Garlic to deter flies?

[PonyFeet10]

One of my horses gets a bit of sweet itch throughout the summer which resulted last year in the bottom half of the mane disappearing!

I was having a chat a few months ago with my farrier who suggested giving them garlic in their dinners as it will help deter the flies.. Any one done this and has it helped?

They all wear fly masks and the one with sweet itch wears a fly sheet which covers his neck and has a big tail flap on but it didn't stop the itching by 100%.

All of three of the horses have been on garlic for the past two or three months now as I wanted to get it in to their systems before the flies and midges are about!

So has anyone noticed a difference after feeding it to before feeding it?

 

[maggiesmum]

Found this for you

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=242906

 

[PonyFeet10]

Found this for you

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=242906

Ah thank you! That's interesting as I didn't realise it boosted the immune system. I've heard different views, it does work, it doesn't work etc so at least that's a reason as to why it doesn't work!

 

[Dubsie]

I do think it depends on the pony! You hear so many 'it works' and just as many 'it doesn't'
For us, it doesn't.
We were given a pony who was fed garlic as midges and flies attacked him, and came with an array of face masks and fly rugs, and was prone to being nibbled by flies. However, the flies still got to him, and I also felt he wasn't comfortable in his fly mask/rug as he does like rolling and did try to remove them (often succeeded too). OH spotted an advert for Fly Free so we tried that (while still on the garlic), and it worked - after 2 weeks I was able to completely remove the mask and rug. Then I ran out of garlic, and as it made no difference to the flies I left it out of his feed. When I ran out of Fly Free (shop ran out) the midges & flies attacked him again.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Take great care. Research has shown that garlic can cause gastric ulcers.

 

[Hoof Hearted]

Mine get a scoop (25-30mls) of garlic every day in their feed & it does naff all to deter the flies & any other creepy crawlies! I use it for it's immune system boosting properties.

 

[mashnut]

Take great care. Research has shown that garlic can cause gastric ulcers.

Really? It doesn't scare any midges around here that's for sure.
*goes to remove it from horse's dinner*

 

[Clava]

Take great care. Research has shown that garlic can cause gastric ulcers.

It also kills the good bacteria in the gut (I read a report once, will see if I can find it). I would not feed garlic at all.

edit - this isn't the original article I read, but interesting
http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/feeding/feed/eqgarlic528/

 

[MissTyc]

One of my mares gets terribly itchy from Garlic .... She had sweet itch, but the garlic seem to trigger additional skin problems. I feed "D-Itch", "Skratch" (when I can get it into her) or "Fly Free"

 

[fidleyspromise]

I tried Garlic and Fly Free and neither worked for either of my ponies.
Will keep trying everything until I find what works for mine.

 

[attheponies]

I heard this many years ago but I have been told more recently that in fact in can make things worse. I was advised to feed marmite (both mine love a spoonful in their feed) and I think there was a thread on this last year so worth doing a search.