Fly spray for a very sensitive horse???

[_jetset_]

Any suggestions???

Grace resembles a toad at the moment and although 80% of the lumps are fly bites I am not wholly convinced that the other 20% have not been caused by the fly spray

So, can anyone suggest a fly spray that is gentle to the horse's skin but keeps the blood suckers away???

Was thinking about Avon Skin so Soft but not sure which one to buy and whether it would be kind enough

 

[cjdjivanovic]

There are some fly repellents you can feed as a supplement - I have an inkling Global Herbs does one; others might know more.

If your horse isn't competing affiliated ask your vet for some anti-histamine to administer yourself as needed.

It's a bad time of year for allergies too so don't discount that as a cause . . .

 

[_jetset_]

I am competing affilaited unfortunately

I spoke to my vet about something for her, but there is nothing FEI legal

The only thing they suggested was an allergy test but this would not help her this year (we would look into the use of desensitisation) and is not cheap...

 

[kit279]

Can you feed her garlic? Seems to do the trick for mine.

 

[SpottedCat]

I use this stuff on my horse who reacted v badly to another well known and heavily advertised brand of fly repellent, which caused skin blistering and he now has a white patch on his back - bloody company were not interested and I will never use anything they make again.

This stuff is great in that he does not react to it: http://www.barrier-biotech.com/product.php?pid=SP

 

[Worried1]

I make my own so know what goes in and can adapt it to suit each horse. PM me if you want my special recipe

 

[langside]

we have the same problem with the beast shes very sensitive e.g. we know that we can't feed her a well named feed brand and can't use a brush thats too hard ect
shes stabled but still resembles a gooseberry if you forget to spray her at night

we've found the Feedmark blue bottle Flyspray and gel are the best for her its meant to last 12hours so we don't have to keep spraying her

but obviously each horse is different but might be worth a try if you haven't tried it before

 

[Halfstep]

This:

http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=527

 

[jumpsforfun]

http://www.worldwideshoppingmall.co.uk/body-soul/equineem-herbal-insect-repellant-spray.asp

this is another great product for sensitive horses. mine's allergic to loads of things & this works a treat.

 

[_jetset_]

I have never heard of the Marigold one...

Has anyone used it???

 

[BBs]

Plenty of us use the Marigold one.
Very nice, smells divine and works well.
I prefer Phaser as think its stronger but smells vile!

I would think the Marigold one would be kind enough for your mare

 

[_jetset_]

Thank you BBs... Sensitive soul that she is

She looks like a toad at the moment poor girl

And yet she does not really swish or get cross when she is out and flies are around, she just reacts badly afterwards and comes up in huge lumps. She does have as fly rug, but it is currently at the cleaners having been slept in most of the summer last year

 

[Pasha]

I've used the Marigold one - but tend to only use it to ride out in after i've groomed as my horse seems to get bitten by everything unless he's wearing Coopers!!

He is v. sensitive skinned (cannot use the Deet Spray) and Coopers neat on a cloth is too strong, so I tend to dilute is a little bit with water first and that seems to work - useing a jay cloth to soak up the liquid so not too much going onto his coat in one application if that makes sense?

 

[Halfstep]

The marigold one works well I find. It really does keep the flies at bay and is actually good for their coats!

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks Halfstep... will send off for some tomorrow when my wages go in

Going to pop up and check on her on my way home from work and see whether she is still maintaining her hunger strike

 

[tabithakat64]

I use Phaser or the Barrier fly spray can't use the Deet one as it causes a nasty reaction.

 

[igglepiggle]

Phaser does have deet in and produced a horrendous reaction on my sensitive horse and meant I had to withdraw from an event. Grr...of course, we'd have won that one