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Fly spray question

@Impractical_Horsewoman - I had zero luck with the Espree when I tried it. I’m in the Northeast and the flys and bugs here didn’t even blink at it.

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I would use something that works. If you are worried about getting it on you or breathing it in just wear gloves and a mask?

To be honest I exposed myself to everything I normally did when pregnant and did everything as normal and that included barn/ farm work and all that comes with it. Never occurred to me to do things different.

Just take precautions if worried and your horses will be happier.

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I’ve used Espree for years and years and it works for me and my horses They love the smell - I love the smell. I cannot breathe the strong fly sprays any more - they choke me.

I also buy the concentrate and mix with water. Much less expensive.

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I know it varies by region but Clac and Repel x quit working here several years ago. I wish it hadn’t, it was definitely cheaper.

I haven’t tried Bronco or Pyranha. May try one of those next time. I should have bought stock in Swat, I’ve never used as much as I have so far this year.

That’s what I use. I mix it 50/50 with water and works pretty well.

Ecovet works but I feel like I’m dying after spraying it. My horses run from it. I use it on the worst days.

Flick’s natural spray has worked well here for short periods - like the time to ride. So, that’s potentially an option to cut down on perethrins/pymethrins/other synthetics.

I take them outside and quickly move them out of the spray area. Sometimes we both get a whiff accidentally though.

At least it only takes a few sprays vs whole body coverage although I found it does better with two sprays per leg.

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Yes, that’s always been my experience with any natural insect repellent. I’m repelled by the scent, but the bugs are not, go figure!

Used this on dogs, cats, self, hubby, and to keep Japanese beetles off our Asian pear trees and blueberry bushes. Haven’t tried it on the horses – we use UltraShield black for them – but since you are looking to avoid harmful chemicals, it’s one to consider. I have used it on myself on trail rides and it definitely keeps the deer flies away.

I use a natural fly spray, and then I bastardize it by adding permethrin from TSC. I also add neem oil, however, you cannot spray the mix if it’s 70 degrees or under, because neem becomes a solid, and clogs the sprayer. You CAN wipe it on.

I tend to keep a morning and an evening mix around- one with neem, and the other not. That way, when we have 60’s in the AM, it still sprays.

In any event, it seems to work as well as anything else does. I used to swear by Equicare Flysect Concentrate. I still thinks that it is awesome, but I haven’t used it this year.

Adding Skin So Soft also works and it has a higher melting point. A farrier I used swore by adding SSS to water-based sprays.

Auntie Em’s works well on gnats and some flies.

This is my preferred fly spray and I think that it does seem to DO something (here in NC). Repel-X is my backup.

I saw someone else mention that you will lose a lot of product with the “mitt and wipe” method. I think the suggestion of a good mask and spraying them outside may mitigate some of your concerns.

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I find that using a (real) wool mitt helps reduce the amount of wastage… The spray sort of “sits” on top of the wool and can then be wiped on.

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Have you tried OutSmart from SmartPak? I used it last year and this year. I find it works as well as any of the other chemical ones. I do cough once or twice sometimes from spaying it but I think that is from the peppermint oil. It sorta tickles the throat for a moment.

My guy is getting eaten alive on night turn out. I had to buy a full neck fly sheet. Otherwise he is covered in welts when he comes in the morning despite being covered in fly spray prior to going out.

Jumping in here to see if anyone has suggestions for best natural fly sprays? Yes, they don’t work, but my thoroughbreds are developing an allergy to permethrin and some other chemicals (skin peeling and other light scalding). They do OK with Repel-x and a few with low percentage of permethrin and the like. The worst reactions came from Ultra Shield and pyranha last summer. I tried Ecovet and while the my horses didn’t react, this is the only spray they’ve ever fought me about (even the ones that caused burns).

All suggestions appreciated! I’m currently using fly sheets, shoe fly boots, and applying CLAC deo gel on my super sensitive “I hate bugs they’re murdering me by being 5 feet near me” guy. My senior is less bothered.

I already said this upthread, but I really like Equiderma’s Neem and Aloe Herbal Horse Spray. It seems to work as well as the synthetic sprays for biting stable flies, gnats, and mosquitoes, no one has any skin reactions, and it smells really nice.

Equisect is a naturally-derived permethrin spray. It’s not advertised as “all natural” like some of them, but it works. And horses who have reactions to synthetic sprays usually don’t react to it. It also works on ticks and seems to give equivalent slight temporary relief to other permethrin sprays for horse flies, bombers, etc.

But fly sprays can have very regional effects. What works for me may not work for you.

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Permethrin;

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html

The key difference between pyrethrin and permethrin is that pyrethrin is a completely natural substance, whereas permethrin is a synthetic substance that is made in laboratories.

Farnham (Equisect) confuse the issue by calling their active ingredient “PyGanic”.

Which is a trademark of a different insecticide company (ie: it isn’t Farnams proprietary name).

This is what I found on PyGanic from the EPA website: 001021-01772-20110721.pdf (1.1 MB)

Thank you for the explanations on pyrethrin and permethrin. That helped clarify things for me with fly sprays! I like Equisect. But I like it because it works well for my guy.

I also hate the smell of UltraShield Black, Endure, etc. So those may work too, but if it’s not broke right now… :grin:

Thanks. I constantly mix that up.