10 of the best fly sprays we’ve put to the test and found to really work

This blend of effective ingredients provides a long-lasting stay-off effect from all insects, even when your horse sweats. Correctly applied, this product can last up to seven hours. It works against horseflies, ticks and all biting and non-biting flies. Also available in a convenient roll-on form for a stress-free and targeted application.

H&H’s Alex Robinson tested this fly spray and found it was really effective at deterring flies in hot weather. She also said Leovet Power Phaser was probably one of the best fly sprays she’s ever used. It has a strong smell so it isn’t for everyone, but it really works.

This was one of the most effective fly sprays on the market which lives up to its good reputation. Read the full Leovet Power Phaser review – we awarded it H&H Approved status.

This spray is the leading insecticide in the US. It kills horse flies, mosquitoes, Scottish midges, mites, stable flies, crab flies, deer flies and ticks. The water-based formula can stay in place for up to 14 days, assuming it doesn’t rain or you wash your horse.

While it is widely used on horses in the US, but in the UK it is only approved for premise use around horses. When testing this product, we found it was powerful and effective at repelling flies.

When testing this fly spray Alex found it had long lasting effects and a little goes a long way. While it has a higher price point than any others in this guide, it does offer value for money as it lasts so long.

Read the full Tri-Tec 14 review – we awarded it H&H Approved status.

Trusted by many horse owners, this fly repellent deters all flying insects and calms the effects of midge bites. In 2024, they rolled out refreshed labels, bottles and rebranding, but it is the same much-loved product inside. The pleasant-smelling formula contains a blend of concentrated herbal oils, volatile essential oils and pure avocado oil, which is a skin and coat conditioner. The trigger spray has a quiet, fine action, and the formula is also available in a refill bottle.

When testing this fly spray, Alex found it conditioned her horse’s coat a lot more than other fly sprays she tested. While some repellents can be effective, they can dry the coat out and make it tacky on the touch, but this spray would be ideal for using when going to competitions, as it boosted shine on the hair and conditioned the coat, all while repelling flies.

Read her full Barrier Super Plus fly spray review – we awarded it H&H Approved status.

This fly spray is designed for nervous and sensitive horses who dislike the noise of a normal spray – it has a “significantly reduced hiss”. With the help of the latest technology, Forget Flies improves the repelling properties of garlic without the use of chemicals.

With its environmentally friendly composition and refreshing lemongrass scent, this spray offers a natural and reliable solution to keep your horse comfortable and protected.

This spray provides what is described as an “instant knock-down” to nuisance insects, as well as a long-lasting protective “shield”. The formula kills and repels biting and nuisance flies, mosquitoes and ticks. In the UK it is marketed for use on equestrian premises, such as stables, barns and dogs’ living quarters, it is licensed for use on horses in the US with positive feedback.

This new bottle provides an ergonomic grip, plus a vertical and horizontal fan spray option, for upside-down usage and hard-to-reach areas, which also makes sure you can use every last drop.

When Alex tested this fly spray, she said it came out in an even, thick mist — thanks to the fan-style sprayer — and coated surfaces well. She found the product lasted a long time (just under three months for one horse) and offered good value for money.

This concentrated anti-fly and anti-insect repellent spray from NAF is designed for year-round protection from a wide range of pests – flies, horse flies and insect menace. Contains 19.6% DEET.

Alex tested this fly spray and she found it to be a good all-rounder that is effective in many situations, from protecting from pests out hacking, to using just before a competition on a summer day or applying on exposed areas prior to turnout.

My horses are turned out in an area where we suffer with horse flies. When I apply this fly spray it greatly reduces the amount of flies that land on them and to save money I buy the refill bottle on Amazon and reuse my spray bottle, which has stood up well to regular use. I don’t find the odour too overpowering like some of the other fly sprays on the market.

This spray is described as an effective alternative to a natural-based repellent. The formula offers protection from midges and biting insects and contains the proven, researched active ingredient DEET at an optimum level of 20% for long-lasting protection.

When Alex tested this fly spray, she said the spray mechanism was brilliant; it was hard-wearing, robust and provided an even coating of liquid when sprayed onto the coat. It would survive being passed around on a working yard and would be fine to throw into the lorry without worry that it would leak or spill. We found it was good to use, too, especially on horses who were not keen on sprayers as it was easy to apply and the mist was delicate.

I used this fly spray on a mare that has sensitive skin, it had a pleasant smellm which seemed to last but she still struggled with flies on her legs so I used the Flygard extra strength gel for targeted application with the use of both products, plus a fly rug and boots she was more settled when turned out. We have a high midge problem and I noticed that my horse was bitten more frequently when the fly spray was not applied during the evening while she was stabled.

Read the full Carr & Day & Martin Flygard Extra Strength review.

If you like Nettex’s standard fly repellent, this spray is an advanced DEET-based (14.7%) formula with added moisturisers and conditioners making it ideal for everyday use.

This heavy duty stable spray is formulated for protecting your horse’s environment from irritating flying and biting insects. The water-based insecticide formula contains cypermethrin, which has a fast acting “knock-down” effect and should provide weeks of protection.

This dual-action formula uses DEET (10%) and PMD (0.9%) to provide effective protection for up to 12 hours. It’s effective against flying insects, midges, gnats, and horseflies, and has a pleasant lemongrass oil fragrance.