Know the Best Fly Spray for Horses That Really Works

No horse lover wants to see their horses plagued by flies. But they also know that it is not easy to repel them permanently. Overdue of insecticides can also cause severe harmful effects on their health. For those, there is good news as there are several fly spray for horses that really works.

Many of them are available in the market, and several of them can be made in your homes too, by using readily available ingredients. Let us discuss all such fly sprays for horses.

Importance of Using Fly Spray for Horses

If you are a new horse owner, you may not be familiar with the exposure of your horse to flies. One of the most significant dangers is the transmission of various diseases. Flies are carriers of many harmful bacteria, and that can easily make your horse sick. Some flies can even bite your horse, so it can be painful for the horse when you ride on their back. Out of them, some breeds of stable flies can also transmit anemia to your horses.

Some Natural Sources That Keep Away Flies From The Horse  

Here are some of the natural sources that can act as the best repellent for flies –

Essential Oils :

Essential oils are also the best source in a fly spray for horses that really works as their unpleasant scent repels several types of insects. The most popular of such essential oils are geranium, eucalyptus, lemongrass, lavender, tea tree, pine, and cloves. Remember to dilute these essential oils before applying them to your horses.

You can dilute them with water, mild base oil, aloe vera lotion in 1:16 ratio. Concentrated essential oils can harm the skin of your horse. Once you have prepared the mixture, you can keep them in your spray bottles for regular use. Spray them whenever necessary but avoid their eyes.

Vinegar :

Vinegar either fed or applied can keep flies away from your horse. In case you are planning your horse to feed Vinegar, feed them with apple cider vinegar at least 2 to 4 ounces per day. You can also add this to your horse drinking water by mixing 20 gallons of water with one cup of Vinegar. The Vinegar can also be sprayed on their hays or any of their feed.

Excellent Homemade Ideas for Fly Spray that Really Works        

The major drawback of commercially available insect repellents is that the majority of them are loaded with harmful. All the chemicals in them are not harmful, but applying such chemicals throughout summer on your horses regularly may cause problems in their skin. So, to prevent such issues, I would like to suggest you with some cool recipes to make a perfect fly spray for your horse that will be 100% safe for your horse’s skin and also useful.

Receipe#1

For this, you have to take water, apple cider vinegar, and some dish soap. You have to use 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of water, and some of the dish soap. Mix them well and fill it in a spray bottle. The dish soap helps to retain the mixture on the coat of your horse.

Add all the ingredients in a spray bottle and mix them well. Your flies’ repellent spray is ready to use.

Procedure to Apply Such Fly Sprays :     

For the best results use this procedure while applying fly sprays to your horses –

• Always clean your horse before applying such a fly repellent. Brush them thoroughly, lose all the excess hairs and dirt before using fly sprays.
• Read the instruction of the manufacturer carefully and follow them. Many makers of such horse spray advice you to brush your horse’s hair in the direction of growth before applying their product for better results
• Some of them also say to wear protective gloves, long sleeves clothes, and goggles before using the fly repellent.

• In case you are applying such insect repellent on your horse before riding them, tack him up well to remove the excess of chemicals from them to prevent irritation caused due to heat between saddle and skin of your horse.
• Avoid the head and eyes of your horse while spraying them with fly repellent. It is recommended to use soft clothes and wipe the areas near to the eyes gently for safety. Fly repellent cream can be used for the inside areas of your horse’s ears. Roll on types of repellent is also best for such purpose.
• Frequency to use such fly repellent is also mentioned in the manufacturers’ guidelines, read those carefully. If you are choosing a long-acting product, they are explicitly designed to use after a few days. Avoid overusing such sprays as it can cause problems on your horse’s skin if your horse needs some sort of extra protection it is good to use herbal products because they do not have any side effects and are entirely safe to use.

Types of Horse Sprays              

There are four types of insect repellent available for the horses. You can choose the type that fits best for your requirement.

Roll On: Roll on proved best if you want to apply them near sensitive areas such as eyes and ears of your horse. Roll-on is also useful when you want to ring a wound of your horses.

Creams and Gels: Your fingers can apply them, and thus you can target small areas of your horse such as inside of ears, belly midlines, chest. Make sure that you do not apply them in the open wounds of your horse and check the label instructions carefully before use.

Precautions to Take While Using Fly Sprays :

• Try to use a diluted product for the first time and make sure that you do not cause any allergic reactions to your horses.
• Always test the new sample on a small area to see its side effects, if any.
• Use the sprays in combination with fly masks, flysheets, and fly boots.
• Attack or the areas of your farm to destroy all the stages of the life cycle of the flies

Common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) :

Q1: What is the best homemade fly spray for horses?

Ans: There are many methods to prepare a fly spray for your horses; the best one is by using a mixture of Vinegar, eucalyptus oil, and water.

Q2: What can I put on my horse to keep flies away?

Ans: You can put some amount of Vinegar on your horses to keep the flies away from them. You can also feed them some quantity of Vinegar for the same.

Q3: What is a natural fly repellent for horses?

Ans: Using cinnamon as an air fresher can act as a natural fly spray for your horse. You can also use essential oils of Lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint.

Q4: Can you use human fly spray on horses?

Ans: You can use some kinds of human fly sprays for horses also. Make sure to test on them by applying to a smaller area. If you see any negative symptoms, avoid that brand.

Q5: How to make fly spray for horses at home?

Ans: There are many ways to make homemade fly sprays for horses. The maximum of them use ingredients such as Vinegar, eucalyptus, cinnamon, etc.

Q6: Is Vinegar a good fly repellent?

Ans: Yes, Vinegar is the best fly repellent. The smell of Vinegar keeps away the flies for a more extended period.

The Final Words

Finally, now you are well aware of fly spray for horses that really works. While home remedies for flies are the best methods, but it is also best to keep your property clean to avoid such flies. 

Daily pick up unused and old manure from your horse stable and fill with fresh water daily.

Try to avoid standing water in the nearby area of your property. Following all the above procedures your horse can live peacefully and unaffected by these flies.