What should I do if my horse is losing hair after repeated fly bites?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your horse is losing hair after repeated fly bites, it’s often because the skin has become irritated and the horse has been rubbing, scratching or stamping at the area. That can leave patchy hair loss, scabs or broken skin. There may be several possible causes, so it’s worth checking the area carefully rather than assuming it’s only flies.

Things To Check

1. Check where the hair loss is happening and whether it’s in the same places flies usually bother your horse, such as the face, ears, belly, sheath, udder or lower legs.

2. Look closely for redness, scabs, swelling, heat, discharge or areas where the skin looks broken.

3. Notice whether your horse is rubbing on fences, stable walls, trees or buckets, or stamping and swishing more than usual.

4. Think about whether the problem gets worse after turnout, in warm weather, near water, or at certain times of day when flies are most active.

5. Check whether other horses nearby are also being bothered by flies or whether your horse seems more sensitive than others.

6. Run your hand gently over the area to see if the skin feels sore, crusty or unusually warm.

7. Look at your fly-control routine and turnout setup, including rug fit, shelter, stable hygiene and whether there are breeding sites nearby such as muck heaps or standing water.

Common Causes

The most common cause is simple fly irritation leading to rubbing or scratching, which can pull out hair and damage the surface skin.

Some horses react more strongly to fly bites than others, so even a small number of bites can trigger a bigger skin response with itching, scabs or patchy hair loss.

Repeated rubbing against surfaces can also worsen the problem and make the coat look much thinner than the original bite area.

Less commonly, the skin may have a secondary irritation or infection starting where the horse has scratched, especially if the skin is already broken.

What To Do

Keep the area as clean and dry as practical, and avoid harsh scrubbing if the skin is already sore.

Reduce fly pressure where you can by improving stable and field hygiene, removing standing water where possible, and using sensible turnout management during peak fly times.

Watch for rubbing points in rugs, headcollars or tack that may be making the hair loss worse.

Make a note of when the biting and hair loss seem worst, because that can help you spot a pattern and adjust your routine.

If the skin is only mildly affected, a few days of careful monitoring can help you see whether the area is settling or getting worse.

Where fly season is a recurring problem, a routine approach to summer care can make day-to-day management easier.

Products That May Help

A fly-season collection can be useful as part of a practical routine for managing horses that react to bites and rubbing during warmer months.

Horse Fly Sprays & Summer Care

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