# Horses breaking out from Bronco Gold



## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I'm very puzzled...I bought Bronco Gold fly spray which is a product I haven't tried before.

I sprayed it on both my mares, and the next day one of my mares had large patches where she'd broken out in hives. It was obviously from the fly spray - you could see the big round areas where I'd sprayed her. So I figured she was allergic to some ingredient, and thought I'd use it only on my other mare.

Several days later, I sprayed my other mare with the Bronco Gold. The next day, she was also broken out in welts where I had sprayed her. 

The ingredients are:

Pyrethrins 0.1%
Piperonyl Butoxide Technical 1%
Butoxypolypropylene Glycol 7.5%

Obviously,* both* my mares are not allergic to this spray. Looking around at other fly sprays I've used in the past, these are all common ingredients I've used before. The only thing I can think of is that even though the Bronco Gold comes in a spray bottle, suggesting it should be sprayed on the horse, the instructions say to spray it on a cloth first and then wipe it on the horse. Perhaps the 7.5% is very strong (although it doesn't say to dilute it), so can't actually touch the horse's skin without irritation? Has anyone else used this and sprayed it directly on their horses?

I probably will avoid the product regardless, because most sprays I've used could just be sprayed directly on the horse which is much easier.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Directly into the garbage can...or hazardous material container.
And give the horses a bath.
Is that a foreign produced product or US? I probably would write a letter of complaint to the mfg.


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## k9kenai (Jul 1, 2017)

I agree with Dustbunny. Before you toss it though contact the manufacturer and let them know. They may want you to send it to them so they can run tests on it to make sure it is not a bad batch and issue a recall.

I used to use Eqyss Summer Defense Marigold on my gelding who had a lot of sensitivities to fly control products. It kept the majority of the flies away from him in a barn of 30+ horses.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ditto to contact the manufacturer before you throw it out.

Were it me, I would be anal enough to keep some, send it to a lab for testing, and ask the manufacturer for a copy of their test results for comparison of test results. 

Someone on another forum really likes this EcoVet fly spray. She claims it even detracts the big black horse flies that have drill bits for stingers. She only applies to the horses every 2-3 days <----yes that is "days"  

https://eco-vet.com

I'm considering buying a bottle, but truthfully I'm happy with my current set up. They stay in the barn in front of fans most of the day. Since one horse is insulin resistant and the other an easy keeper, that suits me fine


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

Is it oiled or water based? We're last products you used oil or water based? Does it have citronella in it?

My Arab does not do well with oil based fly sprays, or sprays with citronella in it. Which sucks.


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## ldrider (Jul 10, 2017)

*Bronco Gold should be taken off the market*

I don’t want anyone else to go through what I just went through. By a strange turn of events I used a different fly spray recently. Within 24 hrs of using it, all 4 of my Morgan’s legs blew up, and he was weeping blood-tinged serum from his hocks and knees. The serum was running down his legs and burning them, and the hair was coming off, not just his legs but his butt, back and withers too. I had to wash his legs and body with medicated shampoo twice a day, and walk him 2 hours a day (in 100°+ temps), then apply medicated ointment on all the burns, plus apply Vaseline on his legs to try and prevent more burning and hair loss. He also couldn’t lay down, and believe me, he likes his naps. It took 4 days for the serum to quit flowing and the swelling to go down, but he is still losing patches of hair a week later. That “different” fly spray – Bronco Gold by Farnam. Please consider yourself forewarned, and only consider using this fly spray with extreme caution. Couldn't figure out how to post pictures of the damage.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Very interesting! I think I will write a letter of complaint. This is not coincidence or user error if multiple horses are having major skin issues from a single fly spray. I've used citronella on mine, and both oil and water based with no issues. We don't have serious fly problems here in the Pac NW so I've been rather random about what I use - other than I spray small amounts of DEET around the mane/tail/udder of my mare with Sweet Itch. But I've always used a "general" fly spray for both horses to cover larger areas of their body.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

@ldrider thank you for posting. Yours has to be the worst reaction story to fly spray I have ever heard

I can't ride anymore so, unless the makers of Zonk! change the formula, I know I can safely use it on my horses when I need to, which isn't often. After reading your horror story, I don't think I'll even try the natural fly spray EcoVet. I don't spray my horses for turnout which encourages them to come in the barn, stand in front of the fans and eat hay.

Please watch your horses for cellulitis now that this has happened. Cellulitis seems to like open sores such as you describe.

I'm not sure but I think you need more posts under your girth before you are allowed to post pictures

Welcome to the forum, please post often ----- not only for your input but we would love to see pics of your horses once you get to the point where that is allowed:smile:


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Eco vet is an amazing fly spray. It is amino acid based and somehow confuses the flies and makes the horse "hard to find". Word of warning though, it's got an extremely strong smell. Love the stuff, but can't use it in an enclosed stall, it really gives me a head ache. What's interesting to me is you don't have to soak the horse down with it, just spritz legs and barrel and that's it.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hmmmm. Well, I use Bronco Gold on all of my animals, both spray-on, and wipe-on, and it works great, altho it is kinda stinky. In fact, it works better than anything else I have tried to date, and the flies have been bad this year. I use it mostly on their legs, as the rest of them is protected by their fly sheets, but they haven't had a bit of trouble with it, this over ~3 years of seasonal use. I do not apply it heavily; a light spray, or quick wipe with my mitten.

Steve


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Eco vet is an amazing fly spray. It is amino acid based and somehow confuses the flies and makes the horse "hard to find". Word of warning though, it's got an extremely strong smell. Love the stuff, but can't use it in an enclosed stall, it really gives me a head ache. What's interesting to me is you don't have to soak the horse down with it, just spritz legs and barrel and that's it.





walkinthewalk said:


> Someone on another forum really likes this EcoVet fly spray. She claims it even detracts the big black horse flies that have drill bits for stingers. She only applies to the horses every 2-3 days <----yes that is "days"


 @*carshon* also recommends the EcoVet. I bought a small bottle to test out a couple of weeks ago since we were avoiding our trails because of the clouds of deer flies. I do think it works better than what I was using before, but I'm not sure there's anything that would be effective against the literal swarms of flies we have. Even with a healthy application of this stuff- and @*Dreamcatcher Arabians* is right, it is _very _strong smelling- while riding through the woods, I was still brushing groups of 5-10 biting flies off my mare's neck while she was cow kicking to get them off her belly. But like I said, this IS an improvement over the protection we got from the spray we were using previously! :grin:

I know you're supposed to be able to apply it only every few days, but that has definitely _not _been my experience. I applied it Saturday afternoon, then took my mare out to handgraze before riding on Sunday morning. She had so many deerflies biting her she didn't even want to graze.

The New Hampshire woods _are _notorious for our vicious summer bugs, so perhaps people in less extreme buggy environments will have more success.

Sorry to hear your mares had this reaction @*gottatrot* - sounds like some nasty stuff.


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## ldrider (Jul 10, 2017)

ldrider said:


> I don’t want anyone else to go through what I just went through. By a strange turn of events I used a different fly spray recently. Within 24 hrs of using it, all 4 of my Morgan’s legs blew up, and he was weeping blood-tinged serum from his hocks and knees. The serum was running down his legs and burning them, and the hair was coming off, not just his legs but his butt, back and withers too. I had to wash his legs and body with medicated shampoo twice a day, and walk him 2 hours a day (in 100°+ temps), then apply medicated ointment on all the burns, plus apply Vaseline on his legs to try and prevent more burning and hair loss. He also couldn’t lay down, and believe me, he likes his naps. It took 4 days for the serum to quit flowing and the swelling to go down, but he is still losing patches of hair a week later. That “different” fly spray – Bronco Gold by Farnam. Please consider yourself forewarned, and only consider using this fly spray with extreme caution. Couldn't figure out how to post pictures of the damage.


 I sent a letter to the manufacturer 2 weeks ago today, but so far have not heard back from them.


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## Getting Rich in Vegas (Jun 17, 2016)

I tried the Eco-Vet and feel the same as other posters. Good stuff and really, really helps with the no see um's. First year in I don't know how many my mare hasn't rubbed her tail dock off completely! Others have talked about the smell and I have to agree, it is very, very strong and should be done outdoors!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

These reviews are very helpful! Thanks to all of you for detailed and honest appraisals

Do any of you deal with those big black horse flies? Those are my worst issue. I have seen them stay attached to the horse's rump even if the horse drops and rolls. They aren't inclined to let go right away when the horse runs in the barn either.

If the EcoVet would work to deter those big black horse flies, I Would spend the money. 

I can't ride anymore but when I was riding, Deep Woods Off safely worked in any horse I put it on. Summer months I would put a fly mask with ears on the horse and hand wipe the OFF on the exposed part of the face. I sprayed the rest of the horse and never had any issues. That was several years ago, if the formula has been changed anything I just said may not apply. I liked it because it was one can for both of us, lol


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Wow... regarding Bronco Gold....
I _won't_ be picking any up till someone here posts a response from the manufacturer and a "recipe" problem had happened.
Thanks for the heads-up.
It use to be a quick grab from the store when I ran out of my usual....

So my usual is Endure.
Not perfect but I've found it works better than many and still works even when my horses are dripping with sticky sweat.
My guys can sweat that bad just grazing in the Florida sun...yuck!
On trail rides we are now encountering green headed horse flies...they HURT when they bite!! 
Darn things draw blood, the horses and mine.
The Endure keeps the worst away but honestly they still get the horses some...
I don't think anything works perfectly...but Endure seems to work better than many I've tried.
My horses actually posture their body so I can whack the ******s and kill them. No flinching, no being upset with the hit..
I swear the horse knows I _*am*_ trying to help.
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

My gelding has sensitive skin and it doesn't necessarily matter what active ingredients are in a particular fly spray, he appears to be sensitive to the particular overall mix of ingredients. His worst reaction by far was to Pyrahna aerosol, but even the cheap Bronco also produced welts. 


Any skin (equine, human, canine) can be sensitive to a particular chemical or blend, so my mind doesn't immediately leap to manufacturer error...


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Just another endorsement for Ecovet. We trail ride exclusively - my daughters mare is notoriously bug sensitive and grey to boot - so we need to be careful of some fly sprays because with extended use she has been known to sunburn. Our gnats and deer flies have been HORRIBLE this year - we usually rotate fly sprays to help coverage - our horses have spray applied daily. It has been 90 degrees here with high humidity - horses sweating standing there gnats and flies pestering them. Ecovet is the only spray that seems to work for the gnats

We rode on Friday into some deep ravines - it was 86 degrees and humid. All 3 of our horses were wearing ear bonnets and EcoVet spray. we even carry a small spray bottle with us. The deer flies were so bad on the horses ear bonnets (where we have never applied a fly spray) all 3 of us could grab handfuls of deer flies and crush them. We applied Eco Vet generously to all fly bonnets.

The smell is like that of melted crayons - my hubbies mare sneezes every time we put it on her - but it works.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

We normally don't get the big fat black flies until August. I've been fighting them since June this year, which is why when Smart Pak sent me a sample of the Eco Vet I ended up buying 2 quarts. I apply less and it works more. On my light horses I can see streaks of blood where those nasty things attack and since starting Eco Vet, I haven't seen any streaks. It's been amazing! I also use DMG & BugOff, and have to comment that my horses that normally have lumps and bumps from bug bites all over them by now are smooth and no bumps or lumps. The combination of the 3 products seems to really be working for us.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Cynical25 said:


> Any skin (equine, human, canine) can be sensitive to a particular chemical or blend, so my mind doesn't immediately leap to manufacturer error...


Mine didn't either, which was why I put it on my other horse after the first one broke out. But they really don't have particularly sensitive skin normally, and I use all kinds of products on them. So I am wondering if there was a bad batch of this stuff and maybe it ended up double or triple strength, so strong it burned the skin.


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## Seinna (Aug 18, 2017)

*Bronco Gold Flyspray*

Same thing happened to me with bronco gold. Large welts all over where I sprayed.


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## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

I use Pihrana flyspray. I spray it on a towel and wipe it on him. Flies are insta gone.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Seinna said:


> Same thing happened to me with bronco gold. Large welts all over where I sprayed.


I should have done an update a couple weeks ago, but at that time I talked to my vet and she told me she has heard of 6 other horses in our area that broke out from Bronco Gold. Several had quite bad reactions and had to have steroid treatment.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

The feed store had bronco fly spray on sale about a year ago. It made my mare break out in welts. Unfortunately it took me a few days to realize she was reacting to the spray. I have not tried it since!


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