Homemade fly sprays and stronger hooves? (REPOST for new ideas)?

Question

I've posted this question before, but i'm posting it again for some new ideas or expansions on previous answers. if you've answered my other one, you dont need to answer again with the same info. thanks in advance! =]

i have a bit of a problem. my QH and TB have front shoes on, but my 5yo Arabian is barefoot, just because of the fact that he is an Arab and i dont work him in anything but sand and grass. all three are always stomping their feet at flies (you know fly sprays, they never work for more than a few minutes), and my Arab is really wearing his front hooves down at the toe to the point where his hooves look almost square. I really dont want to have to put shoes on him, but i will if i have to. I'm probably going to put him on a hoof supplement, but i was wondering if there are any generic product or oils that you can add to thier feed for stronger hooves (like corn or veggie oil for coat and weight). ((MORE BELOW))

Answer 1

For the hooves it will take a while for anything to work as any supplement will only help the new growth. My vet swears putting a whole raw egg including shell (mushed) into a horses feed once or twice a week works wonders for the horses whole system. It's ment to line the gut and really harden the feet.

In the mean time you could add a clove or two of garlic to each feed it should deter the flies. You should also try spraying them with Listerine (mouthwash) it works really well.

I have also heard of a product called fly predator which is meant to be really effective here is a link: http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_product.html...

Answer 2

I use Superhield flyspray mixed with Bronco flyspray.  You can also use feed through fly repellent.  

For my horse, I use absorbine HOOFLEX hoof dressing.  I put it on everyday & it keeps his hooves shiny & hard.  You can also get HOOFLEX in a hoof supplement that you feed to the horse.  

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

For homemade fly spray, we use equal parts of:

Skin So Soft

Vinegar

Mouthwash

It works as well as the expensive fly sprays and is much cheaper.  I used to use TriTec 14, and this works just as well.

As for hoof supplements, the best one I've found is BioFlax Ultra.  I buy it from Horsetech.com and it's $25 for a 30-day supply, and they have free shipping.  If you become a member (free) you save 5% on every order.

Answer 4

I have tried homemade and natural sprays but have not seen any that have much effect.  I use CDS Permetrin as a pour on.  It works great for 2 weeks.  I do one thing extra though.  I keep a hard brush set aside for the purpose of brushing the permectrin in on the legs and belly.  I do this by brushing down the horse right after I used the pour on along the back.  I will take l little estra time to make sure I have spread a little oil on the legs.

I also use fly predators.

Answer 5

When we had a foot problem with our pony our farrier recommended Farrier's Formula. It is expensive but it's a pelleted supplement and you don't have to give them loads of it. If you use that don't give biotin as well because it already has biotin in it. We used Cornucrescine hoof dressing as well - just painted it on every 3 days or so, we began to see a difference quite quickly as I recall.

We  add garlic powder and Marmite to the feed as a bug repellent as I have a pony who suffers from sweet itch and this really seems to help him.

I have made fly sprays by combining citronella, eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree oils with water. It separates in the bottle so you have to shake it up before you squirt it on them.

I would suggest that if you do this you should patch test with it first - out of our 4 horses 1 had an allergic reaction to the spray and came up in hives.

Answer 6

I have read that vinegar and a bit of water works for a fly spray.  I have mixed it up myself but in my opinion, it does not work any better than the kind you buy.

As for the hoof..I put Hoof Flex on them.  It seems to keep them supple especially in dry, and hot climates.

Answer 7

quit-itch works on the ponies at my school, as it sooths and repels. also a scoop of garlic and some apple sider vinegar works well, and for hooves add some sun flower oil (you can use most oils but DONT use canola)

here are some good rugs that cover most area's on the top half of the horses body:

http://www.tackshop.co.uk/posit/shop/new...

http://www.loveson.co.uk/util/u5.htm

http://www.speedyequestrian.co.uk/acatal...

also you can buy fly wraps, they work really well.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pr...

also use a good fly spray or ointment

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pr...

http://www.petsonthepark.com.au/category...

http://www.aromesse.com/pages/aromapre-i...

here's a website with fly sheets, masks etc.

http://www.netequestrian.com/products/fl...

GOOD LUCK HOPE HE GETS BETTER SOON

Answer 8

I have tried all kinds of home made fly sprays and really I haven't found anything that REALLY works.  You could feed garlic which will help repel fly's. The absolute best fly spray I have ever used is equisect, its made from natural ingredients so there are no harsh chemicals.  you could also try fly leg wraps, they also make little bands that have bug repellent on them that you can put on your horses legs or on there neck like a collar, and I believe they make stuff that you put on kinda like the stuff for dogs, just a few drops and it repels flys for a couple of weeks. as far as hoof supplements You could use stuff to strengthen the hooves, but no matter how hard they are, they are still going to wear, they might wear slower but they will still wear and probably just as unevenly.   If you do use a oil or cream on your horses hooves, just remember to focus on the coranary band, because its like the equivalent of your cuticles, you could probably even rub bag balm on into the coranary band and it would probably help moistureize it. I really like good old shur hoof, rain maker or corona (not the beer) the corona can be used to heal cuts or burns too.

I forgot to mention that the equisect works really well for ticks too.  We got a new mare and when we brought her home her belly and chest were COVERED in ticks, we sprayed her with the equisect and within two/three  days we couldn'd find a tick on her.

Answer 9

Pyrahnna makes the best and strongest fly spray. I don't know what part of the country you are in but you may want to invest in feed through fly control and/or fly predators. Also fly traps AWAY from the horses helps draw some of the flies off the horses. My mom used to wipe the horses down with apple cider vinegar and used to feed them the apple cider vinegar mixed with garlic. It helps with the biting flies but doesn't do much for the regular pesty house flies. Also if you keep manure off your property that helps a lot. If you have a manure pile cover it with a black tarp and it will get to hot for flies to reproduce in. Also I use clear SWAT around their eyes to keep the flies from bugging their faces.Hope this advice helps you.

Whoops forgot to answer the hoof part, anything with biotin in it works great, also you can buy kelp at the nature food store or online from www.mountainroseherbs.com and its FABULOUS for hooves. I have seven arabs and don't need shoes on a one of them even on this hard Arizona desert ground. :~)

**One last thing, Moorglo is a perfect feed to keep their coasts beautiful. It costs more per bag but for an arab you feed like 8oz so it goes a lot farther and really keeps their weight on them and they have this nice bloom about them, also it doesn't make them hot because its fat based.