D E T E R R E N T S T R AT E G I E S

You can do several things to discourage ticks from attaching to your horse.

The first line of defense is regular use of tick-control products (acaricides). High concentration, spot-on formulations of pyrethroids (such as cypermethrin, permethrin) as well as older compounds like organophosphates (for example, malathion, coumaphos) are available, although they are not as familiar to owners as flycontrol products. If you opt to use a tick-control product, read the label carefully to confirm efficacy against ticks and safety for horses.

You may have heard of situations where ticks were so overwhelming that owners used products labeled for cattle or dogs. This is not recommended, however, because these products were not tested for efficacy or safety in horses. In addition, products formulated for cattle are intended to be administered to animals with minimal human contact and may present safety concerns for people.

Environmental control of ticks through widescale application of acaricides to pastures or stables is rarely effective, can be expensive, and may adversely affect non-target species of arthropods. A better approach may be habitat modification that does not require use of chemicals. Measures might include limiting your horse’s access to tick-friendly areas or removing ideal tick environments such as leaf litter and tall grass.

Wildlife, especially deer, are reservoir hosts for many common tick species and their exclusion from managed equine properties may also limit tick populations.