I use Deep Woods Off - spray it on a microfibre cloth and use it as a wipe- you don’t need a ton. Vet said it has not been vet tested and that’s why it isn’t in animal fly sprays. I don’t find any of the horse fly sprays do much good at all. Off lasts a good 8-12 hours. I stock up when it’s on sale, lasts about as long as horse fly spray when used as a wipeBut beware as even low concentration of DEET melts plastics.
In Canada the highest concentration is 30% DEET, got much higher concentration stuff in the US.
If you shop at a camping store or hunting store, you can find 100% DEET Off. It is strongly recommended not to apply to one’s skin, but to clothing. I use it only on a piece of cloth (bandanna) that I then wrap around my horse’s crown piece o the bridle so that it is close to the ears. It keeps the deer flies at bay so I don’t have to struggle with ear nets. Since we ride at speed and over fences through the woods, ear nets don’t stay on well. Of course I soak him with recommended fly spray (Repel X) too. It works well for me. I use 40% DEET Off on myself during these rides.
Now if I could find something to repel the “I made my own fly spray at home with XXX, but it’s not working. Can I borrow yours?” group at rides, I’d have it made.
And it seems to help if you ride behind a gray horse --they seem to me to attract more biting flies . . .
I have had a horse have a bad reaction to DEET. I am not sure which concentration because it was years ago. I think it was Deep Woods Off that I sprayed at the base of his tail and on the ends of the tail to repel ticks. It looked like the Off on the tail hairs got swished into the insides of his hind legs on the sensitive skin. It blistered the bejesus out of his hind legs. I haven’t used it since.
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Solar Flare - I order the Eco-Vet on line and it is shipped to Blaine where there is a p/u office. Bringing it into Canada to sell, it seems, requires extensive testing and needs to be passed by the ag people, etc., so the manufacturers don’t want to go to the bother at this time. I just drive it over the line.
That green OFF doesn’t agree with me, burns my face and skin in general.
The orange is ok.
It could be something in that preparation other than the DEET?
I don’t know what it was that gave him the bad reaction. I just assumed it was the DEET. I didn’t try it again.
Thanks! I know it’s a big pain for companies to get DIN etc and our market is often not big enough to bother with the hassle and expense. I’ll plan to order it to my drop in the US and bring it over myself.
Yes our Deep Wood Off, is a lower deet concentration than you get in the USA…I’ve still found it works well and haven’t had my horse react to it!
