Nothing ruins a ride or your horse’s downtime faster than annoying—and, if they’re carrying diseases, potentially dangerous insects including biting flies.
Flies attacking horse on a summer day
Deciding whether to make your own fly spray or buy it off of the shelf? Here are 10 factors to consider before making your own formula versus purchasing a fly spray.
© 2013 by Loren Kerns
Are you deciding whether to make your own fly spray or buy it off of the shelf? Many people create their own fly spray formulas to save money using household ingredients. However, there are some factors to consider before attempting your own formula versus purchasing a fly spray like UltraShield® EX.
Here is a list of reasons why the riders at Absorbine® do prefer using UltraShield® over a D.I.Y. or homemade fly spray. Hopefully whichever direction you go, this article will help you make the most informed decision leading to your horse being protected all season!
- Safety – There are plenty of ingredients sold over the counter that could harm your horse. Remember, a horse’s skin is 4 times more sensitive than ours is. UltraShield® EX has a very extensive track record of happy and comfortable horses.
- Performance – This is a biggie. While there are some great natural ingredients out there for repelling flies, the best results come from several ingredients working together. This takes careful formulation and testing to get it right. Also, natural ingredients just tend to stop working much sooner.
- No-Kill – Most D.I.Y. fly sprays only repel the insects, they do not kill them. Most natural fly sprays that says they “kill” anything is making a false claim. Typically only insecticides actually kill insects.
- Oils Don’t Mix – Many D.I.Y. fly sprays use water mixed with oils. This can lead to uneven distribution of the ingredients because oil does not readily mix with water. There are emulsifiers in UltraShield® to help mix the water base with the active ingredients creating even coverage, and even, complete coverage is critical – the flies will find any uncovered areas and feed there.
- Attracts Dirt – The oils used in D.I.Y. fly sprays can leave the coat greasy, which not only feels gross, but makes dirt stick to your horse’s hair. UltraShield® leaves the coat smooth and shiny, and will actually repel dirt.
- Smell – While we could see some D.I.Y. fly sprays smell quite nice, it’s hard to make it smell good and work well at the same time. Some of the most powerful D.I.Y. ingredients are quite smelly. If it smells too good, the flies might actually be attracted to it.
- Time – Your time is valuable. Think about the time it takes to gather up the ingredients, measure them out, and mix them. Then factor in how much more often you may need to apply a homemade spray than a ready-to use one from the store.
- Money – You may actually end up spending more money on D.I.Y. fly spray in the end after you calculate your time to make it (including how often you need to apply them) and the cost of the ingredients.
- Allergens – Your horse might end up being allergic to any of the household ingredients, even though they sound benign.
In the end it’s all about your own horse’s needs. You’ll find various homemade fly spray recipes online. If you go that route, try to choose one from a website with an equine community and a comment section so you can see how it worked out for them. UltraShield® fly control gives you proven protection that’s powerful ammunition in the battle against fly frustration. And with multiple fly control options, you can adjust your protection depending on weather, insect intensity, and your horse’s activity level.
You can find our premium and proven UltraShield® Fly Control products at Absorbine.com.
Updated Press release provided by Team Absorbine - First published on EquiMed August 2019