# Fly Spray Questions???



## mackenziemetzger (Jun 2, 2014)

So I heard that the best fly spray is absorbine ultrashield..
whats the difference between all of them? Theres ultrashield ex, red, orange, green.. whats the difference between all of them and which one is the best?
Or if not absorbine, which fly spray is the best overall? not just the cheapest but the fly spray/repellent that works the best??


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

The best fly spray I've found after using about all of them is Tri Tec in the silver bottle or gallon jug. It's a bit pricy and can be found the cheapest on Amazon. The Absorbine brand is pretty effective but not nearly as much as Tri Tec.
Bronco is probably the worst I've tried.

Insects won't touch your horse when you use this and I have to hide mine at the stable. Everyone knows how well it works so it has a tendency to "disappear"!


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Ultrashield does work really well. Red is the most concentrated form and only one that works for me. I use a homemade fly spray (apple cider vinegar and garlic) and about a quarter of the mixture is ultrashield red. It does a great job of keeping the bugs off and saves money too (since I am mixing it with my homemade spray).

It does nothing for mosquitoes though. Not a problem for me since I do live in a desert, but the few times we did get mosquitoes the horses got all bit up. It is a fly spray though, not mosquito spray.


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## khrysoula (Apr 12, 2013)

I have been using the Ultra Shield EX black bottle for two years. I tried the green but that just didn't work on Texas flies. The EX doesn't last 17 days of course but it does work better than others and I always look for deals and buy the gallon. I also use it on the dogs and it works well. 

I agree the Bronco is the worst. 

I bought Centaura because I can also use it on me and it was okay but not worth it. 

I have not tried Tri Tec 14 but I certainly will now. 

Ingrid


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

BTW my horse used to always get horrible hives in summer. After using Ultrashield red, she no longer gets hives. It has been most effective for me.


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## KsKatt (Jun 2, 2014)

horseluvr2524 said:


> Ultrashield does work really well. Red is the most concentrated form and only one that works for me. I use a homemade fly spray (apple cider vinegar and garlic) and about a quarter of the mixture is ultrashield red. It does a great job of keeping the bugs off and saves money too (since I am mixing it with my homemade spray).
> 
> It does nothing for mosquitoes though. Not a problem for me since I do live in a desert, but the few times we did get mosquitoes the horses got all bit up. It is a fly spray though, not mosquito spray.


I sure would love to get the recipe for that homemade fly spray of yours!!
Would you be willing to share?:wink:


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Around here, none work very well but the Bronco Gold (oil based) works about the same as the rest. The regular Bronco (water based) doesn't work at all. 

I don't think we've tried the Tri Tech because it was so much more expensive. 

We've done the homemade flyspray too.

This year we are trying fly predators. We also string up the sticky fly tape along our fence lines. That usually needs to be replaced every 3 days.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

We have pretty nasty flies here, as it gets quite hot and humid, and there are several dairy and horse farms in the area. We have a whole fly system that we use, and it seems to do the trick.

First of all, Fly Predators. 

Secondly, Spot-On by Farnam. It comes in a box containing three little droppers, much like flea droppers for dogs and cats, except much bigger. We apply this stuff once in the beginning of each summer month, and it actually does a decent job by itself.

Over the Spot-On, we use ENDURE by Farnam. I swear by the stuff!! Waterproof, sweatproof, and is the only fly spray I've tried that actually worked. If you apply it every day, in two weeks the tails will stop swatting.

On top of all that, we use flymasks. My thin-skin Thoroughbred does have a fly sheet, but we honestly don't need it after all of the other stuff. I mainly use it just for the days before a show when I'm trying to keep him clean. :lol:

That is pretty much our fly-containment system. We've tried the homemade fly sprays, but the ones that work are more expensive than the Endure (we buy in bulk), and anything cheaper doesn't work. None of the traps we've tried work, we have too many flies. 

Hope you succeed at your fly control issue!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Just some info...

- Keep in mind that all the insecticide sprays are basically just different combinations of the _same three active ingredients_, so don't expect a great deal of difference between brands or cost. Insecticides for Fly Control on Horses | University of Kentucky Entomology

- The type and number of flies varies greatly based on the weather, e.g. temperature, sunlight, wind, and humidity, so if a spray seems to work great one day, _it may just be coincidence_, i.e. there were less flies that day.

- The manufacturer's claims for effectiveness and duration have _no actual studies to back them up_.

Good luck. In all my horse years, I have not found _any_ product or homemade recipe that I would honestly call effective on a day in, day out basis.


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