Summertime brings out ticks in many regions of the country, and with them the threat of disease for you and your horse.
To prevent ticks from hopping aboard either of you, use insect repellents designed to fight the little nasties. If you or your horse do become unwitting hosts to ticks, remove them immediately using tweezers. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out. Don’t twist or rotate the tick, and avoid rupturing it. After removing, wash areas where ticks were attached with soap and water.
Ticks must feed on their hosts for six to 10 hours to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and at least 48 hours for Lyme disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control.