What do you use for "biting insect repellent" on horses?

[2468Chickensrgr8]

thanks so much !

 

[ams3651]

i havent had a horse in many years but I used to use Avon Skin so Soft, worked great.

 

[cutiepieacres]

I use a natural fly spray base or essential oils like cedar, citronella. I add in Avon skin so soft a little dish soap and white vinegar. I think there are lots of recipes on the web for "Natural" fly sprays. I have found them to work a lot better than the pyrethrin types and no need to worry about poisons. They also leave the coat shiny and it smells good.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have spent so much $$ on stuff for this and the best thing in the world that I have found for me is Lysol. I just mix half lysol and half water in a spray bottle and they stay away for a lot longer than with any other remedy I have used. I spray it all around my house and door frames as well to try and keep them from coming in. Flys HATE lysol!

If your horses are a little shy of spray bottles then sounds like they need some desensitizing to them.

 

[spotnapp]

Chicks n horses- any particular type of lysol? I think I might try that.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Quote:
I posted the same sort of Question on the sister site "Back Yard Herds' and was wondering if you can also give me some desensitizing methods...thanks so much...

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Quote:
Hey I use that on my dog sometimes when he really smells "doggy" ...I heard that it also good for black flies...hm I'll have to call my avon lady...thanks

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I use the regular and scented lysol bottles...they all seem to work the same. I just like different smells sometimes LOL

First, I don't spray their head around the eyes with the Lysol, I wet a rag and rub around their heads. But I do use spray bottles on my horses with water to cool them and bathing them so they are desensitized to one. I think all horses should be desensitized to everything you could possibly think of to desensitize them to.

For desensitizing to a spray bottle I would have them in a halter and on a lead rope. Lay the lead rope over your left arm if you are spraying right handed and hold the spray bottle up around their head/eyes/ears. First, you might get a response of pulling back...not wanting it around their head but do not let up and keep it there until the horse relaxes. The second the horse relaxes retreat the bottle from around their head and pat/rub/give praise to them. Then try that same step again. Once the horse relaxes with the bottle being near their head start spraying. You probably will encounter resistance again but keep spraying and do not stop until the horse relaxes. The instant the horse relaxes retreat from spraying and give praise/rub/scratch/good boy/etc.....Keep doing this excersise until you get them to be completly relaxed while getting a spray. It is very important to try and give the very instant the relax praise. That tells them it is OK and they have given you the right answer. Make it uncomfortable for them to give you the wrong answer such as resisiting by continuing to spray.

You can try keeping them from being head shy from all things by tying a plastic bag to their halter and letting them go in the pasture/field/wherever they hang out. They make kick, run, buck at first but they will soon learn to accept it and not pay it a lick of attention. That will help alot for a head shy horse.

Hope this helps ~ PM me if you need any info...

 

[redhen]

you can use lysol and pine sol on horses? What about dogs/goats/pigs?

 

[luvarabhorses]

I like Manna Pro concentrate. I disagree with Pat, I soak my horses with fly spray. The active ingredient is Permethrin which once in the blood stream repels mosquitos, flys and ticks long after the fly spray have been sweated or rained off. I hate being bitten by bugs and can't stand to see them on my horses.
Permethrin is the active ingredient in those drops you see for horses, at about $10 a dose (35-45%). Manna Pro is about $12 a bottle and lasts me a month, (the Freedom Spot on or equivalent would cost me $120).
Of course I have 12, and none of them have issues with this fly spray. I don't spray them every day. I spray every couple of days. The barn swallows and dragonflys here are wonderful! Not enough bats for the mosquitoes though.