Shylee kindly sent this in – it’s a natural fly repellent for horses: water and mud.
But as usual on the blog, it’s the comments that are full of your helpful tips.
Here’s how she keeps the flys at bay with her horses:
“What can be better than free fly repellent!
Well we have problems with my horse getting bad dandruff and patchy and loose hair from fly spray,so something we do is spray them with the hose (only good in warm and hot weather).
2 of our 9 horses don’t like getting sprayed so we put actual fly spray on them,but the other 7 love getting spayed!
Every day at about 11:00 am the horses come up and wait for me to hook up the hose and spray them,and after I’m done they go and sniff out a good a dusty place and then they role in the dust, creating mud on their fur,it’s excellent on helping you four legged friend to get rid of those pesky flies, AND it can help keep them cool on a hot day 🙂
Shylee”
A big thanks to Shylee for that one – a very natural fly replellent for horses.
Here’s a great one which I’ve taken from the comments below:
“Hi, We live in Somerset UK, so warm hot weather is rather few and far between here!
However, our lane is home for many horses & livery yards, so homemade & natural repellant that DOES work 1/3 Cider vinegar 1/3 baby oil (cheapest brand equally fine), 1/3 warm/cooled boiled water, shake it up before each use & spray away the flys, don’t like the vinegar/oil combination, then glossy coat groom ready for show
Debra”
And there’s this natural fly repellent for horses from Penny too:
“I use vegetable oil flies can’t fly after coming in contact with it and pesty gnats stick to it. Looks good for showing to. Otherwise them rolling in dusty dirt is their natural way soothes their bites, acts like a camouflage, because no sweat smell.
When I trail ride I get a branch that has lots of leaves to swoosh flies just as they do on their own in the woods. Native Americans made a switch using horse hair to swat at flies. They used horse hair. Wrapped leather around end for handle. Nothing like having your rider helping to keep flies off them. Show them you care. Turn outs should be morning and evening less flies and less sugars in the grass and more comfortable temperatures in the summers.
Penny”
Well, have a look at the comments below and you’ll see lots more natural fly repellent for horses.
Please do keep them coming.
And don’t forget there are hundreds of more posts like this on the blog, but the only way you can see all of them is to jump on the newsletter.
Best
Wonderful idea but utterly useless if you want to take them to a show:(
because going to a show is WAY more important then you horses comfort
Lily – a few people actually show their horses! It doesn’t mean they care less about them – after all, if it wasn’t for Showing, Jumping , Eventing etc horses would be a rare breed, on the few ranches etc for stock work.
Maureen – we used flyspray (just cover the horse’s eyes when on the face).
Wrong!
If you show your horses put a fly rug on them and spray there legs, or get them fly booties if your horse really can’t take fly spray, to minimise the discomfort, and if you show your horses need to look nice, so you can find other ways to,( i have heard of a couple of people who feed their horses garlic to keep the flies away, but if u were going to do that i ask around to see if it worked first, and if someone knows if it does please respond.)
Good plan…but I cant get near em with a hose!
I have a 35 year old who is plagued by horseflies..my 2 youngsters are’nt really affected..am guessing that he must have thinner skin 🙁
Or the old horse has different metabolism. Is his diet the same as the youngsters?
I understand that garlic is a good bug repellant. Add to their feed. It exudes through their skin, so they smell like garlic, though.
Having a clean, dry barn or shed, where the horses can get inside to the dark part of the structure is a non chemical way to protect them. Horseflies do not enter dark barns. Cooler, too.
Garlic powder works wonders for keeping flies etc away! Horses love it too. l mix it in my horses food or you can sprinkle it on their food. It comes in powder form and is as equally healthy for them as it is for us. Some people are a bit funny about the smell of garlic but dried it has a pleasant odour and people should just get over themselves and do it for the love of your horse!
Debbie,
Just wondering, how much garlic powder are you putting in their feed?
I haven’t used it with my horses, but I have always mixed an egg, some garlic powder, a bit of grated parmesan cheese & some water into my dogs’ kibble once every few weeks and in 14 years they have never had a flea! My cats don’t like the mixture in with their dry food, so they get a little bit of hummus or tzatiki dip whenever I eat it myself (1/2 tbsp – 1tbsp- a little bit at a time), but I don’t think the horses would eat it!! Both of these foods have lots of garlic in them and I have never seen a flea on my cats either! Some claim that all-natural Neem Oil works as an insect repellant, but I haven’t tried it. Apple Cider vinegar didn’t work for me, nor did Citronella spray, but it might work for you,as I do believe location/climate play a role. I have a few all-natural recipes saved (but have to find them as I am in the midst of changing computers) and I will post them here. Also, there are companies in the States and one I know of here in Canada (called NIC- Natural Insect Control)that promotes use of a few different kinds of insects to control flies. You spread the colonies of these “Fly Predators” around your field, stables etc. and some people who use them claim you will be pretty much fly-free. That doesn’t help if you are looking for fly control at shows though!
Garlic is in the onion family and is highly toxic to horses. Just be careful on how much you give them PLZ.
Debbi, garlic is in the onion family and is highly toxic to your horses. Just PLZ be careful on how much you give them.
How much garlic is safe to use?
My horse eat garlic all the time. We use to have garlic growing all our fields and they just ate it. Ive had horses as old as 50 loving the stuff. So i really dont know why it would be poinous to them. I will do a sheach on it through the net because in my horse books herbs for horses says it is good for them.
There is spot fly treatment that I bought from a local farm supply store. Directions are to put drops on specific spots of the horse. I think 6 or 7 total. It did not keep all the flies off but less than they had. I have also used the collars which were an ok option. And, last but not least the bands around their ankles. Yep, lots to try. Some work better than others in some areas of the country. Process of elimination!
Hi have just made a fly repellent out of rosemary and lemon boiled together, then left to steep overnight. I used it for the first time today and it seems to work really well.
Hey Deb,
How much Rosemary, how much lemon and how much water did you use? Did you cut and boil the whole lemon or just use the juice? Did you crush the Rosemary and throw it in? If not, I am wondering if that would allow even more of the oils to be extracted from it. I want to try your recipe!! Thanks for sharing! Patti
Basil works as well.. Mix some Basil in with your rosemary
I can’t use garlic because my one is Insulin Resistant. I make a mix with Skin So Soft, white vinegar, and ivory liquid soap. Works as well as anything I can buy around here! I’d like to try the neem oil, too.
There is a thing called “Shoo fly” that you can plait into your horses mane. It looks a bit like a credit card and it actually does seem to work at repelling flies and mosquitos. I have a horse that is particularly sensitive to any kind of spray (including water) or rub on, or roll on – so the Shoo Fly really helped him get through summer.
Lots of people swear by Avon Skin so soft Dry Oil spray (for dogs too) & it doesn’t have nasty chemical smell. Or make your own with citronella and tea! Google it for lots of different recipes. In my experience they only help, never get rid of flies completely.
With all that garlic, lemon and rosemary our horses are going to smell like a lamb roast!!! But I will try any/all of these alternatives. I also carry my bott knife to every hard feed each day and give their coats a once over to get rid of any eggs. Vigilance is the key to paddock fly control, including removing as much manure as possible (tough over 30+ acres) and putting out LOTS of fly traps early in the season. Good luck everyone!
If you spray horses on a hot day you need to use a sweat scraper to get rid of the excess water because it actually traps heat. Rolling in the mud is one of the ways horses keep warm.
Most horses shouldn’t need fly repellent because they have their own natural ways of keeping the flies off — twitchy skin and flicky tails.
Emi I don’t agree. Two of my horses have beediagnosed with”sweet itch” and need the help of a fly repellant in this Texas heat. They can’t do it by themselves.
You have a good sense of humour Sharon!! love it!
I don’t understand fly traps tho??….
Cleaning up I do, have 5 acres – put in manure pit with scraps for my free range chooks – along with cleanout of chook pen and ashes from home fire), the chooks scratch it round, I turn over every months and wollah! perfect compost for the vege garden!
Sweet itch is from Midges, not flies!
And as an ex polo groom working in Australia when the wether gets to 45 degrees cel (113 F) – it is obvious you sweat scrape after hosing down after a work out. I do it with any horse – common sense!
Sorry but not all horse owners have common sense, good intentions maybe, but no common sense.
How about lemon juice citronella and garlic tea boil fo about 15 min cool and add skin soft. Just try different combinations to see which work best. 💡
I too have tried a ton of things this year the flies were horrid It was such a hot year and humid too we had to spay the horses a few times a day just to give them relief
rolling ing the dirt only works IF they do it and it does nothing for the legs and face which is where the flies are the worst
I have put baggies with water and 4 pennies in them and hung them above every stall the Amish said it works but it did not
my horse was freaked out getting sprayed with fly spray for I did get the stuff you put on different spots in the body and legs it was OK
viniger was only good for five min.
Sooo the best thing is fly preditors and fly masks
and shoofly leggings they dont fall down and stay
up to the knees and dont bunch up.
Ill try anything to keep them comfortable
Id like to try the lemon and rosemary
can you post the measurments it there is one
thx
if your horse reacts to spray, spray onto your hand then rub onto the area of the horse. We in Aussie have a great pump bottle called off, that I use on horses – not only keeps flies away but Mozzies, midges etc!
🙄 I had a friends friend gave this hose atachment to me, for horses. It was wonderful. After many years it broke. Not thinking any thing of it. I would replace it. Have tryed the internet,special orders at feed & farm stores. Can’t find it. It was a brush on a handle, where when you squied the handle water would come out. The other side of the brush was a squeegee. For horses who fear the hose spraying on them, this worked for my girls.
Has anyone tried the fly sheets? I’m desperate for help for my boys. The vet said some horses inherit from the mare what they call sweet itch. it ihorrible. ileaves welp and hives all over the neck and back. then thhorses rub the skin off. it ihorrible nightmare.ibrsavib
We have a spray bottle they we put 1/3 apple cider vinegar, 1/3 Avon skin so soft, 1/3 water..it works like a charm
That sounds good – but does the ACV help with the smell of the SSS? SSS has worked in the past, but I seem to end up sick to my stomach every time I use it – the smell is too strong for me.
Hi All
I have made a very effective fly repellent and its all natural.
250ml Apple Cider vinegar
1 tea spoon / 15 drops lavender essential oil
1 tea spoon / 15 drops tea trea oil
1 tea spoon / 15 drops euculuptus oil
if you want to you can also add citronell oil but only 8 drops. Mix with 1/4 water and one drop dishwash soap to get the oil and the vinigar to mix 😉
1/4 CUP of water? Or, 1 part oil and apple cider vinegar to 4 parts water (
`=
? Or, do you mean 8 drops citronell to 4 times that amount of water? That would make a lot of spray!
I am confused by your last statement. Is that 1/4 cup water or are you talking about ratios, ie 1 part oils to 4 parts water? Or, are you talking about 8 drops citronnel oil (representing one part) to four times that much water? This sounds like a good recipe; I just want to get it right! Thanks!
What is good and effective to keep mosquitoes at bay from horses????
We have taken vegetable oil because it is natural. One cup in a regular water pail filled with water. Warm if possible. Stir good i know oil and water dont mix but tge warm water breaks it down better. Put it in a water can and sprickle the water along the edge of the water ditches ponds or water lying areas. This oil will kill the larval of the mosictos. Try to do this before it rains.
Aromatherapist recommended and proved very effective: roughly equal quantities of catnip and citronella essential oils in a small amount of liquid soap or shampoo to emulsify and shaken in plenty of water to distribute over a big horsey body! Get large quantities (half litre/litre or more)of essential oil direct from a good supplier such as Kobashi (who are also fantastically helpful with advice) as getting 10ml bottles from your local health food store won’t go far and will work out very expensive…
I had been feeding my horse garlic as well from Springtime Inc. I started doing some research on the garlic and there really has not been enough research to show whether this is a safe method. Some report that over time this could cause anemic issues over time and you may notice your horse becoming lethargic. I have a friend who use to use garlic and ended up having to put her horse down due to anemic issues. Not sure if this is related or not. But remember garlic is like a blood thinner. Just due to the fact alone, that research has not been done extensively, I have quit using the garlic. I now use Simplifly. Better safe than sorry. Karen
I used to use citronella oil, which we used to dilute down as it could be quite harsh to skin, if not used with care, garlic also had its advantages have used crushed elderflowers/berries in water – sometime ago some of the horses used to stand under said bushes and they definately weren’t plagued by flies (it was just us humans 😆
Terrible waste of a valuable resource! (water!) I use diatomaceous earth, 1 tbsp twice a day in moist feed, to control flies in the poop. Stops them at the source. I scarcely even have one fly.
I thought this was a remedy for horseflies and deerflies, far more painful and insidious creatures…..
You guys, I’ve tried just about all the fly repellants and still have half full containers of the expensive stuff for one reason or another. Not one of my horses like the horrible smelling sprays and bolt away like lightening when they see the bottle coming toward them. SO, I started the water hose last summer and so far only one likes that. In fact, he likes it so much he gets the water hose in his mouth and lets it run out. He will turn so that I get his entire body sprayed and then he rolls in my donkeys’ dusting bowl to take off the remaining water and to coat with dust. The other three will stand in overspray of the yard sprinkler so that they’re misted but will not allow me to use the water hose. Now, the only thing I can do is wipe their faces with warm water on a washcloth, paying close attention to their eyes where the pesky flies seem to congregate and then I continue down their backs the same way. I sneak a salve repellent down their backs too. I find if I do it as part of a daily grooming event they’re ok with it. In fact all four of my boys and girls love the attention. Wish there was an easy cure for the monsters! Alas, I’ve not found one! 😥 😥 😥
Hi,
We live in Somerset UK, so warm hot weather is rather few and far between here! However, our lane is home for many horses & livery yards, so homemade & natural repellant that DOES work 1/3 Cider vinegar 1/3 baby oil (cheapest brand equally fine), 1/3 warm/cooled boiled water, shake it up before each use & spray away the flys, don’t like the vinegar/oil combination, then glossy coat groom ready for show! 😎
Debra, thanks for the recipe, I am so happy that I have all the ingredients and I am going to try this. Where I live they should have called it Bugville instead of Toddville. Thanks again, Mary.
Rub your horse down with a bounce dryer sheets every day. It keeps the flies away and they smell good too. I have done this for years. I also use fly preditors.
Where I live, the hose brings over the horseflies. Have also tried making the citrus/witch hazel treatment, garlic, and a concoction with listerine to keep mosquito’s from biting. Ok for an hour or so only. Went back to UFA horse spray. Stickin’ with that.
Garlic is great to use if you feed it to them everyday, but it can get expensive if you have more than one horse. I use Diatemaceous Earth (Food Brand). It is only about 35.00 for a 50 lb bag and you feed about 1 cup daily to my horses in their grain. It controls flies from the inside and out in their manure. It supposedly controls parasites in their guts as well, gives them a healthy sheen. Read up on the positive things is does and used for. Humans can take it also!
🙂 this is always a fun thing for my equines, e enough when it rains.
I also use fly predators
First of all, love this site. I have a horse and three dogs. I have been trying to find a solution to the fly problems with my horse. She is stabled and I don’t like to use sprays with poisons. I was walking by a friend who was spraying her horse in the cross ties, and within an hour, my neck on the side closest to the spray area developed a terrible rash. I am not putting these sprays on my horse. I have tried the bags of water w/pennies??? who knows how effective that is, but remember, if you do try it, place it up high where light can reflect through it. I have found that flies hate Pine Sol. I tried it on my dog walk and haven’t seen any since. Has anyone heard of a essential oil or spray solution with pine scent in it? Pine Sol is too harsh of course,
but I believe the idea of using a pine scent has real possibilities. What about any suggestions for mosquitos, Im still looking for a good one.
My beautiful horse is sure eye candy to flies, just like some people. Thanks for any suggestions.
Put vasoline around the eyes flies dont like there legs getting sticky. I use it all the time. I also put apple cider vingar in there water every day starting in the early spring march is best.
Hi all
My horse too hates the traditional fly spray so I will try the potion mentioned above. However I have started rubbing a little blob of germolene at the tip of her ears..do far so good!!
While not a ‘natural’ fly spray, I have had the most success with products from http://www.equinemedsurg.com Fly spray & sweet itch medicine – fabulous .. even those pesky gnats (noseeums). Now my girls see the bottle of spray and come up with a “please spray me”. I also use fly predators and a fly mask – no sheets.
Excellent idea.
Ive been using Spaulding Fly Predators for about 10 years now. It REALLY keeps the fly problem to a minimum, but takes a year or two to “get ‘er done”. I only need to use a little “War Paint” now and then.
I use Arbico fly predators and it took awhile to build up my area to keep the flies down
I use vegetable oil flies can’t fly after coming in contact with it and pesty gnats stick to it. Looks good for showing to. Otherwise them rolling in dusty dirt is their natural way soothes their bites . acts like a camouflage . because no sweat smell. When I trail ride I get a branch that has lots of leaves to swoosh flies just as they do on their own in the woods. Native Americans made a switch using horse hair to swat at flies. They used horse hair. Wrapped leather around end for handle. Nothing like having your rider helping to keep flies off them. Show them you care. Turn outs should be morning and evening less flies and less sugars in the grass and more comfortable temperatures in the summers.
Does anyone have any input regarding the “Natural Ride Saddle” made by Colorado Saddlery?
Comments I’ve found online are all a few years old. Can’t find any recent ones about the new redesigned Natural Ride Saddle.
Thanks in advance!
SA
NOMS by advanced biological concepts. A teaspoon a day keeps the flies completely away and It is good for them. A 5 pound lasts months even with three horses. Ive tried everything else. This is my 4th most wonderful year of fly free.
What is NOMS. Sounds like that is what I need.
Ps: im in florida so flies are year round . I did the predators but then yoy can’t spray for nighttime mosquitoes which one bomb around stalls a month in summer does the trick. With NOMS there are no flies on their face, body or in my house. Whoopie
where do you get NOMS from?
I grew up in the country scone( nsw) horse country and a lot of dairy farms— so lots of bush flies/bots we always had fly veils when the horses were outside .when dressing the horse we added some citronella /kerosene to our wisp bucket… Flies hated the mix + kerosene put a great ( sheen) on their coat….mix 1/2 teaspoon in 4litres of warm water of the kerosene / citronella!!! Good luck. M H
I have found a vinegar and water works well when mixed and sprayed on horses. Not too much to dry their coat enough to be able to smell the vinegar and just use a spray bottle to put it on them
Flies, midgies 👿 loathe and detest them all!!
We make our own repellent which, because our handsome hero HATES sprays, we sponge over him.
litre of strong boiled tea, clove of garlic (crushed), few drops citronella oil, few drops eucalyptus oil….leave to brew, and cool, for a while.
one further tip….after handling this mix, avoid shopping. Folk for miles around you tend to wonder what you stink of….!!!
Another good way is meant to be using essential oils, 20 drops of lavender oil, 20 drops of white thyme oil and 20 drops of tea tree oil added to 200ml of water. Shake the oils, add to water and shake again. Spray it over your horse, it smells great but flies seem to hate it! Feeding your horse a clove or two of garlic in their feed is also meant to help – just not for young foals as it can upset their stomach. That will make their breath stink though! 🙂
What can you do to keep the ticks off yur horses, haqve tried several things but still find them on the horses
great idea for keeping some of the flies
unless you live in Texas where the soil
is black plastic clay that knots up your
mane and tails until your horse looks
like a Jamaican with dreads. It becomes major work
to get the mess of knots out and it most often ruins the appearance of the mane.
🙄 I have an extremly spooky horse. I cant used fly spray or any strong smelling wipe. But I need something. Can anyone help !
All I have ever used and still use is Bronco.
It works,it doesn’t smell bad and it doesn’t seem to dry out the coat.I use the water based Bronco.
I even spray around my house outside and barn with the stuff. I even use it on my miniatures.
If u want a cheap and effective solutiom to the problem, Use vinegar with water. Works wonders. I use that ob my horse.
When using the skin so soft, which kind do you use? and do you just use the bath oil?
You really don’t need any of those concoctions if you use a neem rinse, or spray. It is potent on ticks mites and all insect pests a horse has to endure. It affects the hormone and reproductive cycles of these pests.
For those of you that have or have had “sweet itch” on your horses manes and tails. Here is what I used to get rid of it on my horse. I took Vaseline and added table salt to it. It needs a lot of salt until you can feel the grit from the salt in the Vaseline. Then wipe it across your horses’ mane and wherever else it is, make sure you put it on thick. You can also give your horse a 1/2 of a cup of black oil sunflower seeds in their grain. This helps control allergies and helps with the insects bites that your horses get.
I use 1/3 cup each of vinegar, blue Dawn dish liquid and water. None of my horses mind being sprayed but you can spray a cloth and wipe it on your horse if they hate a spray. Natural and cheap. I keep it made up in a gallon container and refill my spray bottle as needed.
OK this one isn’t free, but you can mix TeaTree Oil, the good kind, with water. Doesn’t smell good granted, but flies don’t like TeaTree Oil. You’ll always have to shake up the spray bottle so the oil & water mixes. But it also has the great effect of being good for so many other reasons like any scrapes they have etc.
HI, you could buy some raw citronella and make you own fly spray using avon skin so soft dry oil spray , tea tree oil & lavender oil, vinegar & water. It works a treat when riding. Fly free from global herbs is also quite good
There is a new product on the market called Natureworx Horse Guard (made in WA)
It is made with natural pyrethrum and essential oils. (no nasty ingredients)
It is FANTASTIC!!!
Spray on horse or around stables to repel and control flying, biting insects.
The essential oils help soothe and heal open wounds or fly bitten ears
It works!!!!
I tried Fly predators for 2014
We have seven horses and lots of manure.
It was amazing!!!
They shipped auto monthly based on horse numbers
And area size.
I also got the fly traps and the natural spray
That eliminates the toxic effects from urine in
Stalls.
We were very pleased.
apple cider vinegar in there feed helps
start small to get ur horse use to it