Let's talk about Flying Pests! (and some that crawl).........
I had a huge challenge with a horse that was rescued from Hurricane Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. Not to mention, she has a lot of Chrome! I think because of being immersed in water for so long, her skin just isn't right even now, several years later! She is so sensitive. Combine that with the other two mares, they all seem to be very sensitive to chemicals that are toxic. I have discovered that it affects their cycles as well.
In comes me, wanting them to be fly free, or as close as possible, and doing that only using products that do no harm. I am their advocate.
1. Where I started, SmartPak Bug Off - works great as long as all the horses are getting it. One horse on it, in a pasture of 5 others, doesn't help at all in my opinion. The nearest horses to us are a few miles away so I can use this to get the bugs significantly reduced! Before doing anything else I had about 10 flies on the face and the neighbors that I went and checked, had probably close to 100 so I know this is a good first step.
2. I discovered that not all pests, react the same to what I tried. SOOOOO.....I took all my supplies into the 3 sided shed on a hot day, and my computer, and I tracked what I sprayed and what happened to the pests until, one by one, they were pretty much gone. So much so, that even on hot days now, my horses seem to go out and graze about 70% of the time where as before this, they grazed about 10% of the time and that was usually just going to and from the water trough. I started with a base and then added.
Base: (in 24 ounce spray bottle)
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (I use the filtered one making fly spray unless I have other issues and then I use the one with Mother)
1 cap of Thieves Household Cleaner - Flies, No-see-ums, Gnats
1/2 tsp of YL Insect Repellent - Flies, Mosquitoes, and most importantly around here - TICKS
Add in as necessary for your area:
30 drops Rosemary - Flies, Mosquitoes
30 drops Lavender - Skin Support
30 drops Tea Tree - Fleas, Mosquitoes, biting insects
20 drops Citronella - Mosquitoes, Biting flies, no-see-ums and gnats
20 drops Lemon - Flies
10 drops *Purification - (if you have deer flies)
10 drops Clove (if you have deer flies)
10 drops Peppermint - Mosquitoes
30 drops Lavender - Skin Support
30 drops Tea Tree - Fleas, Mosquitoes, biting insects
20 drops Citronella - Mosquitoes, Biting flies, no-see-ums and gnats
20 drops Lemon - Flies
10 drops *Purification - (if you have deer flies)
10 drops Clove (if you have deer flies)
10 drops Peppermint - Mosquitoes
10 - 20 drops of Lemongrass - TICKS
10-20 drops Basil - Big Black Horse Flies
Fill the rest of the bottle slowly with water and you are ready to do battle!
If you are interested but don't know where to get the products, click here: Get the ingredients here!
(If you were to do all of them, it comes to about $13.00 per bottle of spray but I have never seen anyone need even most of them)
Application: Fairly heavy coating in the morning. I spray into my hand and wipe down their face and ears and udder areas too. I reapply a light coating if I see them in the shed for a while in the early afternoon.
3. Fly Predators - I have been surprised at the reduction in my black flies. I was sad to find out they don't really help with the green flies/ deer flies/ and the Black Horse Flies. I have also changed my manure management based on the recommendations from the company and it is helping.
Stay tuned, I am working on an ointment to replace my Fly Repellent Ointment that I discovered is toxic!
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