For those people who aren’t lucky enough to live where there are nose flies, I wanted to share our lovely experience today.<\/p>\n
I turned Rusty out to graze in the yard for awhile. I was going to get some non-horsey stuff done and let him take the edge off a bit, fill up on some grass. He walked straight to the place we worked yesterday and started calling me.<\/p>\n
How can I resist that?<\/p>\n
I got my things and went to work with him.<\/p>\n
I asked for a lay down. He said, you know I’d like to. But there’s this bug?!<\/p>\n
I assured him it was just a bot fly. NOT a nose fly. He would be ok. If I can find them I’m happy to do my best to kill a bot fly too. Sometimes I even manage. Today I couldn’t even see it, just had his word that it was there.<\/p>\n
I thought maybe we could work on something different?<\/p>\n
He took a few steps and said no. It was a nose fly. It was going to eat him. In just a few more seconds he was screaming SAVE ME!<\/p>\n
Yes, I DO know that that was what he was saying. Look at him. How could you not hear it loud and clear?<\/p>\n
He was running to me begging me to take care of it. I was searching frantically for the culprit while also trying to avoid being smashed. If you listen carefully you can hear me trying to reassure him that I am trying!<\/p>\n
Finally I got his nose and covered it for him. Nose flies do, I think? fly up their noses. This is exactly the response horses have. Although this was fairly mild. Now imagine trying to ride a horse doing this? Having the horse on a leadrope and not being able to let him flee?<\/p>\n
This is why we live in fear and dread of nose flies.<\/p>\n
This was NOT a nose fly. They only come out for about a week in the first half of June. Fortunately or we all would have given up horses by now. This was a bot fly. Also evil. Not to the extent of nose flies though. The are about the same size, color and shape of a nose fly and hoover around the horses in the same manner. After an exceptionally bad nose fly season this year the horses are apparently traumatized and not willing to take a chance. When in doubt run!<\/p>\n
The horses had all been hiding in the shed when I called Rusty. After he took off I found him waiting at the gate wanting back to the shed. Poor guy. Guess he can go hide in the shed instead of playing today.<\/p>\n