Qtrpony, another way to use vinegar, in particular, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV,) is to pour about 1/2 cup over their feed, twice daily. You need to do this for about one week, in order to develop prophylaxis in their system. Once this happens, you'll see a marked reduction of flies landing on the horse. The horses won't like the smell or taste, but be adamant, and leave it in their feed box, eventually, they'll get used to it. Using an organic vinegar, like Bragg's ACV, will help.

Best Bailing Twine Cutter ever Save your pocket knife's edge, forget using case cutters or utility blades to open bales. Purchase an Ear Tag Knife, mine is by Allflex. It is inexpensive, around $4 and lasts a long time! I bought one nearly two years ago and it still makes short work of those strings. Look for it in the cattle product section of your local Feed Store.

OK In response to your flyspray question... It is said that a 1:1 dilution of vinegar and water is a good temporary flyspray suitable for site application and most animals EXCEPT cats. In a test found that 50/50 vinegar solution did in fact significantly deter random landings on misc objects, plants, walls, me...but, the horses did not care to smell like pickles and were havin none of it! Maybe I shoulda used apple cider vinegar instead of white? :D Good luck. Phoenix aka Qtrpony

Does any have a recipe for a fly spray. I really don't like using the harsh chemicals on my horses. Thanks

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UPDATED FLY TRAPS: Drink my milk in quarts, the plastic bottles pile up...turned them into fly traps! Cut a horizontal slot shaped window into one side, remove cap & fill with a small amount of dry fly bait crystals. Hang in petsafe manner at a height of 4 ft or lower. Round pens, buildings, pastures and place in barn. Seems to be a reasonably economic option for premisewide protection. I have noticed a reduction of flies during a particularly bad year.

Another Tip: Wipe out the Fly Spray Using sprays is just the manufacturer's way to ensure we purchase more product and annoys our horses to boot. It never seems to get where it's needed and runs out too fast. Being lazy is expensive! Solution: Go old school, Mix it up and WIPE ON. Skip the Ready to Use brands. For each horse, I use a different set of rubber dish washing gloves inside white cotton gloves as applicators. Keep each set separate, in marked plastic bag so not to share kooties from horse to horse. Amazing how much insecticide you'll save, you control the strength, plus it goes exactly where you need it - On the horse!

Next time you need to cut any sheet metal just get your eye goggles,wear a long sleeved shirt for metal dust can be hot, skill saw with a REGULAR blade not carbon tipped. Reverse the blade on saw by taking blade off and turning it over tighten it back down and make sure teeth are going wrong way or backwards. Put on goggles and cut sheet metal like butter. It will sharpen the blade too. Next time that tire is flat and broken down off wheel on any inflated rig especially wheelbarrow put a bit of snot into tire to seal hole when reseated. Get compressor hooked to air valve. Turn on compressor. If jacking can be done to take load off tire do so but can be done without jacking. Then squirt a one second burst of starting fluid into the broken down tire and throw in a lit match. Bigger tires may need more fluid. It will pop and reset tire in a instant. The explosion is controlled by available air in tire not amount of starting fluid. I have done this on wheelbarrows to tractors it's fast and never failed to reset a broken down tire for me and works every time. It's a life savor if you are in the back county with a tire busted off the bead. My Dad taught me these two tricks and they work great.

Hey Monte sir, missing your whit and humor. Here is a new topic to maybe start things rolling again... For a quick, Recycled Fly Bait Station suitable for either dry crystals or stinky wet bait. Take a large plastic juice bottle (Simply Juice is my fav shape), cut wedge shaped slits in the "shoulders" of the bottle and punch/drill a tiny hole in the cap. I use wire to hang because it's typically windy, but anything works. Add bait per instructions and place accordingly.