Ticks Control for Horses

Although today is fairly cool (by May standards), summer is just around the corner.  With those warm temperatures, ticks are certain to rear their ugly head.  Actually, they’re already out there as I have pulled a couple off of my dogs.  Now is the time to start thinking about how to protect your horses from those pesky insects.  There are measures that can be used to reduce tick infestations around your property in order to protect you and your family (2-legged and 4-legged).

Keeping the pasture mowed short will cause the eggs to desiccate and reduce the numbers in the long run.  The problem is the deer and wild animals that move from the wooded area into the pasture bring the ticks with them and re-infest the pasture.  Some people have had success with creating a chemical barrier between the woodlot and the pasture by spraying insecticide in the buffer zone.  Texas A&M has a pretty good Tick App that is more general for livestock, humans and pets.  http://tickapp.tamu.edu/control.php

Another option is to look at seeding pastures down with nematodes that would eat flea and tick larvae.  You will not see immediate results but will notice a difference in 3-9 months down the road.

Web address is: http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/pest-solver-guide-fleas-ticks/26

Another option is to use Pyranha products found on the following URL:  http://www.pyranhainc.com/products_horse_care.html  They have both oil and water based products, all of which are labeled for tick control.  One word of advice - if using the aerosol, do not spray in such a way that the horse can inhale it.

If you have dogs and cats that move around the pasture, you should consider treating them for ticks in some way.  If not, they could bring ticks into the areas you have treated negating your efforts.  There are lots of options available to treat these critters, you should choose the one you feel most comfortable with. 

Here is an additional article from the University of Kentucky:  http://pest.ca.uky.edu/EXT/Recs/ENT513-Horses.pdf

The North Carolina Chemical Manual section on insect control is found here:  http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/21240.pdf  Page 136 is where the horse section is located.