***HARMFUL CHEMICALS***

As warm weather approaches, it brings with it our wonderful little flying friends: mosquitos, horse flies, deer flies, as well as ticks. So how do we battle these pesky insects that stress out our animals? Insect repellants and insecticides!! I don’t know about you, but I have never liked applying a chemical to a horse that is intended to kill something else- it doesn’t make sense. Let’s examine the main ingredient in most fly sprays on the market- permethrin- even sounds toxic! Studies show that if you want to kill a cat or fish, use permethrin! The EPA recognizes it as a likely carcinogen. Recent studies indicate a link between permethrin and Parkinson’ disease, even with little exposure. At one time the substance was restricted by the US government. The good news is there are alternatives that are natural and much more safe. It’s up to us to do our part to protect what we love.