talk to me about your favorite fly spray that doesn’t leave a gross greasy residue! i feel like ive tried so many and my absolute favorite brand (clac), i can’t find anymore!
1 Like
Smartpak Outsmart. Use on horse and it repels everything! I dab some by my ears also to keep gnats away from my face/head. It does not leave a residue…I used to have a white horse (I know, I know, he was a gray, but I’m telling you he was white as a sheet of paper) and it did not cause dirt to be attracted like other oil based sprays did.
We are in South Georgia swamp land and mosquitos are terrible, gnats are overwhelming, and horse flies are horrendous. I swear by this stuff.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/outsmart-fly-spray--14237
This page has a graph showing how fly sprays compare in a study. EcoVet and Outsmart are two of them.
I cannot handle EcoVet, so Outsmart is the next in line for performance.
5 Likes
I also like Clac Deo lotion and NaturVet Natural fly concentrate. They’re very similar in smell, effectiveness, etc. I just Googled Clac and several sites came up selling it: Adams Horse Supplies, Cheshire Horse, Ebay, etc. so it’s still out there.
2 Likes
I’m a cheapskate 
I use Gordon’s concentrate & mix it @ 1.5X recommended strength.
Active ingredient is pyrethrin, same stuff mums produce naturally.
TSC carries it.
1 Like
LOL. Me too, I went back to good ol’ Repel-X. I do have Eco-Vet, I use it sparingly. I may try the SP spray the OP mentioned. Maybe.
I’m a recent convert to the Spalding Labs Bye Bye Fly Spray.
In their study, they didn’t compare it to EcoVet, but in my personal experience I like it better. EcoVet is now my second choice fly spray.
My favorite is UltraShield in the black bottle, but dang it’s $$.
My close second is something I discovered last year:
4tsp Gordon’s Permethrin 10, 10oz of cheap Bronco, and the rest water in a 32oz spray bottle.
6 Likes
I really wanted to try this and nearly bought with my order of fly bugs, but exactly nowhere do they specify how big their “refill pouch” is. :-/
For fly spray, I do Ultra Shield black or Pyranha (which you wouldn’t like, @shadesofbay3, it’s oil based), generally cut 50/50 with this all natural stuff from Ultra Cruz:
When flies get really bad in late summer, I’ll add a couple cc of this to up the potency.
FWIW, I’ve tried both the Spalding Bye Bye, and the Smart Pack OutSmart, and the flies just laughed at them. But, different locations, and even different years, can mean different results
So far, I like my cheap mix!
Repel-X --but FYI --(someone told me this and THEN I read the label --it’s on there) --to be most effective, Repel-X should be mixed fresh daily --not left in a spray bottle for a month and used daily --it loses its efficacy - (never get to use that word, but I love it when I can).
But like most, I mix a spray bottle and use it until it runs out. However, when I am going some place important, like a trail ride with deadly bugs possible, or a Mounted Archery Competition, I do mix a fresh spray bottle.
Biggest problem I have with Repel-X is those (very nice) friend who swear by “Skin So Soft mixed with Vinegar and the eye of newt” then when it doesn’t work to keep flies off their horses on a trail ride or whatever, they hit me up for my Repel-X.
6 Likes
You’re right. It really must vary by locations. I couldnt get my Outsmart in time, so I picked up UltraShield at Tractor Supply and it did NOTHING.
1 Like
Yep - OutSmart isn’t doing anything this year here in NC. I’m using what I have because I figure it might repel some mosquitoes or smaller bugs, but the flies are just munching away!
I bought the aerosol can of Pyranha (sp?) on the suggestion of someone on FB. So far it’s the only thing that’s working, and I just spray it on legs, belly, and fly sheet.
I’ve used that before, several years ago, and I recall it working quite well.
Ah, you just need to look at the image of the refill. It’s 3 quarts, so 3 regular size bottles. So you save about $15 versus buying the standard size bottles.
2 Likes
Wow, so $20/qt??
Gawd, that’s spendy. Both “premium” sprays I use are less 
Which of it really works better, fab, but wowza, that’s expensive.
I just tried a $19.99 bottle of Ultra Shield Red and wowza, I am impressed. I have a new horse (lived all her life up in the mountains) who is NOT use to flies. She’s been loosing her mind but the US Red gave her instant and complete relief while being ridden.
1 Like
I use the Gordon’s by itself, just mixed @ 1.5X recommended dilution.
Squeeze bottle dispenser measures the amount, so I just refill halfway.
My horse reacts to bites on his neck.
Loses hair in tiny spots & is very itchy.
I use Swat on those spots.
ETA:
My shoer likes CWD aerosol.
If anyone needs to know how to repel flies, he does!
I used it, it works, but I have personal objections to paying for air 
I’m in NC too. I think it was 2022 I tried the OutSmart, as a full on failure, so I didn’t bother to try again
I tried the red bottle once, and had mediocre results, so haven’t tried again, though it’s been a pretty long time. That said, I have used quite a few things that worked well for riding, but failed miserably for much longer than that. Flick’s concentrate is one that works GREAT short-term, even against deer fly. But for turnout, not so much.
Which Gordon’s product? The one I use is a premises formula, so very concentrated, it’s not the “fly spray” product.
It’s basically the same as the UltraShield sprays, unless my math is wrong. But hey, it’s Friday and it was a sh***y week, so do your own calcuations. 
And not that I’m trying to push the Spalding’s, but it does say that you can dilute 50% with water and people report it works just as well. I haven’t tried that yet, but may do so and can report back.
It is interesting to hear how some things work for some people and not for others. I have tried UltraShield Black, thinking it would be the best given it’s price. Works only okay for my horses. I think the other one that I like besides EcoVet is the Tri-Tec, but it is oily.
1 Like
I started using Fly Bye by Guaranteed Horse Products last summer and thought it worked better than the black Ultrashield.
1 Like
