Are you looking forward to long horseback rides with your friends in the warm sunny summer days – best fly spray for horses? You’ve probably forgotten about the horse flies that accompany this warm weather.
These little bugs can turn your otherwise good-natured, calm, and docile horse into a kicking bronco that won’t hesitate to throw you off.
If you’re looking for an answer to this problem, the solution is using fly sprays, fly sheets, and fly masks. Related: Does a Queen Wasp Look Like?
Reviews: Top 7 Best Fly Spray for Horses in 2023
1. Wipe N Spray Fly Protection PIRANHA Horsefly Spray
Let’s start with what we think is the best product out there when it comes to dealing with the flies that love to pick on your poor horses.
Of course, we’re talking about PYRANHA’s Wipe N Spray – the best in the fly spray market, in our opinion.
This top pick will help your horse steer clear of all sorts of bugging flying insects, from horseflies to gnats to mosquitoes. This product has been specially designed, keeping in consideration factors, such as its effects on your horse’s health and comfort.
Furthermore, the spray does not have an off-putting smell either, so it keeps your horse smelling friendly and pleasant while you take it for a ride.
We did not pick it to be the top fly spray option out there for no reason; it’s cherished by the riders and horse owners out there as much as the horses love it.
The riders seem to love the sheen that this spray provides to the horse’s coat. The 0.1% concentration of pyrethrins and its oil-based formulation allow the solution to be used directly on the skin without any qualms about reactions with the skin.
The lanolin that the solution contains leaves the skin shiny, and your ride looking magnificent. Since it is water-resistant and oil-based, you have nothing to worry about even when it pours; it is difficult to wash off and will not leave your horse’s skin so quickly.
The pleasant scent that comes from the spray is due to citronella, which is one of the ingredients in this particular fly spray. After applying this product, your horse will smell fresh and will have a healthy-looking coat.
However, this product also has some downfalls, such as how it cannot be used on any other farm animal, unlike many other horsefly repellents.
- The spray solution serves as a multipurpose formula that fulfills all of the following purposes:
- It also serves as a coat conditioner due to an active ingredient known as lanolin.
- It is water-resistant and does not wash off easily.
- This spray isn’t just useful in repelling regular flies; it can deal with other insects, too—for example, houseflies, gnats, deer flies, stable flies, and mosquitoes.
- It has a nice scent
- Cannot be used on other farm animals
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2. Farnam’s Endure Repellents – Sweat-Resistant Fly Repellent
Farnam Endure Repellent is another one of the best fly sprays for horses out there. This one comes in a unique packaging that allows for a roll-on application.
The repellent contains RepeLock®, which merges to a horse’s hair to prevent washing off, effectively making the product water-resistant, and therefore, more effective.
Furthermore, the sunscreen component that it includes will help you guard your animal against the ultraviolet rays of the sun that can be quite damaging otherwise.
Farnam Fly Repellent does more than you’d expect as it will safeguard your animal against flies for almost four days after application.
This fly repellent for horses comes in unique roll-on packaging. This makes the whole application process a lot easier, and you are even able to cover sensitive areas of the animal.
The applicator ball is a huge advantage and is one of the things that set this product apart. However, this horsefly solution does not last as long as the other repellents in the market and needs to be reapplied frequently.
- Very useful in repelling flies, and lasts for four days
- Water-resistant, doesn’t wash off easily.
- Easy application
- Not very long-lasting as compared to other fly repellents on the market
- Requires frequent application
Read Also: Yard Spray for Ticks Reviewed
3. UltraShield EX Brand Horse Fly Spray by Absorbine
Absorbine’s UltraShield EX Brand Horse Fly Spray comes in sleek packaging, a stylish, black bottle.
Not only does this one do its primary job of keeping the flies away from your horse amazingly well, but it also goes a step ahead to work on ticks and fleas that are bothering your dog. The spray works against a range of flies and insects, such as gnats, mosquitoes and ticks, and, of course, horseflies.
This spray contains a citronella fragrance that is loved by the riders as much as the horses love it. It also contains aloe extracts and lanolin oils that combine to provide superb coat conditioning as well as serve as an effective sunscreen to protect the horse against the harmful UV rays of the sun.
The unique formula works to prevent ticks from making their home on the skin of your horse besides keeping the coat shiny and lustrous. This is a tremendous advantage for riders taking their animal to horse shows.
Absorbine UltraShield EX Brand Horse Fly Spray is a sturdy product and won’t come off the back of your horse quickly. It’s both weatherproof and sweatproof and provides fly protection to your horse for almost 17 days after application.
This means that you don’t need to reapply the spray now and then. Furthermore, the bottle is uniquely designed to allow a smooth distribution of the spray solution to a wide area of your horse’s body.
The extremely functional nozzle design makes sure that no spots on your horse’s body are left too wet or too dry. All of these reasons easily make this one of the best fly sprays for horses.
- Very long-lasting, with up to 17 days of effective repelling action
- Waterproof
- Sweatproof
- The easy and thorough application means that you won’t miss a spot on your horse
- It may leave the coat greasy and slippery in a few places
Related: Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?
4. EcoSMART’s Organic Horse Fly Spray
The EcoSMART Horse Fly Repellent spray is a natural formula based fly repellent that works safely and effectively on your horse’s skin to kill and repel bugs and horseflies.
The basic ingredients in this oil-based fly repellent solution come from natural, plant-based oils, so you can generously use this product on your horse’s skin without any fear of severe reactions with your horse’s skin.
Furthermore, since it is plant and oil-based and consists of all-natural ingredients, it leaves no trace of any medicinal smell either. For the same reasons, it can be safely used even when your kids are around the animal, as there are no harmful chemicals here.
It’s called “EcoSMART Organic” for a reason. The spray is safe to be disposed of or washed off in a water body as it doesn’t contaminate the water, nor does it harm the fish.
Like most products, this product, too, has some cons. For instance, although this is a rare occurrence, some users have complained that the spray didn’t agree with their horse’s sensitive skin.
- Eco-friendly
- The use of natural ingredients means that this product is safe to be used around children.
- Not only repels but also kills horseflies
- Can be harsh on the horse’s skin
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5. Aloe Herbal Fly Repellent Spray by Espree
This one may be all herbal and gentle, but it is an effective killer of horseflies. Espree’s Aloe Herbal spray also helps against irritation and sensitivity that is triggered by bites from insects and flies.
It includes Citronella Oil, Peppermint Oil, and Cedarwood Oil as active ingredients. The solution also serves as a coat conditioner and an effective sunscreen.
To apply, you’ll need to dilute it in water first. Dilute the solution by mixing it in a one-to-five ratio in water. You can then use a cloth (preferably a clean one) to dab it across the horse’s body or fill the solution in a spray bottle to apply it to your horse.
Apply it when your horse has been thoroughly cleaned for the best effect. Avoid applying it near the horse’s face. Some users reported adverse skin reactions when this spray was used on the skin of any animal other than horses.
While several horsefly repellents out there can be used for other pets or farm animals, such as donkeys, goats, or dogs, this one is strictly meant for horses.
- Natural ingredients
- Helps ease irritation caused by fly bites
- Doubles as a conditioner and coat gloss as well
- Needs to be diluted and prepared before application
Related: How Long Do Fruit Flies Live?
Conclusion
All of the above are outstanding products in their own right. It comes down to your discretion and judgment as to which one you must go with. Read Also: Mole Traps Reviewed.
Some, however, are more suited to horses with sensitive skin or those with skin conditions, while others are more favorable to horses that may be facing certain weather conditions.
That said, all of the above do a tremendous job at keeping your horses fly-free, and your trots swift and smooth. All of them perform the primary job of repelling horseflies, and some even kill the pests.
