Flies - brewers yeast or garlic?

[travelmad]

Anyone got any ideas? Do either work? Very sensitive new mare - using coopers on her and fly rugs and masks but would like to make her taste less sweet to flies, they adore her and she swells up with all bites.

 

[galaxy]

Global herbs fly free works on my mare. Had her on garlic in the past and made no difference and she had to wear a fly rug. This year I put her in fly free and she's out naked and hasn't been bitten once.

 

[Clava]

Rub garlic on your horse but don't feed it.

 

[JillA]

Not garlic. It is a natural antibacterial and destroys gut flora. If you do need to feed it, feed a probiotic as well, but even that is far from ideal.

 

[travelmad]

What about brewers yeast - it's vitamin b right and most flies won't bite a person on b vits

 

[Clava]

What about brewers yeast - it's vitamin b right and most flies won't bite a person on b vits

Brewers yeast is supposed to be good for sweetitch, I feed it for good hooves.

 

[AntxGeorgiax]

Another vote for fly free, vile smelling stuff but perseverance has got my mare eating 1scoop per day, on the packet it says 2 heaped scoops twice daily, however I think 2 or 1 are just as effective, particularly for maintenance

 

[AntxGeorgiax]

Also just to add: it works within 24/48 hrs and my horse (although still in her fly rug) was significantly less itchy as no bites causing itching, and no flies

 

[Clava]

Another vote for fly free, vile smelling stuff but perseverance has got my mare eating 1scoop per day, on the packet it says 2 heaped scoops twice daily, however I think 2 or 1 are just as effective, particularly for maintenance

What is in it?

 

[claribella]

Gasrlic doesn't work I used to use it a few years a go but Ive heard great things about marmite which contains the same b vits as brewers yeast so Id go for that. Ive had amazing success with apple cider vinegar. I was feeding it for joints. All the horses were getting bitten to pieces but they wouldn't go near my mare. I stopped it for a few days just to see if it would make a difference and lo and behold she started getting bitten. I started it again and no bites. I don't think the flies like the taste.

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Rub garlic on your horse but don't feed it.

You're joking right???? Any ideas how acidic fresh garlic can be on skin???? Try it on your hands over a continual period of time and see what it does to your skin. DO NOT RUB FRESH GARLIC ON ANY SKIN!

Neem oil and herb is very effective.

 

[Clava]

You're joking right???? Any ideas how acidic fresh garlic can be on skin???? Try it on your hands over a continual period of time and see what it does to your skin. DO NOT RUB FRESH GARLIC ON ANY SKIN!

Neem oil and herb is very effective.

Nope, not joking at all, it is a common ingredient in home made fly sprays but I would never feed it which was my point.

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Clava - can I suggest then that you make your point clearly!!! Suggesting RUBBING it on skin and "don't feed it" are 2 VERY different things.