HHO admin
Reged: 27/06/2002
Posts: 1294
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Every year there are frequent posts asking for the best recipe for home-made fly spray so here is a pinned thread where people can post their favourites and it will remain here for the summer season.
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Rema
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 25/09/2005
Posts: 6946
Loc: somewhere in pasty land
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Here's mine.....
1.5 litres of cold stewed tea,
10ml of Citronella,
500ml of Malt Vinegar.
Put it all into a washed out 2ltr bottle and put into a garden mist spray as and when needed.
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mattilda
old hand
Reged: 26/09/2007
Posts: 828
Loc: cheshire
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I picked this one up of here last year. It is brilliant at keeping the flies away, smells good and leaves the coat beautifully shiny. You don't get a build up with it and I use it on me too.
3 caps of dettol from a 500 ml size bottle
250ml Avon Skin so Soft and Fresh.
1 teaspoon each of
Citronella oil
eucalyptus oil
lavender oil
teatree oil
cedarwood atlas oil
Put into a 1 litre spray bottle and top up with water or cold tea.
Shake well before spraying and frequently during spraying to keep the oils mixed.
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peachesandcream
veteran
Reged: 22/09/2006
Posts: 1342
Loc: Devon
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mine is...
250ml cold tea
250ml cider vinegar
10drops citronella
10drops lavendar
find it works really well 
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Theresa_F
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 10/08/2005
Posts: 5516
Loc: London - Essex side
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This is mine which I know some people on here have tried and agree it works.
Good website for ordering oils is http://www.essentialoilsdirect.co.uk/?gclid=CMfm5tieo5MCFQ6n1Qod8jfZoA
Buy in bulk and get trade prices. However, they don't sell bog myrtle - best place I have found so far for this is http://www.abbeyessentials.co.uk/
5 caps of dettol - from a 500ml size bottle
250 ml of Avon Skin so Soft and fresh - you need to buy the 500 ml bath oil. This can be halved if midges not too bad
2 teaspoons of citronella
2 teaspoons of eucalyptus oil
2 teaspoons of lavender oil
2 teaspoons of tea tree oil
2 teaspoons of cedarwood oil
2 teaspoons of bog myrtle oil – not essential but excellent for midge protection.
Put into a 1 litre spray bottle. Top up to make 1 litre with either water or cold tea. Shake well before spraying and give a quick shake after every few squirts to make sure the oil is mixed with the water.
Spray on twice a day using enough to leave a fine mist on the coat. Ok for round sensitive areas - ie sheath.
I have used this on people as well as horses, but please do a patch test first in case you or your horse reacts to any of the above ingredients.
Cost works out about £3.50 a litre - if you buy oils in bulk and get Avon when on offer. Not as cheap as some receipes but this does work well, leaves a glossy coat, is not sticky and smells nice.
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Happiness is a large hairy horse and a little stinky hairy monster 
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forester
Reged: 29/04/2004
Posts: 4103
Loc: New Forest but would rather be...
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That's the one I make too except that I can't get hold of the Avon stuff (any Avon ladies in the New Forest???) but it works fine with extra cold tea!
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"Horse, thou art truly a creature without equal, for thou fliest without wings and conquerest without sword."
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turkey_dinner
Reged: 04/11/2004
Posts: 10715
Loc: Oxon, UK
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i got my Avon stuff on ebay - cheaper than the catalogue 
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inside there is a skinny woman crying to get out
but I can usually shut her up with cookies
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Magic_Magpie
Reged: 06/11/2004
Posts: 8520
Loc: Scotland
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Quote:
That's the one I make too except that I can't get hold of the Avon stuff (any Avon ladies in the New Forest???) but it works fine with extra cold tea!
Why can't you get hold of the Avon stuff? You can get everything online - www.avonshop.co.uk. Skin so Soft and Fresh dry oil spray is currently buy 1 get one free which is the offer they do on and off.
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NICE LIFE FOR THE SMALLEST PONY IN THE WORLD?: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KD4j9__qgUs&feature=related
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oneboyandhishorse
addict
Reged: 02/06/2008
Posts: 400
Loc: Leeds, West Yorkshire
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:d Ill try some of these save me deeting at 10 pound a bottle!
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Hoping to specialise in equestrian webdesign one day.....
I do ♥ my bobsickle (:
Good old Rosy(Monster) [=
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BrandyButterDragon
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 07/06/2008
Posts: 3342
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My Grandad was a true genius when it came to mixing up horse remedies from poultices to cough mixture. I can't remember the exact quantities for the fly repellant but the ingredients were cider vinegar, tea tree oil and citronella
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Co Founder of B.J.A.S - Billy Joel Appreciation Society
Was PeanutButterDragon before Festive Fever took hold
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amberleystar
stranger
Reged: 09/06/2008
Posts: 17
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As a professional aromatherapist, I would urge to you use far less essential oil in your blend. 1 teaspoon is approx 5ml of oil and there are 100 drops in 5ml. As you are adding 500 drops (25ml) of oil this could be very sensitizing to some animals.
Basically you only need to add 100 - 150 drops of essential oil to 500ml of carrier (incl water, cider vinegar, skin so soft etc). Water has the ability to absorb and transmit molecular and subtle energetic/vibrational information, in other words it magnifies essential oils so you use less than if adding to a cream or base oil to get the same affect.
Essential oils that I find have fly repelling properties are:
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus Citriodora (lemon scented)
Eucalyptus Dives (peppermint scented)
Citronella
Tea Tree
Lavender
Lemon
Lemongrass
Patchouli
Clove Bud
Cedarwood Atlas and Himalyan
Geranium
Garlic
Rosemary
Peppermint
Thyme
Neem oil is also very effective and can be added to blends, I generally add 5ml (teaspoon) to 500ml
Stay away from using base oils as a carrier as they make the coat sticky and once the essential oils have evaporated you are left with vegatable oil which attracks the flies and dirt and fries your horse in the sun!
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angua2
old hand
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 1099
Loc: in the dog house!
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my current concoction is
1 pint strong tea,
1 table spoon vinegar
1 table spoon washing up liquid into which I put between 5 and 10 drops of citronella, lavendar, sandlewood
seems to work well.
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a lycanthropic member of the board
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henryhorn
Reged: 23/10/2003
Posts: 15230
Loc: Devon UK
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I am so glad you mentioned less oils, they are so potent no-one should be using a teaspoon at a time!
I think most of the above recipes would work just as well with far less in them, and would save money too...
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henryhorn
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gorgeous_george
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 02/04/2007
Posts: 3581
Loc: Essex
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mine is:
25 drops of citronella oil
1/2 tbsp meths
2 tbsp vinegar
2 mugs strong cold tea
1 tbsp washing up liquid
mix well and make up to 1 litre with cold water.
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** George is my dream come true **
     
**Every horse deserves to be loved by a little girl at least once in their lives **
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Haffy
stranger
Reged: 05/07/2008
Posts: 9
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Can't remember the quantities, but:
Citronella
Cold tea
Detol
But I find feeding garlic does make a big difference.
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Babybear
addict
Reged: 10/05/2008
Posts: 445
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My friend gave me her receipe today which she got from an aromatheraphist (sp) - again not sure of quantities but she uses water, vodka and either lavender or tea tree.
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pelly
enthusiast
Reged: 03/08/2006
Posts: 389
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Take it tea is just Tea Bags ans Water? I am a Divvy you see!!
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xxHannahxJazzxx
stranger
Reged: 14/08/2008
Posts: 1
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Hi, I use
400ml *water*
250ml *cider Vinegar*
Few drops of ***** citronella,Mint,Tea tree!
Works really well!
xxxxx
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atwitsend
newbie
Reged: 11/10/2008
Posts: 32
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stew 8 teabags til it goes cold then add 1/4 pint of white vinegar pour into a litre spary bottle works great and the midges hate it!!
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babybells
old hand
Reged: 13/06/2008
Posts: 943
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water citornella tea tree and lavender!
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