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Make your own fly spray

With summer and warm days, more and more flies are returning to our stables. There are now a lot of fly sprays available on the market. Each one is better than the other. Do-it-yourself recipes are a great and inexpensive alternative. That's why I'm presenting you with a recipe for homemade fly spray today.

Summary:

  1. Ingredients for the fly spray
  2. Why exactly these ingredients?
  3. Preparation of the fly spray
  4. Correct use & insider tip
  5. Make your own fly spray – video tutorial

Ingredients for the fly spray

The homemade fly spray consists mostly of ingredients that you probably already have at home:

  • 400 ml black or green tea
  • 50 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 50 ml of regular vinegar
  • a few cloves of garlic
  • a few dried cloves
  • a dash of olive oil
  • a spray bottle

First part of the ingredients of the fly spray at Picadera
Natural ingredients – without any additives

Why exactly these ingredients?

Black or green tea

The black tea reduces the horse's body and sweat odor, which flies like so much. If you have a grey horse or a horse with a light-colored coat, you should use green tea, as black tea can leave yellowish marks on the coat of light-colored horses.

Apple Cider Vinegar & Household Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an ancient household remedy that is easy to use and also very inexpensive. Because the ingredients in the apple, such as minerals, trace elements and vitamins, are almost completely transferred into the vinegar, you can also give the horse apple cider vinegar diluted with water as a treatment. However, because apple cider vinegar can sometimes attract bees or wasps due to its sweet fruity smell, I mix it with normal household vinegar.


Apple cider vinegar, regular vinegar and a spray bottle at Picadera
Proven home remedies: Apple cider vinegar & household vinegar

Garlic

The sulphur-containing garlic masks the horse's own odour and thus repels the flies. If they land on your horse anyway, the strong smell of the garlic drives them away.

carnations

When applied externally to horses, flies can be repelled with the help of essential oils. There are many types that keep flies away, such as eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass or, as in our recipe, cloves. You can either add a few drops of your chosen oil at the very end of the recipe, or work with fresh or dried plants that you add to the tea to steep.

olive oil

The dash of olive oil nourishes the hair and skin and improves the consistency of the spray.

spray bottle

Last but not least, you need a spray bottle. You can also rinse out an old bottle from home and fill it up. Since you can use it again and again, you are also doing something good for the environment.



Preparation of the fly spray

  1. First, brew the tea according to the instructions and let it brew for several hours so that it is really strong. Then remove the tea bags.
  2. I pour the tea into a large carafe because it's easier to add all the other ingredients. But you can also use a large bowl or something similar. The important thing is that the container can be closed.
  3. Now add the garlic. You can add it whole, pureed or pressed.
  4. Then add a few dried cloves.
  5. Now all you have to do is add the apple cider vinegar, the white vinegar and a dash of olive oil.
  6. Then close the container and let the mixture steep for 1 to 2 days.
  7. After everything has been well marinated, remove the garlic and herbs.
  8. Then you simply pour the finished spray into a spray bottle.

That's it. Your homemade fly spray is ready. It's just important that you shake it well before each use.


Transfer fly spray into a spray bottle at Picadera
A sieve in a funnel filters the spray and removes garlic and cloves

Correct use & insider tip

Before you spray your horse completely with it, you should test it for compatibility. Some horses are allergic to garlic or other ingredients, for example. If your horse shows no reaction, you don't need to worry and can start treating the rest of the horse. However, for horses with particularly sensitive skin or skin diseases, you should always consult a vet first.

Here's a little insider tip for sensitive areas or horses that don't like sprays: Old deodorant rollers are ideal for applying. Simply open the deodorant roller, rinse well or soak in water so that there are no deodorant residues and fill with the spray. But get your horse used to the new method of application at the beginning.


Ready-made fly spray at Picadera
The homemade fly spray is ready

Homemade – child's play thanks to household remedies

As you can see, it's super easy to make your own fly spray. Most of the ingredients are old but tried and tested household remedies. This way, you know exactly what goes into the spray.


Make your own fly spray – video tutorial

If this guide was too theoretical for you, you can watch the corresponding YouTube video here:


Make your own fly spray


Looking for care products for your horse?

Here you can find skin-friendly mane sprays and shampoos:

Yvonne Ries
Yvonne Ries

Hello, my name is Yvonne and I am currently studying business administration with a focus on digital business/e-commerce. For as long as I can remember, I have been a passionate “horse girl”. I can no longer imagine a world without horses, which is why I love to keep learning more and more about the subject of “riding”. Because you never stop learning ;) So far, I haven’t managed to get my own horse, but I have always had wonderful riding partners that I have treated just like my own - I’m sure I will get my own one too.

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