How much garlic?

How much garlic should I give my gelding to act as a fly repellant?
He is prone to being over weight and is currently about 400kg he is 15hh (just under), he works three to 4 times a week on average and does SJ.
Anyone know what would be a good amount?

Never heard of feeding garlic. Why don't you use regular fly spray?

He doesnt like being sprayed and wipes and gel are so expensive here. Flies and midges really don't like the taste of garlic so tend not to bite if a horse has it in theri blod stream, it works for humans too.

There are several schools of thought on the use of garlic (have recently done quite a bit of reading on the matter myself, lol). I would suggest doing a brief google search, reading the various articles available and deciding from there. OR - you could go with a commercially prepared garlic supplement that will have the "dosage" instructions for horses on the packaging.

There are a lot of reasons some people choose garlic over fly sprays. One of the most common reasons is that they prefer a "natural" supplement over constant dosing of pesticides on their horses. Also, garlic can have additional health related benefits, fly spray does not. Garlic is a common supplement for human health as well.

That said, Speedy, I would really work on his aversion to being sprayed. While it isn't necessary to use fly spray, it may be necessary at some point for your horse to be sprayed with any number of things so teaching him to accept that will be helpful to you even if you never use another fly spray on him in his life. Our mini has the same aversion, so that is what we are focusing on with her right now is getting her comfortable with the sprayer. Using a spray bottle with plain water is best as it will allow you to work on the process every day without OD'ing your horse on actual fly spray and without wasting your money spraying tons of it out the bottle to get him used to the sound, feeling, etc.

I got some garlic granuals today and they are NAF so they have the dosage on them, I also got some midge/ fly repellant that can be applied with a sponge.

Themacpack- thanks for the advice on the spray issue, that might work :)

I used to use garlic too a long time ago...then I read an article about the possible links to some serious diseases, particularly anemia. What about trying a feed through fly control supplement? I think you can get Equitrol for under 20 bucks.

Yes, fly control supplements have garlic in them usually, NAF is the best in this country. The benefits outway the dangers in my opinion, there are many dietry dangers that effect horses, that worry me far more. Too much of ANYTHING is bad for a horse, including grass, should we stop feeding them that so they don't get laminitis?
Anaemia is easy to treat, I've had it, just needed to change my diet, you just need more iron and vitamins in your diet! Which my horse gets from his cubes :)

Thanks for the advice x

I would look into Springtime Inc's Bug Off Garlic. It comes with a scoop and it is a very potent garlic (just being in the package stunk up my whole car!!). It's very cheap 25 cents a day for the smallest bucket which for one horse is about 100 days worth. You might honestly find that easier and cheaper (and safer with the measured scoop) than anything else. :)

Which serious diseases, other than anemia?? I would rather use garlic than a feed-thru control if that feed-thru control is chemical based.

It is the allicin in raw, unprocessed garlic, that MIGHT cause anemia if fed in massive doses.

I have been feeding processed equine garlic to three of my four horses seasonally for seven seasons and they pass their physicals every fall with flying colors.

I use it as a tick repellant and it is about 90% effective. Given where I live and that the deer ticks and lone star ticks are lined up at the gate every morning, 90% is fantastic.

I start out at 1/2 teaspoon twice daily in mid-March and work them up to a slightly heaping teaspoon twice daily by late May. I discontinue in the late fall, whenever it's cold enough to stop the ticks from crawling all over everywhere.

The fourth horse does not get garlic because he has ulcer issues, so I have to spray him.

For my part, I would not feed garlic to a horse that has colic or ulcer issues or that has been sick in a way that might cause anemia.

Hope this helps