In my quest for natural living and keeping the toxic load down where at all possible – for myself as well as my animals – I have spent a good few years experimenting with mixes to use on my horse, Hercules, so that I could avoid using the very toxic sprays available commercially.
While there is definitely a place for these sprays (especially when it comes to difficult animals or those who aren’t handled regularly) and if it means using them or losing an animal to biliary, then of course, one would opt for the spray.
However, in trying to keep Hercules’ immune system as strong as possible and being as “hands on” as time and circumstance allow, I choose to use a natural alternative to control the ticks and flies that so plague him. Hercules is a Friesian and has loads of hair where these critters love to hide. His feathers on his fetlocks are thick and long; he has the thickest tail I have ever seen and it hangs to the ground, being a perfect ladder for ticks. I do also believe he must be quite tasty because they seem to seek him out among others. He always seems to collect more ‘passengers’ than any of his paddock mates!
With all that taken into account, I have settled on a blend of natural ingredients that I feel are as good as it will get without using something that will cause harm to him or the environment, but that will be effective against these blood sucking horrors.
The active ingredient in my horse and dog fly & tick spray mixes disrupts the normal metabolic activity of sucking, chewing and biting pests. It also has an ‘anti-feedant’ effect and disrupts their sexual communication, reducing their numbers over time and with prolonged use. It does not, however, kill them immediately. This can take a few days, so removal of ticks by hand is recommended where possible. Damage to the parasites is immediate though, on contact with the spray.
I have also included neem oil and a mix of seven 100% pure essential oils known to be excellent bug repellents. The mix for horses is slightly different to that for dogs, as two of the oils used in the horse mix are not recommended for use on dogs, so I substituted them for oils that are safe for canines. Neither of these sprays is to be used on cats – please don’t be tempted! Cats are highly sensitive to essential oils and I do not have a mix that is safe to use on them. This spray can be used on humans too though, to keep flies and ticks at bay when riding or working with your horses or walking with your dogs.
The more the spray is used, the more effective it is as it has a cumulative effect. It must be sprayed or wiped on generously – and onto the skin, not just on the hair. It should only be applied to a dry horse (or dog, as the case may be) to avoid it being diluted. It will wash off with water if they swim or are hosed down, but because it is non-toxic, this will not affect the water supply.
When the flies and ticks are bad, it would probably be a good idea to reapply the spray during the day or at least again at night. For tick control on horses, apply as often as possible (daily if you can), taking care to get into the areas that ticks love – the fetlocks, the tail (along the full fleshy part), between the ‘bum-cheeks’ and at the sheath or teats.
I endeavour to apply the spray thoroughly 2 to 3 times a week after doing extensive tick removal by hand – and the grooms do apply a bit every morning before Hercules goes out to his camp – and this is how I deal with the onslaught of these blood sucking parasites.
As with most natural and non-toxic products, one has to accept that it may not be as effective as the chemical-laden products are at dealing with pests, but it is safe, clean and environmentally friendly, acting as a deterrent as opposed to having a knock-down effect.
I supply the concentrated mix which then should be added to a one litre clean empty bottle (the horse spray) and mixed with water to make one litre of liquid. I then decant this mix into a smaller spray bottle for ease of use.
For dogs, the mix is to be emptied into a 500ml bottle and filled with water.
It is sensitive to light, so should not be exposed to sunlight unnecessarily – and cannot be stored for months on end, as its efficacy does drop with time. It doesn’t contain any synthetic preservatives, so treat it carefully. Shake well before using and apply regularly and please do let me know how well it works for you.
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