Topical, long-lasting bug repellents (NOT fly sprays)

[Edre]

We are in the crosshairs of a really tough bug year - even horses that aren’t typically reactive to bites are getting welts and a couple horses are getting reactions that are causing some serum to seep and then crust over (which they find itchy rather than sore & painful). Most of these reactions are happening on their undercarriage (right in front of mares’ udders, at their navel area, or just behind the girth region - some are also having this high up between their thighs).

I’ve considered the fly sheets with the belly bands but based on the location of some of these bites (inner thighs, udders) they wouldn’t actually block the sites in question.

So I’m onto another idea: the topical, long-lasting repellents (like Farnam’s Equi-spot or Manna’s Pro-force 50). Even if they don’t last as long as the packaging recommends, if it can offer more relief than fly spray, I will consider it a worthwhile investment.

Does anyone have experience with a long-lasting topical application for bug repellents? Which worked? Which didn’t? Are there any you’d recommend (or recommend avoiding)?
My mare (& friends) thank you for your guidance

[Simkie]

I’ve had a terrible year for gnats, too, and think that’s the issue you’re describing with bites and itchy and scabbing on the under carriage.

I haven’t found much to help, not even the spot on type repellents. I took a lemon eucalyptus repellent and mixed that with zinc oxide ointment, and that’s been probably better than anything, but still doesn’t last more than a day.

I haven’t tried deet, but that might be the next step.

[Horsecrazy3]

Neem oil. Must be diluted to use. Recipe is 2 tablespoons neem oil, 2 cups water and a squirt of dish soap for emulsifying the neem oil. Or add it to your existing fly spray at 2 tablespoons/per 2 cups fly spray. Causes male no-see-ums to be sterile. Also stops flies from bothering your horse. Only ingredient that stopped my geldings sweet itch, reduced my farm’s no-see-ums numbers and keeps all the other bugs off him. I spray every other day.

[MapleFarm]

just test neem on a small spot first! learned that the hard way…some horses are sensitive to it.

I, too, am having more problems than normal. I am using various ointments in the bad spots which at least seems to protect the areas, but it comes off in half a day. Spot-on doesn’t do much for my horses…maybe a bit against ticks but not amazing.

[Edre]

Agreed, it is definitely the gnats. Have you found anything that helps heal/bring relief? I’ve been trying corona and it keeps it from getting too crusty, but it’s not doing much. Silver honey is next on my list to try.

[Simkie]

My go to is zinc oxide ointment, and it does work to heal the oozy or scabby spots. It also helps with bites just from a physical barrier aspect, but it’s not like you can slather the entire underside of the horse with it every day :-/

Lemon eucalyptus is supposed to be a better repellent for gnats than the pyrethrins/permethrins. It’s not miraculous by any stretch, but does something. Maybe.

It’s sure been a sucky year for this sort of thing!

[endlessclimb]

Ditto with the gnats, in the same locations as OP describes.

I’ve used SWAT with good success in keeping them off.

[Dr_Doolittle]

I was going to suggest Swat, it works reliably well for this and is my “go to.” Has gotten pretty pricey though.

[luvmyhackney]

I haven’t tried this yet but my husbands golf buddies swear this clip thing works.

InfusenClip™

[PaddockWood]

Give Honey Heel by Red Horse Products a try. I’m in love with this stuff so much I just bought the 500 ml container and bet it will last all summer. And it’s not toxic in any way.

I’ve got a patch of it going on my mare’s underside just behind her girth area where she gets itchy, oozy, crusty and little black flies sit there in the past and torture her. No longer a problem. Honey Heel dries out and forms a dried paste-like patch and lasts much longer than zinc oxide cream.

Now that we’ve got those little green nasty horse flies starting and they are landing on her udder and biting I’ve applied it there and voila - they aren’t landing.

I also use Swat but when it’s warm it just melts.

Next week with the heat wave will be a test for everything. Shit. But I have a feeling Honey Heel will be a winner still.

[ClassyJumper]

Has anyone tried a picaridin based spray? Is it safe for horses? I wandered into the camping aisle of Walmart also desperate to find something. I ended up just getting deep woods off but there seemed to be a lot of new sprays with picaridin… google says it’s a safe alternative to deet

[emeraldcity]

picaridin in my experience works better than DEET, particularly on mosquitos. I have this- https://www.farnam.com/all-products/fly-insect-control/dual-defense which is meant for both human and horse. I can’t speak to gnats specifically, but for mosquitos it is the best thing I’ve used. I use picaridin (that one or whatever version I have at home) always rather than DEET for myself now.

[SusanO]

I live in Bubba County Alabama which I think is the gnat capital of the world. They do more swarming into your eyeballs than biting but they still bite. My horses come in when they are out and have a fan blowing on them. The horses get pretty upset in the pasture unless they can come in to get away from them.

I use lemon eucalyptus spray to keep the gnats off me while I am working outside. But I do not spray it directly on me - I spray a baseball cap that I put on my head. Or maybe on my shirt sleeves, not on my skin. I do spray the dock of the tail on one horse. It works OK - does not seem to be as effective for mosquitos. Does not irritate the tail of the horse. I am not sure I would count on it to keep biting gnats off a horse long term. Sure it is one tool in the toolbox but not a cure. We have gnats here about 9 months of the year but they are not as vicious biters as other places. We are having torrential showers here which temporarily send the gnats into hiding. but once it dries out they will be awful.

[Simkie]

Gawd I don’t find swat to help with gnats much at all. Wish it would.

@ClassyJumper

Has anyone tried a picaridin based spray? Is it safe for horses?

Yeah, there used to be a horse (and people and dog) picaridin spray called Centaura. It worked pretty well but was expensive and they discontinued it awhile ago. I keep meaning to try one of the people versions for the horses. I have an old bottle of Centaura I still use on the dog.

[endlessclimb]

@Simkie

Gawd I don’t find swat to help with gnats much at all. Wish it would.

I think the barrier effect is equally important to the repellent. But it works well for the gnats I have here!

[trubandloki]

@endlessclimb

@Simkie

Gawd I don’t find swat to help with gnats much at all. Wish it would.

I think the barrier effect is equally important to the repellent. But it works well for the gnats I have here!

I second this.
As long as I keep it applied, which is an endless battle sometimes, it seems to work well.
The horse ends up a slimy mess, oh joy.
And like someone said above, it has gotten quite expensive.

[Calvincrowe]

PNW here, and Swat is my go-to for the midline mess from “whatever is biting the hell out of my gelding” repellent! I slather it on-- I have the pink and the clear-- and apply twice a day, AM and PM. Luckily, we are light on mosquitoes but heavy on regular old flies and noseeums/gnats this year.

[Simkie]

@endlessclimb

I think the barrier effect is equally important to the repellent. But it works well for the gnats I have here!

Oh yeah, I totally agree on the barrier aspect; sometimes it seems like that’s the best we get on the gnat front Swat just melts so fast for me here, and zinc oxide seems to stick around better. Nothing really sticks through the little mare lying down to rub her belly on the ground though

Someone (is it @Xanthoria ?? maybe?) had some data that showed gnats actually being attracted to citronella? Which jfc really can’t we just get one break on this stuff? Ugh.

[tabula_rashah]

Yep- this. I add it to all of my fly spray but a bit less strong. I do about 2 tablespoons per spray bottle and just do a squirt of horse shampoo because that’s what is in the barn and available

[whoagirl]

I just battled this. It took me 30 days to treat/heal and find a prevention plan that works here in San Diego.

During the Seeping Stage, to dry out and prevent infection:
Dilute chlorhexidine solution, 1oz (2 TBSP) per gallon
Scrub on with rubber dog mitt, no need to rinse
Dry with microfiber towel
Apply Tri-Care Wound Treatment, thin with a couple drops of mineral oil to make it easier to spread.

• Don’t use fly spray on seeping/open wounds

At Scab Stage:
Stop the above steps.
Use a Slick 'n Easy grooming block to remove scabs.
Apply A&D ointment*, thinned with mineral oil, and with a couple of squirts of fly spray mixed in (you could substitute neem oil for fly spray). Continue until skin is fully moisturized and hair grows back.

Prevention:
Add 6 oz Manna Pro SimplyFlax to daily mash.
Add neem oil to fly spray and use just for under areas (worry about sun sensitivity)
Muck pea and poop areas and spray all moist areas with oil/water solution to suffocate gnats. (HDX handheld 56 oz sprayer; fill with water, add cedar oil, and mineral oil (binds oil to water).
Mosquito Torpedo in water trough
Create and attractive pea/poop area away from cedar shavings bedding area. Pine pellets with stall dry/zoelite.
Rake bedding to dry it out faster.

*I tested Equiderma lotion and added neem oil, but the A&D +fly spray lasted longer.

Here’s notes from an Ag School that listed products/active ingredients for gnats. I found my solution before needing to try these.
Repel X Lotion, Cypermethrin, Not on rainy days, Farnam $13
Mosquito Halt, Prallethrin, research, Farnam $26
Picaridin Insect Lotion, Picaridin 20%, horse & rider, Sawyer $12

I read…the scent of urine attracts gnats; they need moisture to breed. They can’t fly far; they spread by daisy chaining to nearby moisture areas.
Stalls neighboring mine are using a sweet itch blanket from Boett and say it’s working.