Ad copy

🪱 Summer Sores in Horses — What Every Owner Should Know Summer sores (cutaneous habronemiasis) are painful, slow-healing skin lesions caused by stomach-worm larvae that biting flies deposit into wounds or moist areas of a horse's body. Instead of completing their normal life cycle, the larvae trigger an intense inflammatory reaction — itchy, raw, and stubborn to heal. 😣 🌞 When & where they show up ☀️ Most common in the warm months, when fly activity peaks 📍 Often found around the eyes, mouth and nose, the chest, the belly, the sheath, and on the legs 🔁 They tend to recur year after year if the underlying cause isn't managed 🩸 What they look like Non-healing wounds that won't close Yellow or white granules in the tissue Proud, flesh-like overgrowth Excessive itching and rubbing 👉 And here's the cruel part — the sores themselves attract more flies, which feeds the whole cycle. ⚠️ How prevention actually works Prevention is about breaking the fly-to-wound cycle: 🪤 Reduce fly populations (manure removal, water/standing-water control) 🛡️ Use fly gear and repellents to keep flies off the horse 🩹 Clean and cover wounds promptly — flies target broken skin 🐎 Follow your veterinarian's deworming recommendations 💉 And for any active sore, consult your vet — treatment (deworming, wound care, and prescribed medications) is a job for your veterinarian, not a spray. 🔆 The take-home: summer sores start with a fly landing on broken skin. The fewer flies that find your horse, the fewer chances the cycle has to begin — which is exactly why vets put fly control near the top of the prevention list, right alongside good wound care and deworming. 🌿 Here's the part most owners overlook: one of the simplest ways to cut down fly contact is a plant-oil fly spray that keeps flies from finding your horse in the first place — not by killing them after they land, but by scrambling the scent they use to track him down. Fewer flies landing means fewer bites on the skin that starts it all. 👉 See how plant oils make your horse far harder for flies to find — click below to learn more. (Always work with your vet on prevention and treatment.)