September 19, 2025: Summer Sores and Starting New Groundwork with Bee
Bee is still finding ways to keep me humble. This week, while I was giving her a bath and feeling pretty proud of how shiny and clean she looked, I decided to really scrub her face. That is when I spotted something I had never seen before. Cue the frantic call to the vet. And of course, it had to be something gross, because horses always know how to keep us on our toes.
⚠️ Fair warning: do not scroll any further unless you want to see what I saw. Close-up pictures ahead of Bee’s lips and chin. For the record, she has more chin hair than I do. Thankfully that is a good thing for horses but not such a great thing for women of a certain age.
What and Where? “Summer sores” are one of those unpleasant things horses can develop in warm weather. They’re caused when certain types of flies deposit tiny larvae in wounds or moist areas like eyes, lips, or sheath/udder areas. The larvae trigger a strong inflammatory reaction, which makes the wound ooze and refuse to heal. Left untreated, summer sores can become large, raw, and very uncomfortable for the horse.
Do they bother the horse? Yes. They itch, sting, and can be painful, which often leads to rubbing or biting that only makes them worse.
How do you treat them? Despite all the fly prevention we have done, including fly masks (which do not cover the lips), frequent fly spraying, Formula 707 Multifly feed-through, and releasing fly predators, Bee still ended up with summer sores. The truth is, fly control is only as good as the environment, and pastures without consistent manure management give flies the perfect breeding ground.
Our veterinarian reassured us that the sores will disappear once fly season ends (he literally said they’ll be gone in three months if I do nothing), but in the meantime, treatment is important to keep Bee comfortable. We are using a combination of ivermectin (a de-wormer applied directly to the sore as well as ingesting three weeks in a row), careful debriding, and silver spray, all of which help reduce irritation and support healing.
Can horses transmit summer sores to humans? No. Summer sores are caused by fly larvae (specifically from stomach bots and certain types of flies). They can’t survive in or infect people, so they’re not contagious to humans. Phew! Because I touched those lips!
Precautions for owners: That said, when treating summer sores, it’s smart to wear gloves. Not because you’ll “catch” anything, but because the ointments and dewormers (like ivermectin) can irritate human skin if handled directly. Plus, sores can be oozy and messy, so gloves just make the process cleaner. Always wash your hands well afterward.
Prevention moving forward: Summer sores can be stubborn, and while no method is foolproof, combining strategies gives horses the best chance. Fly masks, sprays, feed-through supplements, and fly predators all help, but barn management plays a big role too. Good manure management in the pastures goes a long way toward reducing fly populations and preventing problems like this from recurring.
A Birthday Gift and New Training Adventure
On a much more fun note, Jim surprised me with an early birthday gift: a membership to Clinton Anderson’s Down Under Horsemanship No Worries Club. I’ve wanted to dive into this program for a long time, and now Bee and I are starting at the foundation level.
Clinton’s philosophy is all about understanding how a horse thinks and perceives the world. All great partnerships are built on three elements: trust, respect, and communication. His method begins in the round pen, a 50-foot fenced circle that keeps both trainer and trainee safe.
Now, let us be clear. Bee is no fool. She spent years in training with her former owner Jackie and even won the APHA World Championship with her a few years back. But after some time off and not having a regular job, she has gotten a little lazy and maybe even a little power trippy with her new owner. Add in the fact that I am on a steep learning curve myself, and you can imagine the sparks. Case in point: this week, my first ride after vacation, she decided to show me just how fast she could go in our own pasture. Let us just say I discovered I have stronger legs and arms than I realized. I was literally sore from holding on for dear life! My friend Carly (Sunny’s mom) witnessed the whole thing and she still wants to ride this dragon!
Back in the round pen, we started with desensitizing to the lead rope. Bee passed that test with an A+. Next came desensitization to the “stick and string.” I used a lunge whip and a flag pole since I already had them on hand. Again, Bee wasn’t fazed and earned another A+.
We’ve begun practicing yielding the hindquarters. There are two stages to this exercise, and we are still working on the first stage. When done correctly, the close hind leg (the one nearest to you) should cross in front of the further hind leg, while the front legs stay relatively stationary or pivot (can you read or say that word without thinking of the Friends scene where they are trying to get the couch up the stairs and Ross is shouting, “Pivot!”?). Anyway, I digress. Yielding the hindquarters is very prescribed on how it’s done and how it should look, and Bee hasn’t mastered it yet. Once she does, we’ll move on to stage two.
We are also practicing backing up on cue, which is another area where she still needs work. I’ve been using a technique my trainer taught me without a lot of success. Bee likes to just stay planted and I’ve been walking her in a circle to where I want her instead of fighting her. Clinton’s method will get us where we need to be, I’m confident in this because he shows four levels of “pressure” to get the horse to move back. Let’s hope I only have to use the first, second, or third level! Fingers crossed!
Another big part of groundwork is teaching respect for space. When a horse crowds you uninvited, as Bee has been doing, it is not just affection. It is often a lack of respect and a way to show dominance. I need to be the one who invites her into my space. While it is sweet that she comes right up to my head and shoulder, it is also her way of saying she is in charge. Clinton’s philosophy is helping me flip that dynamic. One day soon, this little five-foot woman will look like a giant in Bee’s eyes. If a horse will willingly move for you on the ground, they are much more likely to respond to that same cue in the saddle. Wish us luck!
Looking Ahead
Bee and I are just getting started, but I’m excited to share updates as we work through the program. It may not be as dramatic as prior posts, but these small, consistent steps are what really build the bond between horse and rider.
We’ve got a new neighbor moving into the barn this week, Calvin. His mom was there this week prepping his stall for him and I had the opportunity to learn about him. He’s a show horse on stall rest for now so he won’t be turned out with the herd but I’m sure Bee will have something to say about his presence during breakfast and dinner. I’m pretty sure she’s going to like the extra airflow from his personal fan and the light he has in his stall to keep his coat pristine! Maybe that will help Bee’s too! We’ll let you know next week what she thinks!