How is it working? And how bad does it smell?
I bought some. It seems to work decently but I am not blown away. The smell is not typical fly spray but I don’t think it is awful, either.
I use it. I think it works pretty well. The smell isn’t really bad, but the stuff does make me choke – I don’t know how to describe it as it isn’t that it smells particularly noxious, but if I breathe any in, I can’t help but cough, and it is like a whole body, totally unstoppable cough! I do have one horse that starts having a fit if I use it on him, blowing his nose and acting like it really bothers him, so I don’t use it on him. But my others seem ok, I think it is being effective, and no one has had any skin reactions, which has been a problem with other sprays and these guys.
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I pretty much stopped using anything else. It works awesome for black flies & a lot of other pests… I love it, but it smells to me like dead fish mixed with old man’s cologne… I haven’t experienced any choking or coughing… I like that the active ingredients are from fatty acids and not pesticides… it notes that it doesnt harm honeybees either.
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I have been using it for two months on two of my horses. Not my whole herd yet, because of $$… But the sweet itch horse and the very bug phobic horse. So far, I am very impressed.
The smell takes some getting used to… You must spray it where it is well-ventilated or it will make you cough. But I am VERY sensitive to perfumes… And get migraines, and can tolerate this just fine. I sprayed it in the stall twice- mistake, and in a closed barn once- also a mistake. But spraying outside or in the aisle with open barn doors is fine.
Both horses are the happiest I have EVER seen them. Normally this time of year the sweet itch horse has no mane and tail, even with his boett, and all my potions, sprays and being kept inside. This year, they are naked so far! The sweet itch horse has just started to slightly itch his mane, but I cut back spraying him once a day to every other day to try… And he started getting more itchy.
The bug phobic horse is not galloping around the field and is just quietly eating his hay like a normal horse. He is keeping his weight on much easier than usual. The stomping is gone.
I am really happy with it and will keep spraying them once a day. I am buying a gallon next week or so. A smallish bottle lasts the two of them about 4 weeks.
I just bought some and so far I think it’s doing a great job. I only spray it on my horses front legs where he gets fly bites. The smell is overpowering, hard to describe but to me it’s a little like something rancid mixed with a flowery scent. It’s not bad enough that I won’t use it, but definitely use it in an open area or the smell will stick in your nose for the rest of the day! (Learned that lesson)
I got a sample of it… I can’t tell you how it worked because it made my eyes water and envoked a horrible coughing fit in both me and my horse. To me it smells like cheap mens perfume.
If it was a fly, it would keep me away!
It’s working great on my super sensitive skinned horse. He’s had reactions to almost every other fly spray I’ve tried. It smells like your grandpa’s Old Spice that has been sitting on his dresser since the 70’s! I use an applicator mitt to apply, which helps a lot with the coughing from the smell.
Agree with Horsepoor. I started using it last year, and I think it works best of any fly spray I’ve tried. It does make me cough when I apply it, and my mare also will snort if I get it too close to her nose, but it sure does keep flies away. I also use Swat clear formula on her face and ears. One things about Ecovet is that it is quite oily and it sort of “spreads” after you spray it on.
I also should mention that while the Ecovet is more expensive on a per-ounce basis, I find that I use less of it than other sprays, so in the end I believe the daily cost is probably about the same or even less than the other fly spray I use. I did order the gallon size as that was more economical with multiple horses. And I’ve learned to hold my breath, spray horse down one side, up the other, and walk away fast before breathing again…cuts down on the doubled over coughing fits.
Not familiar with this one. Do you know if it is available in Europe? We’ve been using a local product called Kerbex which comes in three strengths. If you’re not good with garlic-smell you can’t use the strongest one but I’ve been really happy with it and it creates quite a bit of custom in our veterinary practice as there are some flysprays around here that gave horses heaves and nettlefever
Thanks for this thread.
I am looking for another fly spray to try. I will look this up.
[QUOTE=Kareen;8724003]
Do you know if it is available in Europe? [/QUOTE]
They might say on the website: Eco-Vet
I got a sample of it, and couldn’t get past the smell. Reminded me of my younger brother drenching himself in Axe body spray, but worse! :eek:
I use it, i love it. I only use it before rides to save money (we use CLAC the rest of the time, or Ultra Shield). When we don’t use it, Max gets all kinds of bothered by flies and things on his legs and belly, but when we do, we have quiet rides where he is able to concentrate. The small bottle has lasted several months, though we’re almost out at the moment and I’ll have to get some more. I’d like to get the gallon this time if I can afford it, because it really does work that well.
The smell… well…I think it smells HIDEOUS. And it does make me cough if it mists over in the direction the wind is blowing. It reminds me of the old Pyranah all barn systems, only a sortof sweeter smell. Max doesn’t mind it though, if he notices it at all.
HATED IT - my thin skinned TB had a terrible reaction to it. Gave the bottle to another boarder at my barn and she ended up tossing it since she didn’t see any difference between this and her usual spray.
Word trickled down from an Ecovet rep that the application of the spray is really important. It’s supposed to be a squirt on each leg, one on the poll, and one on the croup. It makes a bubble shield as it evaporates. Apply too much and it won’t evaporate correctly so it won’t work. This is why a bottle lasts a really long time. It’s weird that they don’t advertise these instructions!
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[QUOTE=Jumper_Princess1988;8725270]
Gave the bottle to another boarder at my barn and she ended up tossing it since she didn’t see any difference between this and her usual spray.[/QUOTE]
This made me giggle. Given a free bottle of spray that she “didn’t see any difference between this and her usual spray” she tossed out the free bottle.
It might not have worked much better than her usual spray, but why toss it out?
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She hated the smell!!!
I really like the stuff but cough and gag while spraying it if I happen to inhale it at all. To me, it smells a bit waxy, like crayons - if crayons were evil. It doesn’t smell that bad on the horse or in the bottle but, PHEW, is it strong and burns my throat when being sprayed.
I haven’t tried it on all three horses yet - just the one that gets all bumpy whenever he’s bitten by a black fly or mosquito. Like other posters, I’ve found that a little goes a long way, and that Tucker is quieter while being exercised with this stuff compared to other sprays that I’ve tried. I’ve even seen horseflies land on him and quickly leave.
I apply every 12 hours or so, lightly. My horse does make a kind of growly, throat clearing noise while I’m spraying it on him but, otherwise, there has been no reaction and Tucker doesn’t seem to mind it. Happily, since using this spray, he hardly ever has an insect bite or bump on him and his coat looks really nice.
