Swat - My New Best Friend

We have had freakishly weird weather this spring. First of all, we rarely have a "spring." We get a bit of autumn if you like 92 degree days instead of 102. Then winter crashes into us haphazardly at best before summer plows into us like a train wreck that just keeps on going. This year, we actually had spring, and it even RAINED. In fact, it rained nearly an inch at my house during the first two days of June. Like I said, weird.

Thunder and lightning in June? Not (usually) in my backyard!

I am assuming the unusually wet and cold conditions are responsible for Speedy not shedding out like he normally does. It's either that or the Pergolide isn't working. I am going with weird weather as he seems to have finally shed out. On top of that, I am seeing fly bites in places that I normally don't have to worry about.

AIn't nobody got time for bites down there.

Over the past few days, Izzy's ... ahem ... junk, has been covered with pin pricks of blood caused by some teeny tiny pain-in-the-ass flies. That has got to be seriously uncomfortable. Both Izzy and Speedy also have holes nearly eaten through their bellies by the same little monsters.

Izzy's jaw - these little boogers are causing all the trouble.

Last year I purchased my very first tub of Swat; I can't even remember what for. Flies have just never been much of an issue for my horses. A little Pyranha usually does the job of keeping the worst of the flies at bay. Not this year. I am glad I had that little jar sitting around because I've been using it like crazy for the past couple of weeks.

I see more jars in my future.

A few weeks ago, Speedy's belly erupted into a nasty lump of gooey tissue that was equal parts crust and goo. A daily dose of Swat cleared it up in a week or two. Just as I was starting to think he was over the worst of it, I noticed blood on Izzy's nether regions and the matching lump of ouch on his belly. The jar of Swat now rotates between the boys' grooming buckets.

Only part of this summer's arsenal ...

I am starting to wonder if I might actually be missing our typical searingly hot summer afternoons. These wet days seem to be harboring all sorts of weird and wicked insects. I haven't quite decided which is worse - scorching hot or painful bites.

Ask me again in a week or two.