Most effective flyspray?

[Iride]

Pyrhana, hands down. There’s 2, the one in the yellow aerosol spray can is strongest. But both work better than anything other sprays I’ve tried. And I’m pretty sure I’ve tried them all.

[Nezzy]

@HeyJealousy

I actually just bought the Smartpak fly spray and am in LOVE. I’ve tried pretty much every brand out there…the Pyranha was my favorite before, but this OutSmart one smells delicious and actually seems to do a great job on my super sensitive chestnut.

thanks for the heads up. Many of us have been wondering

[mbj]

http://www.equinemedsurg.com/products/summer/rk-topical-spray-3/ is very long lasting and effective

[HeyJealousy]

@fjordmom

Oh how my horses loved that stuff. I sure miss being able to get it. It was the best, especially against gnats. I can’t believe it disappeared from the market.

On another slight side track, anybody tried this RK Topical fly spray? It seems to be a much heavier concentration of the usual pyrethrin ingredients and adjuncts. Yet it is recommended to be used twice daily resulting in a pretty high cost per day. Wondering if it’s truly worth it for my sweet itch prone pony.

I actually did buy this last year for my guy. It honestly smells toxic…I can’t even breathe around it. It DOES work, though. If you have one that absolutely cannot handle the flies, it’s worth a shot…but phew, it’s potent stuff.

[HuntinQuarters]

I swear by Pyrannah. I buy the gallon jugs and use it in a squirter bottle for every day rides and use the aerosol version when showing (so I don’t end up with oily splotches on my horse’s fine coat).

[Lyssabd]

I tried the Smartpak OutSmart when it first came out a few years ago - I have a super sensitive grey who blows up with flies and gets a lot of hives, and the OutSmart actually caused him to have a skin reaction to it. I know they’ve changed the formula since then and had a recall on it (Smartpak is amazing and gave me a full refund on the 3 bottles I had purchased together on sale) so read up on it before purchasing if your horse has sensitive skin.

Two tips: If you’re interested in supplementing, I put my horse on Buggzo which actually seemed to help. Smells super garlicky but cut down on the fly bites he was having. Also, rinse your horse in vinegar! I put a good splash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a bucket, fill the small bucket about 1/3 full of water, and sponge him down after every ride or after any time he gets hosed off/bathed. Your horse will smell like a salad but I swear it works, and it’s helped clear up his sweet itch he gets every summer from the flies. You can also keep some handy in a spray bottle and spray him down between fly sprays.

For fly spray, I’ve stuck with the black UltraShield and it works great for rides and combined with the vinegar it helps us get through the summer turnout!

[Iride]

@Lyssabd

Also, rinse your horse in vinegar! I put a good splash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a bucket, fill the small bucket about 1/3 full of water, and sponge him down after every ride or after any time he gets hosed off/bathed. Your horse will smell like a salad but I swear it works, and it’s helped clear up his sweet itch he gets every summer from the flies. You can also keep some handy in a spray bottle and spray him down between fly sprays.

I like the idea but one note of caution with vinegar (actually, two): 1. Too much and your horse’s coat will get severely bleached in the sun. 2. Any cuts or sores, very painful if rinsed with vinegar!

[tazycat]

@Lyssabd

I tried the Smartpak OutSmart when it first came out a few years ago - I have a super sensitive grey who blows up with flies and gets a lot of hives, and the OutSmart actually caused him to have a skin reaction to it. I know they’ve changed the formula since then and had a recall on it (Smartpak is amazing and gave me a full refund on the 3 bottles I had purchased together on sale) so read up on it before purchasing if your horse has sensitive skin.

Two tips: If you’re interested in supplementing, I put my horse on Buggzo which actually seemed to help. Smells super garlicky but cut down on the fly bites he was having. Also, rinse your horse in vinegar! I put a good splash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a bucket, fill the small bucket about 1/3 full of water, and sponge him down after every ride or after any time he gets hosed off/bathed. Your horse will smell like a salad but I swear it works, and it’s helped clear up his sweet itch he gets every summer from the flies. You can also keep some handy in a spray bottle and spray him down between fly sprays.

For fly spray, I’ve stuck with the black UltraShield and it works great for rides and combined with the vinegar it helps us get through the summer turnout!

Don’t see how vinegar would repel anything and Buggzo garlicky smell my horses wouldn’t touch the stuff. Who want’s a horse that stinks like garlic i don’t. I can’t stand the smell of garlic YUCK!! Water based sprays do nothing to repel flies. I’ve used every water based spray on the market…only one that works half way decent is Endure,the rest are worthless.

Need oil based even those don’t work for long,adding diesel to spray helps a ton,yes i spray diesel on my horses.:eek: it’s mixed in with oil based spray.

[Mukluk]

I wonder to what extent the “best” spray is regional? I have honestly not found anything that really works (except deep woods off if I am dealing with the nasty little bugs that habitate the Sierras when I am horse camping. Around where I live I mostly want to get rid of regular annoying flies (fortunately they don’t bite, but unfortunately are annoying). It gets too hot for fly sheets plus from my experience my two destroy them. Well at least they do go away in the winter!

[Mukluk]

…The flies that is. So far the horses stick around for the winter : )

[Lyssabd]

@tazycat

Don’t see how vinegar would repel anything and Buggzo garlicky smell my horses wouldn’t touch the stuff. Who want’s a horse that stinks like garlic i don’t. I can’t stand the smell of garlic YUCK!! Water based sprays do nothing to repel flies. I’ve used every water based spray on the market…only one that works half way decent is Endure,the rest are worthless.

Need oil based even those don’t work for long,adding diesel to spray helps a ton,yes i spray diesel on my horses.:eek: it’s mixed in with oil based spray.

Flies don’t like vinegar, it actually does help to repel and to soothe the skin if they’re sensitive to bug bites. It also takes the itch out of any bites and helps them heal quicker and is a natural disinfectant against any skin or fungal issues that pop up in the summer. I don’t exclusively use vinegar as fly spray, as mentioned I use it between sprays with the black UltraShield. I’d rather my horse smell slightly of garlic and vinegar than let him be eaten by flies, and luckily he eats anything put in front of him! Then again, he’s a big grey and flies swarm him constantly.

[Lyssabd]

@Iride

I like the idea but one note of caution with vinegar (actually, two): 1. Too much and your horse’s coat will get severely bleached in the sun. 2. Any cuts or sores, very painful if rinsed with vinegar!

Good point it will bleach your horse if you use straight vinegar every day. I have a grey so I forget about that! If you dilute with water it works well. Plus if you’re using fly sheets, bleaching isn’t as much of a concern. It will sting any cuts (again, make sure you dilute with water, I usually use it in a one part vinegar two parts water ratio) but will also help disinfect and heal any cuts or bug bites and takes the itch out of any skin irritations. If you have a hyper sensitive horse then careful with it, but my guy isn’t bothered by it and it really helps with skin issues in the summer. My vet has recommended it several times and it’s made a huge difference!

[demidq]

I have a Sensitive Soul who comes out in welts from any and all bites. She is turned out nights in summer to avoid the B50 flies. The only sprays I have found helpful are human ones containing DEET, so I add pure DEET to horse-y stuff in spring when the black flies start, and of course she wears fly mask with ears and flysheet with belly band and neck cover. I use Deep Woods OFF before riding, especially to her belly and udder area. Just be aware that DEET will rot synthetics of any sort.

[EmilyM]

I like Flysect with citronella. It can be a little oily but it works. Regular Flysect is not nearly as effective.

[Iride]

@demidq

I have a Sensitive Soul who comes out in welts from any and all bites. She is turned out nights in summer to avoid the B50 flies. The only sprays I have found helpful are human ones containing DEET, so I add pure DEET to horse-y stuff in spring when the black flies start, and of course she wears fly mask with ears and flysheet with belly band and neck cover. I use Deep Woods OFF before riding, especially to her belly and udder area. Just be aware that DEET will rot synthetics of any sort.

Being that sensitive, you’re lucky she doesn’t react to something as strong as DEET!