I always opt for homemade fly spray for horses because it’s a breeze to mix up, and it really works to keep those irritating insects away from my horse.
Here’s how I do it:
- I mix one cup of vinegar with two cups of water.
- I add one tablespoon of olive oil to the mixture.
- I pour 25 drops of peppermint essential oil into the solution.
- I shake the mixture thoroughly before each application.
- I perform a patch test on my horse to ensure there’s no adverse reaction.
When I make my own horse fly spray, I start by gathering all the essential ingredients, focusing on those that are all-natural and gentle on my horse’s skin. I mix them carefully in a spray bottle, making sure to shake well for even distribution. By doing a patch test, I ensure that my horse doesn’t experience any irritation from the oils. This way, I maintain peace of mind, knowing I’ve chosen the most helpful and cost-effective method to protect my horse.
Whether you have experience working on a farm or in a rural setting or not, chances are you have heard of the painful bites caused by horse flies. But did you also know that horsefly bites can lead to rashes and itchiness in humans as well as transmit diseases?
That is why it is crucial for horse owners and non-horse owners alike to have a favorite homemade fly spray recipe to keep for themselves. With your own homemade fly spray for horses, you will be able to keep these pests at bay. Olivia Lindsay, a knowledgeable practitioner in pest control, advises, “Making your own fly spray is a smart move to protect not just your horses but also yourself from these biting insects.”
Summer is horse fly season, so you want to make sure you have your homemade fly repellents ready to go ahead of time. The most important thing when making a fly repellent is to make sure that your horse is comfortable with it.
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Table Of Contents
- Here's how I do it:
- Vinegar Spray – A Basic Homemade Fly Spray for Horses
- Essential Oils Spray – An Aromatic Natural Horse Fly Spray
- Mineral Oil Spray – An Easy DIY Horse Fly Spray
- Pine-Sol Spray
- Be Careful with Citronella Oil
- Recipe for Homemade Fly Spray for Horses
Simple But Effective Natural Fly Spray Tips and Recipes
Using natural ingredients will help your horse feel more comfortable than a commercial fly spray would, so with these various natural sprays and low-ingredient recipes, you are sure to find something that works for your horse care routine and stable.
Vinegar Spray – A Basic Homemade Fly Spray for Horses
This vinegar spray is a rather simple homemade fly spray for horses that you can make with ingredients found around the home.
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Vinegar Fly Repellent
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil, optional
- 1 tablespoon of thin carrier oil (such as olive oil or baby oil) if using eucalyptus essential oil
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The key ingredients are white vinegar and water. Fly repellents work by masking the animal’s smell, and vinegar does a great job of that. Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake, and spray on your horse.
Before you spray your entire horse, do a patch test to ensure your horse will not have an allergic reaction. If you use eucalyptus oil, make sure you use a carrier oil to dilute because essential oils can irritate humans and animals.
Essential Oils Spray – An Aromatic Natural Horse Fly Spray
If you are wonderingwhat repels flies, keep in mind that the more aromatic something is, the more a fly might be confused and go away and look for something that smells more familiar.
The essential oils in this homemade fly spray for horses create aromatic confusion, especially peppermint and lavender oils.
First, make sure that your horse is comfortable with the scents and does not have any reaction by conducting a patch test either with the fly spray or with diluted essential oils.
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Aromatic Fly Spray
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 cups of water
- 50 drops lemon oil
- 25 drops peppermint essential oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
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To make this natural fly killer spray, combine the ingredients in a 32 oz. spray bottle. This natural horse fly spray will help mask your animal’s scent and keep the flies away.
You’ll want to give the spray bottle a quick shake each time you use it. Refrain from adding tea tree oil to a fly repellent.
Many animals are allergic to or have reactions to tea tree oil. While tea tree oil can be beneficial, especially in a medicinal capacity, make sure you talk with your vet before adding tea tree oil to any fly spray.
Mineral Oil Spray – An Easy DIY Horse Fly Spray
Use a combination of some of the ingredients listed above to create a relatively natural horse fly spray.
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Simple Fly Spray for Horses
- 1 cup of mineral oil or water
- 1 cup of Avon Skin So Soft bath oil
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon oil
- 1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil
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Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle that holds at least 24 ounces. Shake the bottle before each use to re-mix the ingredients. Like before, do a patch test to see how your horse reacts. If your horse doesn’t like the smell of ACV, use ½ a cup less.
Pine-Sol Spray
You may see articles and posts claiming that Pine-Sol is an excellent key ingredient in a homemade fly spray for horses, but this is not the case. Pine-Sol irritates the horse’s skin and respiratory tract if sprayed directly on them.
However, if you are looking to get rid of flies around the house, or even elsewhere in the stable, this Pine-Sol spray can still be useful.
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Pine-Sol Room Spray for the Stable
- 1 part Pine-Sol
- 1 part white vinegar
- 1 part water
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Add the ingredients to a spray bottle and then spritz the outside walls of the stable, around your windows, and anywhere that flies congregate. Don’t spray anywhere that your pets can reach.
Another easy outdoor fly remedy is made up of two parts white vinegar, one part water, and a small amount of dish soap. Pour the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake to combine.
Whenever you see a swarm of horse flies on a stable wall, spray them with this homemade fly spray and the dish soap works to kill them quickly.
Be Careful with Citronella Oil
Many online homemade remedies for flies contain citronella oil. Horses tend to have a painful reaction to citronella essential oils, including swelling and blisters, and will often get sunburns because the oil reacts to the sunlight. Talk to your vet before using this oil on your horse.
Even if you keep your horse meticulously groomed and muck out their stable every day, relentless horse flies will still torment your poor pet. Hopefully, the various easy and natural fly repellent recipes listed in this article gave you some ideas on how to help maintain a healthy stable.
No matter which one you pick, make sure you talk with your vet before using a homemade fly spray. The last thing you want to do is cause your horse any pain or discomfort.
Recipe for Homemade Fly Spray for Horses
Homemade Fly Spray for Horses
Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Keep flies from irritating your horse with this simple mixture.
Materials
- 8 ounces tap water
- 1 tsp eucalyptus oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 16 ounces vinegar
Tools
- 32-ounce sprayer bottle
- Teaspoon
- Measuring cup
- Tablespoon
Instructions
- Pour all four liquids into the spray bottle.
- Shake well to incorporate the oils.
- Apply to a small area on the horse to ensure that there is no allergic reaction.
- If the patch test goes well, spritz the horse from head to tail, taking care around the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
Notes
Reapply the spray as needed to keep flies away.
If you liked our recipes for a homemade fly spray for horses, then please share these fly repellent tips with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook.
