Apple cider vinegar fly repellent?

Question

I have been told to add it to my horse's water trough to keep the flies away, (apparently it 'makes their blood more acidic'!!)

and hey why no try it right?

I want to know, how much should I add, as in too much he won't drink it and too little won't work...

His trough is about a bath tub and a half worth of water. Thank you!

Answer 1

I have never heard of drinking it, but i spray it on my pony every day, and the flies stay away.

Answer 2

I know of a few pros who feed it in their horses feed along with garlic.  I have been told to feed a tablespoon or two in each feeding.

I have fed garlic before, but never did add the vinegar - and it seemed to help keep the flies from buzzing but not biting.

I think adding it to the feed would be better because you use only a small amount and you can add other things to the feed to cover the taste if the horse won't eat it.  

If you add it to the water, you'll need to add quite a bit - think of the size of the horse and their system - you have to get a regular pretty good amount into them compared to us to make a difference in the acidity of their blood - so if you're putting it in their water tank, I'd think you'd have to add a lot to get enough in them when they drink - only even a cup is just a trace amount when put in a 50 or 100 gallon tank.....additionally, it might give the water a smell that will make the horse not drink, and a horse not drinking is 1.  very bad - causes dehydration and follows with other physical problems and 2 cannot be covered as it might be able to be in the feed.

Additionally, when you must clean the tank, it's wasted when you dump the tank out - if you have algae, the algae will remove the things from the water it can use as food, so if there's algae, it'll probably remove the vinegar from the water perhaps meaning the horse gets less of it.

Keep in mind, it won't "Keep the flies away" no matter how you use it, it will only keep them from biting the horse - no material you use on or in the horse will make the flies go away - it will only deter them from biting.  Face flies and such may still cause issues if the horse's eyes water and I have not found luck at removing gnats - I have had luck at keeping gnats from eating the horses, but not keeping them from buzzing around theirs (and mine) faces.

The best thing I've found to eradicate flies are fly predators.  These are pretty inexpesive when compared to other methods and pretty easy - you must receive them every 21 days and sprinkle them around areas where flies gather (like the places the horses chose at their pooping area). They eat the fly larvae which causes the population to diminish.  However, stopping getting them allows the flies to come back - and if you have a large manure pile close by, you must have a lot of them to control the flies around that pile.  These predators are tiny little fly-like creatures themselves - but I have not seen or heard of them becoming a nuisance like other predators introduced are - especially because they die off every 21 days.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I've made some fly spray with ACV, it works better than any that I've bought! The fill the spray bottle with:

1/4 of the bottle with ACV

1/2 of the bottle with water

and I've heard 1/4 bottle of dish soap, but I don't use quite that much and it still works. I think they use it to keep it on the horse's coat so the water doesn't just slip off.

Good luck! I haven't tried adding it to their water...

Answer 4

I'm not to sure but you could add a few drops and if it doesn't do much add more.

Answer 5

I would never put anyhing in my horses feed or water that wasnt approved for horses!  Remember, horses cant vomit!  I keep a clean barn, use high end fly spray. not that discount bronco junk, or home remadies, I do not have a fly problm!  But I have been to barns that swear on home stuff, and you cant stand there very long.  When a buddy that shoes goes to those barns, He brings Endure, because He cant stand shoing a horse that wont stand still because of flies!  Oh yes, and He charges extra for the spary he uses!

Answer 6

I've heard this a LOT as of late.  I've ALWAYS feed a 1/2 C ACV along with a 1/2 C of Corn Oil since the late 1980's, BUT I fed it to dissolve the mineral build up that causes stones (I never have had one in ANY of my horses, so I must be doing something right!).  There were several horses that I'd know for several years in the 1970's that developed stones and the owners had them put down.  Not sure where I read about the use of ACV in their feed, but started using it and never have had an issue of it.

I've NEVER notice a difference in the fly attaction or population though.

Answer 7

what i found was about 8 tablespoons to 5 gallons.

another recipe was for fly spray.

1/3 Vinegar( apple cider vinegar smells the best)

1/3 water

1/3 Pine Sol ( actually contains less harmful chemicals then most fly sprays!)  

mix all in a spray bottle, works great for animals and barn areas!!!