If you’re a horse owner, you already know how difficult it can be to keep flies away from horses. No horse owner wants to see their horses plagued with flies, and humans certainly don’t want to deal with flies while visiting the stables.
You may have heard that flies have the ability to become immune to some insecticides over time. If you’re wondering how to keep flies off horses without the overuse of insecticides or expensive remedies, take a look at some of these tips.
Garlic
There are certain natural remedies that flys hate, and garlic is one of them. Garlic has a strong odor and is a natural source of sulfur. This causes a natural alkaline PH in your horse’s skin, and flies prefer an acidic PH.
It’s often safer to feed your horse garlic supplements because the amount your horse needs to ingest will depend on the size of your horse. You can get recommendations from your vet for the best places to find supplements and dosage guides.
Essential Oils
There aren’t many insects that like the scent of essential oils. For your horse, essential oils can help you deter flies from your stables. For example, lavender, geranium, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and tea tree are all fantastic options.
Avoid putting undiluted essential oils onto your horse’s skin. This can cause irritation and discomfort for your horse. Instead, dilute a few drops of essential oil with water or cream. Using a spray bottle is one of the easiest ways to apply it to your horse. You can also take a look at the best fly control spray for horses.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another substance that flies don’t like to stay around. Feeding your horse apple cider vinegar is also a nice treat. You can feed your horse the vinegar diluted with water.
Alternatively, you can add apple cider vinegar to your horse’s drinking water or hay. You should add 1 cup of vinegar to every 20 gallons of water.
A Clean Environment
Of course, one of the best ways to prevent flies from growing in number is to keep your stables as clean as possible. Clean your stables and pastures daily so that flies aren’t attracted to the manure.
It’s also important to keep clean water around. Horseflies are known for breeding in stagnant and dirty water, so keep all trough and rain barrels clean. Take a look around your stables and pastures to ensure water isn’t gathering anywhere you don’t know about.
Use Other Animals
Did you know that you can purchase a breed of wasp that doesn’t sting and helps to regulate the number of flies around your horses? Similarly, flies dislike birds and bats.
There are probably plenty of birds circulating your property regularly, but you can also attract bats by building your own bat house.
How to Keep Flies Off Horses Easily
You don’t have to spend a fortune when you’re thinking about how to keep flies off horses. You’re likely to have some simple remedies sitting in your kitchen. Check out the rest of our blog for more advice on keeping your animals safe and healthy.
