O/T Horse Owners need advice please

[Luvchefmic]

The mosquitos are like B-52 bombers already here in FL. To make matters worse a creek runs through our property so there is no way at the moment to avoid standing water on our property. I have contacted our county & we are now on a long list to have someone come out and evaluate the situation & what can be done to help eliminate the mosquito problem...possibly spraying.

The thing I am looking for is what you have used to help your horse. She's UTD on West Nile Vax I am more concerned with her comfort. She doesn't have a barn, she is in the yard 24/7. I feel like she has a bullseye painted on her butt, it breaks my heart.

What have you found that works?, whether it's something to put on the property or something I can put on her. Whether its a commercial product or an old family recipe just tell me what you have had success with! Please,
and Maxine thanks you too....Ruthie

 

[Magic Mom]

My friend feeds hers some sort of garlic supplement with her grain and swears by it but I don't think her mosquito problem is as bad as yours.

 

[Luvchefmic]

My friend feeds hers some sort of garlic supplement with her grain and swears by it but I don't think her mosquito problem is as bad as yours.

Thnx Magic Mom...if U get a chance could you find out from her what & how much/how often she gives ...in the meanwhile I am hoping a get a lot of people that have ideas too....ready to try anything

 

[locolala]

I would do the combo of the supplement mentioned above, and use a commercial spray as well. Farnam makes an AWESOME skeeter repellent, I order mine online from Dover. I also wonder if a fly sheet might help, if you can swing one of those. They also have a biweekly product you can put on, it repells the bugs to include ticks. It works well

 

[OK!]

I just asked my mom (our family's had horses since before I was born), and while they don't have a mosquito problem at all, she said that she's heard of people using garlic and also vinegar. I'm not sure exactly how or in what proportions or anything, unfortunately.

 

[TeaToo!]

We dont have a problem as bad as yours, but I have used those tiki torch things and they work temporarily, that along with some spray you can get through the worst of it. I'd suggest going to your local farm supply and see what they sell to people in your area. If you want to avoid poisons they do make safer ones. Good luck. Those little buggers really suck. Literally!

 

[busyshrew]

I've also heard of the cider vinegar trick (added to the water). Supposedly changes the ph level of the blood or something????

The only other thing I've heard of is installing a bug-light or some other type of bug-trapper device. I've only seen that done in sheds where there is some power, so it would depend on your setup.

One farmer I knew also had a swallow's nest (one of those birdhouses that looks like a mini-apartment building) in his pasture. But I think the swallows are very very picky and you have to set those birdhouses up exactly right to attract swallows. (Do you even have swallows in FL?)

 

[TeaToo!]

I've also heard of the cider vinegar trick (added to the water). Supposedly changes the ph level of the blood or something????

The only other thing I've heard of is installing a bug-light or some other type of bug-trapper device. I've only seen that done in sheds where there is some power, so it would depend on your setup.

One farmer I knew also had a swallow's nest (one of those birdhouses that looks like a mini-apartment building) in his pasture. But I think the swallows are very very picky and you have to set those birdhouses up exactly right to attract swallows. (Do you even have swallows in FL?)

I havent tried the vinegar but Im goning to ask my vet. That sounds perfect! A bug zapper is a must! Totally forgot about that.

 

[Magic Mom]

Thnx Magic Mom...if U get a chance could you find out from her what & how much/how often she gives ...in the meanwhile I am hoping a get a lot of people that have ideas too....ready to try anything

I just emailed her and she uses Buggzo. It has garlic and cider vinegar. She said she just follows the recommended dosage. And I was wrong it's not powder that you sprinkle on feed, it's pellets.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Wow thanks so much for the ideas so far...I don't get the quoting more than one poster at a time so bear with me....bought a bug zapper...nothing returned it back to store, tthe tiki torch things haven't tried but I believe that's citronella and candles have never worked....will have to look into the garlic/vinegar options,,,and a fly sheet, it's REALLY getting hot here, it won't make her more uncomfortable? Keep them coming guys...it's ging to be a miserable summer if it's this bad now.. as far as do we have the swallow birds here in FL this is our 2nd yr here, haven't seen any

 

[Magic Mom]

What about bat houses. Bats are GREAT at keeping mosquitos down.

http://www.floridabats.org/BYBH.htm

 

[Luvchefmic]

What about bat houses. Bats are GREAT at keeping mosquitos down.

http://www.floridabats.org/BYBH.htm

Oh I LOVE her but do I HAVE to????? This is the only thing in the world that scares the hades (we are on a Dis board) out of me

 

[Magic Mom]

We have them around my house and the only time I ever see them is at twilight. And they just fly aound. They have never landed on anything.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I clicked the link & see that the bats could arrive (gulp) within a few weeks or even up to a year + we only have one income here right now so the purchase price is too much and not a handy DH or me for that matter..I wonder if the county/state would do something like this instaed of spraying ? We have property that backs up to state land (hmmm ??)

 

[Jennasis]

We have a creek that runs the back of our farm property (25 acres). The mosquitos get pretty bad back there. We add a garlic supplement to our horses feed, and put cider vinegar in their water buckets. We also use fly spray (I like the one made from marigold extract as it smells great, works and is non-toxic, but it's water based so it has to be reapplied often). One of our guys is allergic to everything that bites and literally loses all his hair from scratching and rubs himself raw...unless we put a fly sheet with a belly band, hood and seperate mesh leg wraps on him. He also has to wear a mask with ears and nose covering.

If you can, get some mosquito traps and put them up liberally around the farm. We also have a LARGE bat population around here and they do a lovely job of keeping the mosquitos down in numbers.

 

[TeaToo!]

Wow thanks so much for the ideas so far...I don't get the quoting more than one poster at a time so bear with me....bought a bug zapper...nothing returned it back to store, tthe tiki torch things haven't tried but I believe that's citronella and candles have never worked....will have to look into the garlic/vinegar options,,,and a fly sheet, it's REALLY getting hot here, it won't make her more uncomfortable? Keep them coming guys...it's ging to be a miserable summer if it's this bad now.. as far as do we have the swallow birds here in FL this is our 2nd yr here, haven't seen any

Next to QUOTE is a "+ sign... thats multi quote. Multi quote several but on your last one hit quote. HTH

 

[Luvchefmic]

We have a creek that runs the back of our farm property (25 acres). The mosquitos get pretty bad back there. We add a garlic supplement to our horses feed, and put cider vinegar in their water buckets. We also use fly spray (I like the one made from marigold extract as it smells great, works and is non-toxic, but it's water based so it has to be reapplied often). One of our guys is allergic to everything that bites and literally loses all his hair from scratching and rubs himself raw...unless we put a fly sheet with a belly band, hood and seperate mesh leg wraps on him. He also has to wear a mask with ears and nose covering.

If you can, get some mosquito traps and put them up liberally around the farm. We also have a LARGE bat population around here and they do a lovely job of keeping the mosquitos down in numbers.

How much vinegar in the water bucket ?

 

[Jennasis]

Fly sheets are made of mesh and quite breathable. They are also white, so they help keep your pony cool. My horse wears something like this, but with wraps on all legs. They also make a "bracelet" that goes on your horses leg/pastern and repels flies. I always spray the sheet down with fly spray too.

 

[Jennasis]

How much vinegar in the water bucket ?

In a full water bucket...a liberal "splash". How's that for scientific measurement? Haha! DH says it's probably about a 1/2 cup. Make sure you empty, scrub down and refill your bucket with fresh water and new vinegar daily. If you have a barn or a run in, you can spray the walls down with the vinegar too (or pine sol).

 

[Luvchefmic]

Next to QUOTE is a "+ sign... thats multi quote. Multi quote several but on your last one hit quote. HTH

Thank you....I read this after I quoted another but will try it....and for the ideas you are all wonderful