlic oil, like Horslyx Garlic Balancer, can be beneficial.
References
1 Knowles, E. & Grieve, L. 2020 Clinical insights: Equine obesity. Equine Veterinary Journal (10) 1111
2 Rajan, T.V., Hein, M., Porte, P., Wikel, S. 2005 A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of garlic as a mosquito repellent: a preliminary study. Medical and Veterinary Entomology (19) 84-89
3 Radovanovic, K., Gavaric, N., Acimovic, M. 2023 Anti-inflammatory properties of plants from Serbian traditional medicine. Life (13) 874
4 Wilson, A.D. 2014 Immune responses
