Summer's On It's Way

Well with Uni work put to one side, it's time to use this sunshine as inspiration for another blog post! 

Beautiful weather over the last bank holiday weekend could really only mean one thing, an impromptu trip to the sea side. It was a lovely day. I don't know what it was, the weather maybe,  but people seemed to be enjoying the simply things; long walks along the beach, puppet shows and each other's company. Some people were even in the sea... At Easter... Is it wrong to say I was tempted myself? But after careful consideration I only dipped my toes in (and ran out screaming due to the onset of frostbite).

After our sea side escapade, Monday was spent soaking up the sun with a cider in Buxton, a beautiful peak district town with local culture oozing from every corner. Brass bands playing, food and craft fairs... Safe to say I purchased and ate a traditional Buxton pudding within two days! They're just so yummy! We came home to find that we've had our first few lambs, just in time for Easter, who were up and playing within hours. Milo wasn't quite sure what to make of the mini sheep...    

Lamb's First Peak Of The World

It's definitely safe to say that summer is on it's way, finally! Milo's enjoying saying good bye to his New Zealand and hello to green shoots and sunbathing, one of the many past times we enjoy together! However us equestrian's know what summer really means... flies, swarms of the buggers. I managed to get through a whole bottle of fly spray within three weeks and at £13 a bottle, it soon adds up. So here is...

A Kiss From The Country's Homemade Fly Spray

You will need:

1/2 Garlic Clove

300ml Tea

100ml Cold Water

1 tsp Tea Tree Oil

A Few Drops of Lavender

1 tsp Citronella Oil

Millie Bee's Tea Tree Oil

Firstly, in a plastic jug, brew the tea allowing it to stew for a minute or two, then remove the tea bag and add the cold water. Finely chop and crush the garlic adding it to the tea (this bit doesn't smell to great but stick with me). Then add in all your oils, giving the mixture a good stir.

Home-made Fly Spray

Now, a good tip so you don't waste anything, place the hot mixture in your horse's stable while he's turned out, as the scented steam that is given off helps rid the flies from your horse's bedroom as well. Once the mixture has cooled completely, remove it from your horse's stable, mix once more and then place in a spray bottle. Once you've added the citronella your horsey will smell beautiful so stick through the garlic stage, trust me this is an effective and cheap method of keeping those flies away. 

I also tend to feed my horse a tiny bit of garlic through the hot weather as well, this also helps rid those flies as the horse sweats. Since Milo eats anything, I don't have a problem feeding this to him, but you can always hid the garlic in feed or hay should it prove more challenging. 

We Do Love Sunbathing Together!

Well, I hope everyone had a lovely Easter and enjoyed hearing about my countryfied time. Equally I hope the above recipe will prove useful for those horsey folk out there.

Bye for now, blog soon, with