Spring is here! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping….. but the flies are out! We all enjoy the warm weather when it comes, but it can be a nuisance for our horses. Imagine multiple flies bugging you all day, every day. There are many fly sprays, sheets, and masks out there on the market. With so many to choose from it’s hard to find what’s best. Let me share some of my experiences and favorite products for fly control.
Fly Sprays
I have had experience with multiple fly sprays. When I first got my horse, I wanted to find a cheaper fly spray and a good brand. I knew Farnam was a well-trusted brand, so I decided to try their Bronco-e Equine Fly Spray. This looked like a good spray that was very affordable. However, it didn’t last very long. It was like I had to drown my horse in it for it to work well. This can be a good option for you if you don’t mind applying it very often on your horse and if the flies aren’t really bad in your area.
After using the Bronco-e fly spray for a while, I tried the Farnam Tri-Tec 14 spray. I wanted to stick with Farnam cause I knew it was a good brand that had affordable prices. The Tri-Tec 14 worked better than the Bronco E spray, but only lasted about a day. I still wanted a spray that would last longer.
I found a bottle of the Farnam Grand Champion fly repellent with show-ring shine on sale and thought I’d try it out. I loved how shiny it made my horse, but she had an allergic reaction to it. This can be a good fly spray for someone that wants to repel flies and have a shiny horse, just watch out for the ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction.
I’ve always known that Absorbine was a very good brand, their fly sprays were more pricey though. You get what you pay for, so I thought it would be worth trying out a more expensive fly spray. I tried the Absorbine UltraShield EX, because it looked like the best, and was known to last a few days. I always get a small bottle of fly spray when trying a new one, now that I know my horse can have an allergic reaction to a certain ingredient. I also liked that it kills and repels more than 70 species.
I was very impressed with the Absorbine UltraShield EX spray. It kept the flies away longer than any other spray I tried. The only downside to this spray is that it wasn’t natural. I looked into natural sprays, but most last a day or less. I looked at the Absorbine UltraShield Green, but people say it doesn’t last very long either.
I had won a prize package from Absorbine with the UltraShield Red, so I tried it out also. It seemed to work very well too, I don’t think it worked as long as the UltraShield EX, but very close to it. My overall best choice is the UltraShield EX fly spray. It is long-lasting, great quality, and did not cause an allergic reaction on my horse. It is on the higher price side but is well worth it because you don’t have to reapply it as frequently.
Spot-On Fly Protection
Don’t like to reapply fly spray every few days? Then a spot-on treatment may work best for you. These spot-on fly treatments are like a flea medicine treatment for your cat or dog. You apply the liquid to certain areas of your horse’s body. I have had experience with the Celebration Spot-On, and it works better than I thought it would!
In 80-degree weather, there weren’t many flies around my horse after applying it. I was looking into using this if I was to be away for a while and not home to reapply fly spray. The Celebration Spot-On comes with a 6-week supply when you purchase. Each tube of liquid is advertised to last 2 weeks.
There are also other options such as the Farnam Equi-Spot, Freedom 45 Spot-On, and Pro-Force 50 by Manna Pro. I have not had experience with any of these, but some people say the Farnam Equi-Spot does not work as well as Celebration. Celebration was my first choice because horse owners said it lasts longer.
Fly Masks
I was always hesitant to put a fly mask on my horse. I had thought of trying one, but my horse has never had a fly mask on before and I was afraid of how she would react with one on her face. I’ll never know how she’d react if I don’t try it.
So I started to look at fly masks that didn’t have ears. My horse doesn’t like her ears touched, so I wanted something open. I also wanted a fly mask that allowed me to still be able to see my horses’ eyes. Before purchasing a fly mask, I wanted to get it from somewhere where I would be able to return it, just in case my horse hated it. For sizing purposes, I wanted to be able to return it if needed.
The only place I could find to be able to return a worn fly mask was Chewy. They will let you return a fly mask, even if it got torn up or didn’t fit your horse. Out of all the options on Chewy, I liked the Shires fine mesh earless fly mask. It had no ears and was very open at the top, so I decided to go with that one.
I purchased the Shires fine mesh earless fly mask in full size since my horse is a Tennessee Walker. When I received the full size, it was HUGE on my horse! The velcro straps were hanging way off of it. Let me mind you that the sizing guide provided by Shires was centimeters, not inches.
I got in contact with Chewy got a refund for that full-size mask. I then tried the cob size in the same mask, thinking it would fit my horse better. It was still too big! The velcro straps weren’t hanging off, but you could stick your whole hand in between the mask and your horse’s face. When I tightened up the mask to make it not so loose, the velcro was hanging off again.
Thankfully, Chewy gave me a refund for the cob size, again! I then ordered the pony size, it was the only option left. I received the pony size and it finally fit!! It took multiple times, but I finally found the right size. I never would have thought my horse would need a pony size fly mask. I give a big shout-out to Chewy’s customer service for helping me get the right fly mask for my horse! Chewy was so kind to let me keep the fly masks that didn’t fit, so I could donate them to a horse rescue or therapy center.
I love the Shires fine mesh earless mask, it keeps the flies away from my horse’s eyes and has fleece padding so it won’t rub on your horse’s face. It has made my horse just a bit sweaty in the places with the fleece, but overall it’s pretty good.
You can also try a Lycra fly mask. These types of masks are made of a very thin material and allow you to slide it over your horse's face. These masks don't make your horse has sweaty compared to others with fleece padding. I know there are many great fly masks out there, SmartPak has some great ones too. Before you purchase a fly mask, just make sure you measure to get the right size!
Fly Sheets and Boots
Fly sheets and boots can be a handy tool. These are especially beneficial to the horses that sunburn easily. A benefit of using a fly sheet is that you wouldn’t have to apply much fly spray on your horse and the flies won’t be able to bite your horse.
There are many options for fly sheets, and I recommend looking at SmartPak. The best thing about purchasing fly sheets from SmartPak is that qualifying ones have a durability guarantee, so if something happens to the fly sheet you can get it replaced at no cost.
Fly sheets can be great if your horse has very sensitive skin. Fly sheets are a soft mesh, but strong enough so your horse won’t tear it. Keep in mind that some brands of fly sheets are more durable than others. Some horses need to have fly sheets, boots, and a mask if they are very sensitive to fly bites.
Fly boots are deisgned to help your horse not stomp its hooves so much. The flies that get on your horses’ legs cause them to stomp the hard ground consistently, which can lead to hoof cracks. SmartPak has a variety of options for fly boots- relaxed or fitted boots. I prefer to use the SmartPak Deluxe Relaxed Fit fly boots, these have worked great for my horse and they allow maximum airflow. The mesh material on the fly boots is soft but durable and protects your horse’s legs from flies.
A couple of favorite brands of fly sheets that horse owners like are Horze and Kensington. Horze fly sheets are soft but can make horses sweat more. Kensington fly sheets are a durable brand for horses that are rough on the sheet.
Conclusion
Over time you will figure out what works for your horse. Your horse may need a full set of fly gear, or just the fly spray itself. It depends on the climate and temperature where your horse lives.
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