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“Mosquitoes have a slightly different way of developing, versus stable and house flies,” Larson said. “They are fully aquatic as larvae. They’re down in the water, feeding and breathing. They have snorkels on their rear ends, which is a pretty interesting way to go through life. So if you have outside water sources—a bird bath or buckets or even old tires or things in a junk pile that can accumulate water—eliminate that water on a weekly basis. Dump it out, tip it over, scoop it out, and you’ll cut that mosquito’s life cycle in half. You’ll get rid of the larvae and you’ll see fewer adults.

Horse-safe sprays like UltraShield EX can be applied directly to the coat or sprayed lightly on brushes before grooming. Photo: Absorbine “If it’s standing water that you need to have around, like a pond or a stream or a lake, or if you have a swampy area, you can treat that with a mosquito dunk,” he added. “That’s a BT (bacillus thuringiensis) organic product, and it will kill the larvae that are in there, so you’ll see fewer adults.”

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To help protect the entire property, use a permethrin-based premises spray. When using a hand-held sprayer to treat areas outside the barn, be sure to avoid bee and aquatic habitats. Spray the stall walls and around feeders to discourage flies from gathering. Be sure to sweep up any spilled grain, supplements, or treats. Apply a light spray to brushes prior

Barkemeyer also suggests choosing fly spray carefully. “Not all fly sprays have the same ingredients and some are more appropriate for specific situations,” he noted. “I like using UltraShield EX® from Absorbine® for effective protection from flies and other insects whether at home, on the road or at competitions.”

Larson also recommends moving away from broad-spectrum treatments like organophosphates or organochlorine and focusing on targeted applications like hand-held permethrin spray you can apply directly to your horse or on areas where pests might congregate or to use baits that attract, collect, and kill flies.