By Christine Barakat

Even in the shade of a run-in shed, flies can be interminable.

Field-kept horses often bear the brunt of summer sun and bugs but a couple of simple additions can make your run-in shed a cool, fly-free haven for your outdoor animals.

1. Install one or two contractor-grade attic fans under the roof in the gable ends of the shed to keep air circulating. Soffit ventilation under the eaves maximizes fresh-air intake as well. A well-designed ventilation system lowers a shed's interior temperature by 15 degrees or more.

2. Attach a carpet remnant, cut in three-inch strips, to the eaves or entryway lintel so it hangs to about horse-nose height. As your horses walk through the heavy curtain (you may have to train them to take the plunge), it scrapes the flies from their bodies and keeps the pests outside. Spray the carpet edge with insect repellant every morning for a boost in effectiveness.

This article first appeared in the June 1997 issue of EQUUS magazine.