It is the smell of summer: a dash of neem, a hint of lemon and a blast of citronella. The best fly sprays for horses are lifesavers in the summer months and, for many of us, reaching for the bottle is our first port of call to help keep flying pests at bay.
However, with such an array of products on the market, knowing which ones work best can be tricky.
Our team of testers has done the leg work for you, putting a selection of fly repellents to the test over the course of two months. Each one has been assessed out of five for ease of use, effectiveness and value for money. This gives an overall rating out of 15.
1. Eqyss Premier Marigold Spray
RRP £19.95 for 946ml (£2.11 per 100ml)
Ease of use: 5 stars
This product is quick and easy to apply and the spray in the bottle gives great coverage over the coat.
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
One of my horses is particularly sensitive and can get agitated when fly repellents are applied, but I didn’t have any issues with this one at all.
It really keeps the flies away and I only needed to apply it once a day — maximum twice when it was really warm. Both of my horses appeared happy and relaxed with very little tail swishing going on.
It smells of marigolds, which is pleasant and not at all overpowering.
Value for money: 4.5 stars
I really like this product and the results. It is gentle and yet effective and it smells amazing. The bottle lasts a while even when using it on two horses. I would definitely recommend it and have already bought more of the same.
Total: 14
2. Mastacare Extra Strength Fly Repellent
RRP £10.95 for 500ml (£2.19 per 100ml)
Ease of use: 4.5 stars
The repellent is easy to spray straight onto the horse or it can be applied with a sponge.
The spraying mechanism works well and the repellent has a very pleasant smell of subtle lemon that isn’t at all overpowering.
The instructions are easy to follow, but quite vague when it comes to explaining how long this product will actually last before it needs to be topped up.
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
Mastacare Extra Strength is very effective, but it does need to be applied twice a day. It doesn’t leave any marks or residue and after a few days of use my horse’s coat felt conditioned and had a healthy shine.
Value for money: 4.5 stars
This is a great product and even though I applied it twice a day it is a very reasonable price. The coat condition was an added perk which isn’t included in the description. I would definitely recommend it.
Total: 13.5
3. Kilchurn Equestrian No Fly Zone
RRP £22 for 1 litre (£2.20 per 100ml)
Ease of use: 4 stars
The 1ltr bottle that I used on two horses lasted a few weeks. I did, though, find the nozzle on the spray a little fiddly to adjust, but once I had it how I liked it the spray was good and it gave coverage over the coat in several squirts.
Effectiveness: 5 stars
This fly spray has a particularly strong smell that made both of my horses sneeze when it was applied. However, it does seem to be effective and it only needs applying once.
No Fly Zone is made from a blend of 100% natural ingredients, including neem oil, organic apple cider vinegar, lemon extract and tea. One of my horses is particularly sensitive and I try to use natural products on her wherever possible so this was a real positive for me. She had no reaction when using this at all.
Value for money: 4.5 stars
Total: 13.5
4. Cavalor Flyless
RRP £25.99 for 500ml (£5.20 per 100ml)
Ease of use: 5 stars
This has a good spray mechanism so you get good coverage with just a few squeezes of the trigger.
Effectiveness: 5 stars
It is a very effective repellent that seems to last longer than others I have used – after five or six hours neither of my horses appeared to be bothered by flies even during very hot and humid weather. The spray doesn’t leave any residue on the horse’s coat and it boasts a pleasant, clean smell.
Cavalor Flyless even appears to keep away horseflies, which have been particularly bad this year. I’ve used it on myself too, as it is safe for humans, which is a real plus point.
Value for money: 3.5 stars
It is effective and long-lasting, although the downside is that it is rather pricey.
Total: 13.5
5. Lincoln Power Repel
RRP £22.50 for 500ml (£4.50 for 100ml)
Ease of use: 5 stars
This spray is easy to use and it covers the horse with a mist of repellent which gives good coverage.
The smell is quite strong — it has a sharp odour with a hint of lemongrass, which is powerful but not unpleasant. Once applied, the product doesn’t leave any residue on the coat.
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
This repellent works well in normal conditions, but I did have to reapply it on hot and humid days. This was normally in the afternoon when the flies were at their worst and I could see that the horses were getting irritated. Unfortunately, I didn’t find that it offered effective protection for up to 12 hours as the manufacturer claims.
Value for money: 4 stars
I like this fly repellent, though, and it works well. However, it does work out quite expensive when you need to reapply it frequently.
Total: 13.5
6. NAF Naffoff Deet Power Performance
RRP from £19.99 for 750ml (£2.66 per 100ml)
Effectiveness: 5 stars
This spray is really effective and it seems to repel all annoying insects.
Ease of use: 4 stars
I found it quite thick, and it left a white residue on darker coloured horses. I also found it sticky, which attracted dust and meant that it wasn’t ideal for competition use.
Value for money: 4 stars
It is at the higher end of the price spectrum for a fly spray, but it is very effective and so is worth investing in for use on horses who are turned out.
Total: 13
7. Shires Ezi-Groom Citronella Spray
RRP £8.99 for 400ml (£2.25 per 100ml)
Ease of use: 4 stars
I didn’t find the spray nozzle particularly powerful on this bottle, and although the spray has a fresh smell to it, it was also quite watery so I needed to apply a lot to get good coverage.
Effectiveness: 4 stars
The citronella smell did keep the flies away, but I didn’t find it quite as effective as some of the other brands I’ve used in the past.
Value for money: 4.5 stars
It is, however, good value for money and pleasant to use, unlike others I have tried previously.
Total: 12.5
All prices are correct at the time of writing.
