Garlic

[solomon]

I have started adding it to Pete's tea. To ward off fllies mainly. Good thing is he likes it! Anyone else use it? I have also splashed out on some Coopers fly repellent. Anyone used it before?

[rainbow]

Ive heard that not to feed it if your horse becomes itchy as it helps the immune system and itchyness or sweet itch is an over active immune system so makes it all worse.

I fed it through the winter.

[spotti]

Faith has garlic in her food. Not sure exactly how effective it is, but last year she was the only one to not have a fly mask on for the majority of the summer! Some of the others had full on fly rugs and big masks and were smothered in fly spray, while Faith had a bit of spray on and that was it...she was the only one not plagued by the flies.

I can't tell whether that was to do with her long mane and forelock (no flies in her face) or whether the garlic had anything to do with it, however, I noticed that when I ran out of garlic and she didn't have it for a week or so she smelled different (kind of musty instead of sweet) and suddenly came in covered in fly bites!

That's an interesting fact about immune responses and garlic Rainbow!

[scattymare]

Coopers is good but blimmin expensive. Garlic I don't feed. Have in the past but couldn't say if it made a difference to flies

[haffyfan]

I use to feed it but read some research about it potentionally being harmful so stopped.

Saying that all the big companies market it and vast vast numbers of owners feed it year after year without problems so I'm probably being over cautious.

[dannyboy]

The conditioning mix I get for Murphy has garlic in it and he loves it too. I haven't used the fly repellent you mention so I'm interested to know how you get on with it as Murphy can get pestered with the little mites!!

[fimacg]

I feed garic, helps with flies, immune syatem, and has the same health properties it does for humans

[brigadier]

I feed it but find the granules or flakes a lot more effective than powder. I put it in with the beet whilst its soaking so it rehydrates properly. Basil has really fine skin and I have to use a fly rug continously but its more for whilst been ridden as he can go crazy if targeted. He was a bit better last year so presume it worked.

[spotti]

^^^ really Brig? We've found the powder better than the granules! I think the main reason we switched was because Faith didn't like the granules. She has next to no food so maybe the bits made it feel strange on her tongue?!
We use Baileys which has garlic oil in it too so don't know if that makes any difference. Certainly smells very strong!

[racaille]

The flies are horrendous here just now (hot and clammy) and the boys are in fly masks 24/7 which makes me anxious so I'm back to thinking of how to deal with the little blighters.

The trouble is that mine will NOT eat it. I've just studded some ripe pears with dried slivers of garlic and although Mr T will force himself, P just walks off in a huff. In hard feed they will just spit it out.

I'm now trying to make an infusion of it so I can spray it on them. Dunno if it will work but I have to try something.

[brigadier]

Dont know how true this is but seem to remember someone on here saying that using it as a spray can burn the skin.

[racaille]

Oh blow.

[jack]

garlic doesnt seem to work george has sweet itch and im trying a new fly spray at the mo as we have to compleatly smother him in it its lincon it espeshally for midges and horse flys and touch wood at the mo it seems to be doing some good

[dannyboy]

I seen a article in the H&H mag re: Research into Catnip Oil. A Study in America has discovered that it repel's more than 13 types of insects including mosquitoes (Capnit oil mixed with water). Only downside apparently is that it only lasts for approx 6hrs - I think they are working on some other formulation that lasts longer.

[solomon]

Added problem all the moggies following them around!