Giant horse flies

[sami-joe]

Though I know it seems that way, some are more horrible than others. In most countries’ organic farming, pyrethrin- and citronella-derived chemicals are allowed – unlike many other horse industry-aimed repellents and insecticides. Organic farming has strict regulation worldwide, mostly to protect farmers and water tables, as opposed to consumers. It’s part of what you pay for when you buy anything grown organically. Whether you believe me or not, though it’s not a perfect system, there are differences between insecticides organic farmers can use and those they can’t.

It hasn’t always been like this. If you’ve ever seen an eagle, thank an earlier, more vigorous version of US chemical regulation. We led the world in abolishing one of the most effective insecticides ever, DDT. Its widespread use in the 50s meant there were almost no eagles or ospreys around when I was a child. Now they’re nearly everywhere. The US chemical industry punished elected officials for that leadership and the US has not been the same since.

EU public safety agencies regulate dangerous chemicals in part because they have national healthcare systems. Ultimately, it helps their national bottom line when they protect everyone’s health. Conversely, the US capitalizes ill health; our version of health care is largely for-profit.

Obviously, here, you are free to buy whatever fly repellent you think is best for your situation.

[StormyDay]

@sami-joe

Yes, life is chemistry, for sure.

That said, those warnings for hydrogen peroxide are for “<60%” concentration in solution.
The peroxide we buy at the drugstore is more like three percent concentrate.

The point I wished to make is that in the US the burden of proof is on citizens, not the chemical industry (or the supplement industry, human or horse – but that’s for another day), to demonstrate a chemical’s danger, ineffectiveness, or something in between. Most people have no time for any of that, and we put our faith in marketers who have a single interest: separating people from their money.

In the rest of the civilized world, i.e. the EU, manufacturers must show some minimum level of safety before gaining access to the market. Here in the US, the term Buyer Beware has a special gravity and I take it seriously.

As a human with only one water table, I’ve used laundry soap, not detergent, for decades, avoid shampoos with surfactants, and once or twice a year make enough bar soap for myself and Christmas gifts. To discourage flies around my horse, I buy repellents with pyrethrins and/or citronella, both derived from plants for hundreds of years and used worldwide in organic farming to protect farmers, neighbors, and water tables.

Not everyone is up for any of that. I get it. We all make our own decisions about our exposure, our water table, and our waste stream. I suggest, however, that our pro-industry chemical policy status quo here in the US exploits our ignorance and has already proven to be unsustainable.

Yes; but it still applies; it’s the concentration that makes something dangerous, not the product itself. The chemicals you linked are not the only thing in ecovet; it’s heavily diluted.

I won’t disagree that there are dangerous chemicals and products on the market. But in this case, I don’t think this fly spray is one.

PS: many naturally derived products are not safe and are carcinogenic. Pyrethrins aren’t completely harmless either. It’s all about concentration and moderation

[eightpondfarm]

This year i have a marigold based fly-spray. I only use it when i’m tacking up right before my weekly lesson, and then, only on the two horses i trailered in that week. All the other horses have fans in the barn and they can come in from the pastures anytime they choose, or they can go into the cedar trees. Or, swish them off eachother and stand in a group…which is their usual choice. The big black horseflies are here now. Stable flies have dwindled and i rarely see a green-eyed monster. And, the worst of all…deer flies, have been gone for at least a month. Chiggers are still here, and of course ticks. Many many parasites… i WISH 70-80% of THEM were to have been gone but it sure doesn’t seem that way

[PaddockWood]

So you notice an improvement with the Marigold based product?

[walkinthewalk]

I’m gonna say the CLAC/Deo Gel works on the Boeing 747 horseflies. - that or I don’t have any this year.

The horses seem to be spending more time outside than in front of the fans in the barn.

I bought it thru Big D’s catalogue.

One thing I will say is the advertising shows there is lavender in the cream in the jar. When I read the label on my jar, there is zero lavender.

It is on the messy side to apply to apply but it smells good and I don’t mind getting it on my hands—- the sponge that comes with it fills with diet too fast — my horses are clean but they are retired and they’re far from spotless:)

Anyway, I THINK it’s a GO to keep the horse flies off as I have not see any welts from them, or bloody holes where they drilled thru the skin.

[eightpondfarm]

@PaddockWood

So you notice an improvement with the Marigold based product?

oh…it’s good for the two hours we’re in lesson. So were all the others too. I really like the smell!! When i’m spraying them occasionally one of the people there at the stable will come over and ask to be sprayed also LOL… AND you can spray it right on the horse’s face. So that’s an improvement.

[PaddockWood]

Good to know. I have a huge bottle of it and never tried. Thanks!