DIY Fly Spray

Above average rainfall plus normal summer heat equals a lot of flies! We use SimpliFly, Fly Predators and Fly Traps to help keep the fly population down as much as possible but none of these completely eliminate pesky flies. That’s where fly sheets and fly spray come in to help!

No fly spray works perfectly and many will quit working half way thru the summer so rotation is key. I have also learned that the natural fly sprays work as well as the toxic ones and try to use a combination of both (toxic, strong fly spray on their legs when they go out in the morning and a natural fly spray when they come in). I started experimenting with making my own fly spray this year and have been really happy with the results. It is nice to control what goes into it (since we as horse owners breathe a fair amount of it in when applying it) and to see what works the best at repelling flies.

So far these two recipes have impressed me the most. They are super easy to make, smell relatively good (although my husband disagrees, he hates the smell of apple cider vinegar) and help repel flies. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Also remember no fly spray works 100% and if someone tells you one does, they are lying!

This one has the added bonus of repelling mosquitos (they hate the smell of Avon Skin So Soft) and the Avon Skin So Soft Oil moisturizers the horses’ hair and gives them an added shine. This is also one that the US Forest Service uses and I assume they know what they are talking about when it comes to repelling bugs.

When I was researching DIY Fly Sprays I was surprised that almost all recipes called for Apple Cider Vinegar and learned that the smell of vinegar repels horseflies. One of the ways a horse fly finds its victim is through smell, so an effective spray using Apple Cider Vinegar helps to mask the horses’ scent. 

Flies don’t like the taste of vinegar and avoid biting horses sprayed with the substance. Apple Cider Vinegar is also a natural conditioner and can help keep your horse shiny.

You can also customize these recipes with different essential oils to find the blend that works the best at repelling flies in your area. Flies have a strong sense of smell, and they use it to find accessible food sources. You can take advantage of this trait by using scents they dislike, such as peppermint, basil, pine, rosemary, rue, lavender, eucalyptus, and bay leaves.

If you are into DIY, I also have a recipe for a really good shine spray. Click here for the recipe.