Looking for the best fly spray for horses? We carried out thorough research to provide you with the five best brands available.
💲 Curious (or in a hurry)? :
➡️This specific brand of fly spray is my personal favorite.
✅ Choosing the Right Fly Spray for Horses
Don’t just buy the first fly repellent for horses you see at the tack shop! There are several factors you should consider to make sure you get the best:
Your Horse’s Needs
If your horse is suffering from health issues, open wounds, or simply has sensitive skin, you may need to be more cautious when choosing a fly spray.
If you have any concerns or notice an adverse reaction, you should always consult a veterinarian. Testing a new spray on a small patch of skin first is a good way to gauge how it may affect your horse.
Active Ingredients
The active ingredients used for fly sprays differ from one spray to the other, and they may not be suitable for all horses (ie. lactating mares and foals).
Check the ingredients and read the directions before spraying to avoid causing harm to you and your horse.
If you’re worried about exposure to questionable chemicals, check out my reviews of natural fly sprays for horses (plus a DIY recipe using essential oils).
Other Fly Repellent Strategies
Don’t rely on fly spray alone! Take a look at the property as a whole, and try to make improvements.
For instance; you can clean out your horse’s living quarters more regularly or move the manure pile to a more remote location. It’s an easy way to reduce the swarming flies and may even prevent you from needing spray at all.
For more ideas, check out How to Get Rid of Flies Naturally.
Water Versus Oil
Some of the fly sprays available are water-based while others use oil. Both bases come with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Sprays with oil base seem to work faster since it suffocates or drowns insects in oil. Although it sticks well to the coat, it can also attract dust so regular grooming may be required to keep a shine on your horse’s coat.
On the other hand, sprays with a water base do not attract dirt or dust to help your horse stay cleaner. To give them more staying power, many include ingredients that can allow them to remain on the horse’s coat even when it rains.
My homemade fly spray for horses includes a recipe for both oil and water-based sprays you can make at home, depending on your preference (I use both).
Check the Percentages
It is important to check the quantity of the ingredients that are used in the fly spray. Some brands come with a higher amount of active ingredients than others.
The ones with a higher amount are likely to be more effective (but can also be more expensive). Sometimes, you get what you pay for!
✅ Best Fly Spray for Horses
Top 5 Fly Sprays for Horses – Reviews
Absorbine UltraShield EX Brand Residual Insecticide and Repellent
This spray is weatherproof, resistant to sweat, and has ingredients that can deliver fly control for 17 days. It contains natural Pyrethrins and even consists of two sunscreens.
Features
• The special formula makes it sweat resistant, weatherproof, and can repel flies for 17 days.
• This spray can work well all around the barn. You can even use it on your dogs.
• The active ingredients are some of the latest and most effects repellents available.
Pros:
• It works fast and lasts for days.
• You can use it on both horses and dogs of all ages.
• It has a powerful spray.
• Sticks to the horse's coat in all weather conditions.
Cons:
• Its strong ingredients may result in irritation
Farnam Endure Sweat-Resistant Fly Repellents for Horses
This long lasting spray contains a special formula that ensures it works through the rain and sweat for up to 14 days.
Features
• The only fly spray with RepeLock conditioner, which binds to the hair shaft.
• Available in economy packs, roll-on, and refill the sizes.
• It is always active no matter the weather condition. Even when your horse sweats!
Pros:
• Great value for your money
• Long Lasting
• Safe for dogs
Cons:
• There are no cons that can be associated with this brand yet.
PYRANHA Wipe N Spray Fly Protection ALL SIZES (1 Bottle)
This fly spray is citronella scented and contains lanolin as a coat conditioner for extra sheen.
Features
• It comes in convenient 32 oz bottles.
• This spray contains an effective pyrethrins-based agent which you can directly apply on your horse.
• Perfect for shows when you need a shiny coat.
Pros:
• Strong insect deterrent
• Adds shine to the coat
Cons:
• It can become too greasy with daily use.
ECOVET Horse Fly Spray Repellent/Insecticide (Made with Food Grade Fatty acids)
As an alternative to traditional pesticides, the active ingredients in this spray are food-grade fatty acids.
Features
• It provides an effective "barrier" against insects.
• This fly spray is quite safe to the humans who are applying it and to the horses.
• Clinically shown improvement for horses with difficult-to-treat sweet itch problems
Pros:
• Effective on several kinds of mosquitoes, ticks, and flies
• Long lasting protection
• Can be used to treat itchy skin problems
Cons:
• Some have reported a problem with the spray nozzle/head.
Farnam Bronco Gold
This product comes with a strong trigger sprayer and citronella scent that kills and repels flies, lice, ticks, gnats, and mosquitoes.
Features
• Available in 32 oz. or 1 gallon sizes.
• It is non-oily, and you can apply it with the provided trigger spray or a wipe.
• Repels all kinds of horn, house, deer, face, horse, and stable flies.
Pros:
• Quite affordable
• Pleasant Scent
• Can repel and kill wide ranges of flies and insects
Cons:
• It may not be as potent as some stronger fly sprays
✅ FAQs About Fly Spray for Horses
Here are the answers to common questions about fly sprays:
Does apple cider vinegar keep flies off horses?
Yes! Natural (unpasteurized) apple cider vinegar can be used both internally and externally to repel insects. See my post Apple Cider Vinegar for Horses – Top 10 Uses for more details.
What essential oils keep horseflies away?
I like to use a combination of any of the following oils:
- Citronella
- Eucalyptus
- Lemon Grass
- Peppermint
- Cedarwood
- Lavender
- Tea Tree
Or alternatively, you can purchase a pre-mixed Bug Repelling Essential Oil Blend.
What else can you put on a horse to keep flies away?
Fly sheets, boots and masks can all provide added protection.
If your horse is turned out 24/7, I highly recommend purchasing good quality, well-fitted fly gear. Lower quality products are more prone to tearing.
This fly mask is great, and is the only one my horses haven’t “lost” while turned out so far!
✅Overview
We based our picks for the best fly sprays on their effectiveness, affordability, and safety. We hope after reading these Horse Fly Spray Reviews, you can find the one that will best suit your needs and have a fly-free summer!
Here’s a quick overview of the best fly spray for horses:
- Absorbine UltraShield EX
- Farnam Endure
- Pyranha Wipe N Spray
- Ecovet Horse Fly Spray Repellent
- Farnam Bronco Gold
What’s your favourite fly spray for horses?
Love that you added a featured image 😉
I have found that TriTec14 is the one that works best for me. Why didn’t you review it?
Farnam Equicare Super 7 is the best fly spray I have found. It has immediate fly knock-down & seems to last more than most(in spite of the claims of 7-14 days for many brands, I have never found that to be true of any spray btw), and it actually smells pretty good.
I love the Absorbine Ultra Shield. It’s the only one that keeps the ticks off my horses. It’s pricey, but better than a $3000 vet bill to treat Lime disease.
Absorbine Ultrashield EX is also my favorite. I’ve used it since they came out with it ages ago (the first name was a little different). It is the best for keeping my horses fly and other insects free. I could even use it on one of my horses who had very sensitive skin and reacted to even a “gentle” homemade fly spray that I tried on him. I’ve tried others here and there but always come back to Ultrashield.