goat shampoo that deters flys?

(A look at How big Panda's garden has grown.)





All the animals(non feathered) got baths today. Dogs & goats! Cleopatra , my dear sweet Cleo, has shown a little bit of dandruff/skin irritation along her spine. I wanted to make sure I used something gentle & soothing that would not further irritate her skin (& not attract bugs). I found a sample bottle of aquaphor(*click for link*) in the cabinet
& mixed in 6 small drops of Lavender essential oil. I shook it up & washed her down, massage it in her skin and hair real well. I went to school for massage therapy so it has become a habit to give full body massage's to the animals when I am bathing them or putting lotion on the kids... Well needless to say they enjoy it and do not protest. After rinsing her, I then sprayed her down with a mixture of 3 cups white vinegar & 8 drops each of lavender& lemongrass essential oil. I then put her on the dog run line so she can lay in the sun while I washed the Buck... yeah what a joy that was. I never bathed him during the winter so he must of "forgot" how I do not like to be stepped on or head butted while yielding a hose and soap... Well after that fun I also sprayed him down with the vinegar mixture paying extra attention to legs and spraying it on my hands to rub onto his ears & face. It will burn if it gets in their eyes!Besides, he does not like the smell & would turn away from the spray- but never a hand petting him. He too was put on a line to dry in the sun while munching on all the cottonwood flowers that have fallen in the yard. Their pen is being cleaned/raked so I did not want to put them back in there wet. So now they are grazing & I have yet to see a bug on or near them! Their coats are so soft and shiny! I am real happy with the results of that soap & E.O mix. I read from a forum to spray white vinegar on them for the flies so I added more umph! to it. Just thought I would share in case someone has goats who are bothered by the flies & prefer a more gentle approach then sprays with chemicals. I had the E.O's on hand from school so thats why they were used. If you do try what I did, let me know if it works for you too- or if it did not..
~Tammie