Around the Farm - Homemade Fly Spray Recipes

[Happy Horses - Happy Riders]

It's summer time, and that means the arrival of nasty, annoying pests. It seems nothing will completely stop them, but it always makes us feel better to do something. Rather then load your horses skin up with chemicals that may or may not make a difference, coat them with homemade spays that are healthier and easier on the wallet (in most cases). Remember to always consult your veterinarian and use fly sprays at your own risk.

Here are a couple that we like:

6 caps full of Skin so Soft
1 cup white vinegar
just a good squirt of Ivory liquid soap
filled a 32 oz Bronco Spray bottle with water

1 cup vinegar
1 cup baby oil
1/4 cup original pinesol
1 tbs dish soap
1 tbs skin so soft
1 cup water

4 oz Skin So Soft
1 oz citronella oil (100% oil, not the petroleum based product)
12 oz vinegar
12 oz water

1 cup water
1 cup Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil
2 cups vinegar
1 tbs. Eucalyptus oil (found in health food stores)
Optional: few tablespoons of citronella oil.

2 cups light mineral oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. citronella oil
2 tsp. eucalyptus essential oil
2 tsp. lemon dish soap

18 oz white vinegar
2 Tbsp dish washing soap.
Mix in a 20 oz spray bottle and shake gently until well blended. You may add water to dilute. Spray liberally on your horse

500m. (2 cups) light mineral oil
125ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
10ml (2 tsp.) citronella oil
10ml eucalyptus oil
10ml lemon dish detergent
optional 125ml glycerin
Mix in a spray bottle and spray away!

1 oz. Citronella Oil
2 oz. Skin-So-Soft or Coat-So-Soft
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water

15 oz water
5 oz commercial fly spray ( any brand)
5 oz vinegar
2 oz vegetable oil
2 oz green Dawn dish soap


And for a cool list of herbs and essential oils that repell different insects and pests (mice, moths, flies), check out http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

What are your favorite recipes?

[Deborah Herbert]

Jamie...could you send the mixture measurements for your solution? My new AQHA mare has extremely sensitive skin and I can't use a commercial mix without her going up in welts. I'm feeding garlic powder daily but need to have a safe fly spray too. Thanks! deb

[Jamie]

I've tried a solution of skin so soft, listerine and apple cider vinegar with pretty good success,

[Peggy]

Have not tried this on horses but Absorbine Jr dabbed on my ankles keeps the flys off. I would not have believed it but was at the neighbors one evening and the flies were horrible. She got that out, dabbed some on each of us and ... no flies!!!

[Lisa Beam]

I recently heard diluting Listerine with water will repel/ kill mosquitoes. I haven't tried it yet but i plan to when we start doing out backyard barbq's. They say to spray it around the areas you are going to be outside.