Q: I’ve heard that some herbs can be planted around my horse’s stable to reduce the number of flies – is this true?
A: There are several herbs you can plant that naturally repel flies. Basil, bay leaf, lavender, chives, rosemary, mint, wormwood and lemon balm have all been proven to repel flies. Plant them in beds around your stable yard – but just make sure that they are out of your horse’s reach. As an extra tip – rubbing vinegar and mint oil on rubbish bins and stable doors has been proven to help reduce the number of flies.