Know your ingredients. This is essential to get the right choice for your horse (see below). Insecticides kill the insects, repellents only repel them.

There are many other natural ingredients that can be used for DIY fly sprays and they include: tea tree oil, garlic, cider vinegar, neem oil, aloe vera, lemon juice any many more. Thomas Pettifer® Sw'itch – “A soothing emulsion containing hydroxynbenzoate for horses suffering the effects of insect bites. Sw’itch contains tea tree and rosemary oils to soothe existing bites, and neem oil to help prevent new ones. This proven formulation is ideal for horses or ponies prone to sweet itch, or for general use as an insect deterrent. Apply daily with a cloth, concentrating on areas like their mane and tail.” Citronella is a natural oil extracted from the lemon grass plant and used for its fly repellent activity. Many products contain citronella which can be easily identified from its strong scent. Unfortunately the concentration of citronella is often not disclosed making it difficult to compare products. It does need to be reapplied regularly to remain effective.Natural is not always better. Don't assume that natural fly repellents are as effective as synthetic ones, plus they are only repellents so will never be as effective as an insecticide. NAF® Off Citronella Wristband – “This silicone NAF Off Citronella Wrist Band is made with citronella oil. The unique design enables the citronella oil to be contained in a special compartment of the wrist band making it highly durable, waterproof, and convenient to use. Perfect for both indoor and outdoor activities. The wrist band can be worn while riding or around the yard, and it is suitable to wear on the wrist or the ankle.” Look at the percentages. The only way to compare two different brands of fly repellent is to look at which one has the higher % of ingredients.

Ethyl Butacetylaminopropionate or IR3535® is a synthetic fly repellent chemical. It provides long lasting repellent activity against flies and Power Phaser claims to be effective even when horses sweat so may be a good choice for during competitions, long rides or strenuous exercise.I can't remember an Easter as nice as the one we're currently having but the flies have come out with a vengeance! Poor Charlie gets mithered by flies particularly around his head and eyes which means each year I go through the same process of trying to find a fly spray that actually works! One trip to the saddler's and it is very overwhelming the number of options for fly control. I thought it would be useful to give my top tips when choosing a fly repellent and explain some of the most common ingredients so you can have a bit more knowledge when choosing the best for your horses.

IV Horse® The Fly App Fly Repellent Wipes – “Tested on the nastiest of Scottish midges for maximum effectiveness, this HSE licensed Fly Repellent offers highly effective protection against all flies and biting insects. Carefully created to give long-lasting protection, with lemon eucalyptus.” Keep out of direct sunlight to prolong the lasting effects. Keep out of reach of small children as the substance in this fly spray is very strong.Power Phaser gives seven hours of protection, even if your horse sweats. An optimised blend of active ingredients guarantees stay-off effect and long-lasting effectiveness. The repellent-loss effect associated with perspiration is much less pronounced.