Natural Fly and Pest Repellants For Horses

Horse owners and riders who don’t want to spray themselves or their horses with chemicals say that there are several natural ways to deal with pests. Some of them are products that you spray on the horse to keep flies away and some are things that you feed to the horse to make it naturally fly repellent. Others involve using horse equipment like fly sheets. Here are some of the top recommendations for non chemical fly repellants:

Fly sheets, fly masks, and boots – These got high marks from horse owners as a great way to protect horses from pests when the horses are out in the pasture. The downside to using these products is that they can be expensive and it can be a pain to have to put all that stuff on your horse just to turn the horse out for a few hours.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Natural health advocates swear that apple cider vinegar is the cure for lots of ailments ranging from stiffness and soreness to obesity but there is some evidence that it does help repel flies and mosquitoes. As a bonus, apple cider vinegar is cheap.

Add about 1 or 2 ounces a day to your horse’s food or water and your horse might feel better and not be so attractive to flies. Or you can mix some apple cider vinegar with water and spray it on your horse, although you might not find the vinegar smell very appealing.

Essential Oils – Some people swear that essential oils, especially citrus essential oils, are great for repelling flies but before you use any essential oils make sure that they are safe for use on horses because some oils can be toxic if sprayed on the horse’s coat and never give essential oils internally.

Garlic – Some horse owners say that feeding a garlic supplement to your horse can also help repel flies and mosquitoes. Get the unscented garlic, though, or it might repel everyone and everything that’s in a ten foot radius of you and your horse. Garlic can have other health benefits for your horse too, but if your horse is on a special diet or has special dietary needs you might want to ask your vet before you start giving your horse supplements.

Manure Control – Even if it doesn’t help repel flies, composting your manure and keeping your dumping pile away from the stable and away from where you ride can have a big impact on the number of flies that you have around the barn and around your riding area. It’s always a good idea to compost the manure or sell it for fertilizer instead of just letting it rot behind the stable.