Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I would like home remedies for flies and gnats on horses and around the barn.

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RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

The nice people at Horsequest has this reponse to your question:

Response (Dr. McCall) - 05/24/2004 11:24 AM

"The best home remedy for fly and gnat control around horses is cleanliness. Make sure that all potential fly and gnat breeding places are cleaned up. These breeding places are any moist debris (wet hay piles, rotting vegetation, manure, wet areas under feeders and waterers, etc.). Stalls and sheds should be cleaned daily. Also, water troughs should be emptied and cleaned weekly and areas that collect rain water should be eliminated to reduce gnat and mosquito populations. All manure and vegetative debris should be composed to reduce insect eggs and larvae. If horses are stalled, screens and fans can help reduce insects in stalls. Unfortunately, other home remedies (herbs, vinegar, etc.)are not extremely effective in controlling insects around horses. There are a large number of "natural" insect repellents on the market which might help with minor fly infestations, but probably would be overwhelmed if the horse owner has a large insect problem or has neighbors with fly producing situations (other livestock, dog kennels, wet areas, etc.). Also there are fly predators on the market which eventually reduce fly numbers in a contained situation, but these predators do not reduce flies already in the environment. Fortunately, there are many effective and safe chemicals on the market which can repel and kill flies on horses, in manure or around the stable. If the horse owner decides to use these insecticides, he should read and follow label directions when using the products."

• http://www.ca.uky.edu/horsequest/index.htm

By ThriftyFun

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I'm a veterinery assistant and have many people in our area swear by using AVON's Skin-so-soft bath oil SPRAY on their horses. It not only keeps the flies off it also gives their coats a nice shine. According to the clients, you use the spray daily when needed. I would be careful not to get into into their eyes just like any other fly spray. Use a clean rag, spray the rag and wipe around the face. Hope this helps!

By Mary-Jane

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I feed my horses about 2 tablespoons of granualted garlic a day. That seems to help. It does not keep all the flies away but it has reduced the number that bother them. I do use fly predators which has greatly reduced the fly population.

By Me

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

What I use on my horse is white vingar, skin so soft, water and drops of tea tree oil. Like the others say make sure you don't use around eyes. I use when going riding. On hotter days may have to use more. Good luck.

By Kathy

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I use Apple cider vinegar in my horse' oats, start with small amount so they get use to the smell and then add more. Also I've heard of adding it to there water. It helps with other things with soreness in there legs, too. They say drinking a glass of water with apple cider vingar and honey works for people why not horses?

By Kathy

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I have used two cups vinegar, one cup skin-so-soft, one cup water, and 3 Tb of vicks vapor rub works well in a spray bottle

By lindsey

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Just a word of caution. Skin so soft gave my horse an allergic reaction on his skin. (had a mare that was fine with it) He ended up with small bumpy hives? all over his skin where I had sprayed. Needless to say, I never used that on him again.

By ann

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Warning... my mare gradually developed extreme itching/flaking skin in her mane and tail when given 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar once daily in her oats. She also had an extreme reaction to Avon Skin So Soft, so I've given up on any "home remedies" for her. Interestingly, she does fine with Permetrin fly sprays! She has trouble with the "natural stuff" but is fine with chemicals! Go figure! The yearling does fine on vinegar, so it must be an individual thing.

By heather

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Forgot to mention a GREAT method for keeping blood-sucking gnats from biting hairless areas on the horse (udder/sheath, between hind legs, around anus and under tail). You can even use this on nursing mares and the foals are not bothered by it. Rub some Olive Oil on these areas and you'll be amazed at how it repels gnats. I've never had an adverse or allergic reaction and the older foals nurse regardless of the oil (though I wouldn't use it right after birth until the foal is bonded and nursing for 2-3 days). You need to reapply every two-three days or whenever the horses go out to pasture where there are a lot of gnats. The only drawback is that it attracts dust and you'll have to wash the area once a week so it doesn't build up dirt.

By heather

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I use any vinegar with a tint of tea tree oil and a dish soap it seems to work. So what's not worth the try. One of my horses has had a allergic reaction to it but the rest of them did not. Oh I also use a Apple Cider Vinegar in their water it makes a shiny coat and keeps some flies away so try it works for me and i hope it works for you.

By Chloe

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

hi I've used vegetable oil and cooking non-stick spray and it seems to be helping a lot!

By jenna

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

as a vet tech and a horse breeder I have learned that one way to keep flies out of your horses ears (or any where else that isn't chafed or open sored or near babies), use any hemorroid cream.

By lexie

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I have always used an oil (canola,vegetable etc) mixed with crushed garlic cloves, vinegar and water to dilute...I also bleach the barn windows and floor to kill any larvae. Keeping the surrounding area clear of any pools of water etc is key to minimizing your horse's exposure

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Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

My daughter is fostering a retired race horse. He is very gentle, the problem is he gets bit by mosquitoes, flies and horse flies. Horse spray, human spray and Skin-So-Soft have been tried but don't work. He gets welts from the bites. Does anyone have a solution? She has to keep him in the barn with a bug zapper and fan on him but he really wants to be outside. He has broke through two fences trying to get away from the flies biting him and ran back into his stall.

Anna from Owls Head, Maine

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RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Vicks vaporub works for me and my dog and I don't see why it wouldn't work for the horse, poor thing! I was around some horses last week and they were miserable from the flies. (07/09/2007)

By susan matthews

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

My horses graze peacefully with a face mask on, I tried looking through it and their vision is fine. No chemicals involved! I took it to my sewing machine to make it fit a bit better, I look out the window and their tails hang down most of the time, no switching. (07/09/2007)

By kimhis

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I don't have Horses but there's a bag you can buy for the flies and it traps them like crazy. We have chickens and believe you me, they draw the flies even tho we're very clean, so I found these clear bags with a yellow plastic hanging top on them and bought 2. I hung them in a tree real close to the chicken house and the next afternoon, they were full of flies. Now we don't have but a few flies hanging around and that's because of the hot weather here in Arizona, they're looking for shade and water.

You can find the bags at the Hardware or feed store. I think I paid about $10.00, they are worth it. They smell to high Heaven and that draws the flies. They're also non-poisonous, too. As for mosquitoes and gnats, I use a Garlic mixture on my dogs and it keeps the Mosquitoes and gnats away. I found it online and ordered the powder. I also sprayed it all around my property and we're not bothered with them anymore. It also got rid of the Horse Flies. I can't remember the website but will look it up and post it later. (07/09/2007)

By Louise

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

When we had cows, I used Diatomaceous earth, it's what they use in filters of swimming pools. As we could not get real close to some of our cows, I could throw it on their backs and it kept the flies off. Not a poison and it should work for horses, also you can put a small amount in the grain and it will deter flies when it is expelled (07/10/2007)

By Lila Arroyo

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I have tried Clear Vinegar and Dawn detergent, proportions unknown. I have been guessing, it seems to help on the horses I can spray. (07/12/2007)

By Mike

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

Sound like he's spent a lot of time indoors and this new life outside is something new to him. My horse tried to run from the rain when I first got her. Garlic helps, but feed too much and they get anemic. Skin So Soft doesn't last, as well as all the water based sprays. Even the oil based sprays that are nastier still don't last as long as they claim. The pour on stuff only last for 2 applications, then stops working altogether...very discouraging. I would spend the money once..get a fly sheet for him and a fly mask. He'll look like an alien standing out there, but he will have found happiness, especially where those allergic welts are concerned. (11/12/2007)

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

I use Dawn dish soap, white vinegar and water, equal parts. Put it in a spray container and spray away the pests! Of course, no eye areas... yikes! I also used it on young calves. Good luck! (03/27/2008)

By Dans2ndwife

RE: Remedy for Flies and Gnats on Horses

CITRONELLA, ROSEMARY, SUNFLOWER, AND EUCALYPTUS OIL MIX WITH 10 PARTS WATER We also use another blend for horses that already have sores from the previous bites. (06/24/2008)

By Theasherbalcreations