3 Harsh Fly Spray Ingredients to Never Put on Your Horse

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3 Harsh Fly Spray Ingredients to Never Put on Your Horse

Written by Emily Carter

Published on July 28, 2025

For years, most horse owners have reached for the same fly sprays sitting on the shelves. The problem? Many of these bottles contain harsh chemicals that were never designed for daily use on horses — or around riders, kids, and barn pets.

The truth of the fly spray industry is finally coming to light. Today, you will discover the 3 worst fly spray ingredients that you should never put on your horse. These chemicals aren’t made for daily use on your horse, and they certainly shouldn’t be sprayed around you, your kids, or your barn pets.

Before we expose the chemicals to avoid, it’s important to know how they might already be affecting your horse day to day.

Common Signs Your Horse May Be Reacting to Harsh Sprays

These are red flags that the spray may not be helping — and might even be part of the problem.

Strong chemical odor that lingers on the coat and in the barn
Dull coat or skin irritation over time
Head tossing when sprayed
Restlessness or pacing in turnout
Constant tail swishing and stomping, even right after application
Unnatural behavioral patterns
Rashes or blemishes

3 Harsh Fly Spray Ingredients to Never Put on Your Horse

1. Synthetic Pyrethroids

What they are: Man-made pesticides designed to mimic natural pyrethrins. Permethrin is the most common example in fly sprays.

Why they’re bad: These chemicals are neurotoxins. While they kill flies, research shows they can irritate skin, trigger respiratory stress, and linger as residues on coats, tack, and even your own skin.

Bottom line: Cheap, common, and somewhat effective on insects — but at the expense of your horse’s long-term health.

2. Pyrethrins

What they are: Extracted from chrysanthemum flowers. Often marketed as a “natural” alternative.

Why they’re bad: “Natural” doesn’t mean safe. Pyrethrins can still cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, and even toxicity in horses and cats. They also break down in sunlight, offering only short bursts of protection before fading.

Bottom line: Natural label, same risks — with even less staying power.

3. DEET

What it is: The chemical repellent found in many human bug sprays, aka N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide.

Why it’s bad: Formulated for human skin, not horses. DEET has been linked to hair loss, skin damage, and neurological issues in animals when applied repeatedly.

Bottom line: Strong enough for soldiers in the jungle, but too harsh for your horse.

After 50 Years of Seeing Horses Suffer, He Decided to Fix It Himself.

How It Started

Tim Cable, a third-generation farrier with over 50 years of hands-on experience, had seen it all. Every season, he and the horses he worked with were exposed to the same toxic, short-lived sprays. Harsh chemical clouds in the barn aisle. Bottles that barely kept flies away for fifteen minutes. Skin irritation for horses. Headaches for humans.

Tim knew there had to be a better way. After years and years of trial and error with hundreds of products, he set out to create the solution he wished had existed all along: a fly spray that actually worked for hours, without poisoning the animals and people he cared about.

His inspiration? His daughter, Charlee. Just like her dad, she loves horses, and Tim was determined to make a spray safe to use around her, yet strong enough to stand up to the toughest barn conditions.

How It's Going

The result was Charlee’s Fly Spray: a long-lasting, plant-based formula that protects against flies, gnats, mosquitoes, horseflies, and deer flies for 4+ hours—without the chemical junk.

With its mild, pleasant scent and proven staying power, it quickly became the spray trusted by thousands of horse owners who care as much about safety as they do about results. Tim is so confident you’ll fall in love with Charlee’s Fly Spray, he offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Charlee’s Fly Spray wasn’t born in the corporate world for mass production or whipped up by a faceless corporation. It started with one man’s frustration and his family’s safety.

| Over 10,000 Happy Horse Owners

Complete Fly Protection, Without Harsh Chemicals — Backed by a 100% Guarantee.

Act Now And Receive 10% Off Your Order

CHECK AVAILABILITY

HIGH risk of Sell-out

Why It Works (and Why Other Sprays Don't)

Most sprays offer short bursts of relief and harsh chemicals that irritate skin and lungs—then sweat and sun break them down fast, so you’re re-spraying every 30–60 minutes.

Charlee’s uses a plant-powered system designed to bond with hair and coat, so it sticks through sweat and stays effective without the chemical junk. The active ingredients are lemongrass and peppermint, think “armor without poison”. Practical protection that buys you calmer rides and longer, happier turnout.

What Options Do Horse Owners Have?

Option 1: Keep Using Chemical Sprays

- Loaded with DEET, pyrethrins, and harsh pesticides.
- Causes skin irritation, coughing in the barn aisle, and long-term health risks for horses, riders, kids, and dogs.
- And even with all those risks, they barely last 30–60 minutes in heat or sweat.

Option 2: Settle for “Natural” Sprays That Don’t Work

- Safer ingredients, but almost no staying power.
- You spray, wait a few minutes, and the stomping and tail-swishing are back.
- Bottles pile up in the tack room, and frustration piles up with them.

Option 3: Switch to Charlee’s Fly Spray

- A barn-tested, plant-based formula proven to keep flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and horseflies off for 4+ hours.
- Safer to use around kids and dogs, gentle on sensitive horses, and trusted by Olympic riders to therapeutic barns.
- Backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t love it, you don’t pay.

What Do The Customers Say?

It blew me away! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I saw a post on Facebook for Charlee's Fly Spray and was instantly curious! I liked the idea of all natural ingredients but was leery it could be effective without harsh chemicals. To try it, I just bought 1 32oz spray bottle because it felt like a premium and I wasn't sure it would work! But this fly spray blew me away. When I went to visit my horse, she was lazily eating from a hay bag but was covered with stable flies. She was stomping and swishing her tail. Once I brushed her, I sprayed her with Charlee's fly spray and went about my business of cleaning her paddock. A few minutes later, I looked over at her and not one fly was on her! When I asked the barn manager what she thought, she said she was really impressed with its effectiveness. They were running a July special so I bought the bundle and will keep some at home for us and our dog while we hike our woods, and I'll take some on a trip later this month. Meanwhile, I'll bring the 1/2 gallon refill back to the barn for my horse. I am so pleased that I found a natural product that will work for us and all of our animal friends! Thanks Charlee's Fly Spray for a terrific product!"

Barbara | Verified Buyer

Title

Extremely allergic to chemicals ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I am extremely allergic to chemicals and pesticides... I have tried many other natural fly sprays, made my own ran the whole gambit and best they last one hour and one popular brand even cause severe horse allergies. I took a chance on Charlee‘s. Am I ever glad I did. I sincerely encourage everybody to give this product a try! I am forever grateful to you all for making such an excellent product that doesn’t make me or the horses sick ."

Melody | Verified Buyer

Title

Great Product ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"My horse hates being fly sprayed. He moves forward, back and side to side. I have to put him on cross ties and still he moves as much as possible. Yesterday I went out to his yard with my bottle of Charlee's. He let me spray him without moving much at all. He doesn't move at all when I spray him on the ties. This fall, the flies are biting hard and they don't bother him at all with Charlee's Fly Spray..."

Judy | Verified Buyer

Title

Even Spray Myself ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I sprayed myself with Charlie’s even before I used it on my mare. I wanted to know if it would be effective against the heavy crop of mosquitoes in our area. I stepped into my garden “jungle” and was really pleased and surprised that I was not bugged or bitten! The flies at our barn have been bad this year requiring us to spray and re-spray our horses. After spraying my mare with Charlie’s, my mare was able to settle into work without being distracted by fly bites. Thank you Charlee’s!"

Patty | Verified Buyer

Title

I was skeptical ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I am so glad to have found Charlee's Fly Spray. I was very skeptical about even trying something I saw on Facebook, I'm so glad I did. It keeps all the nasty insects from biting my horse when nothing has worked before, it's just amazing! Love that it is family owned, made in the U.S.A., pesticide-free and made with all natural ingredients, all the reasons I gave it a try. Ordering was simple and it arrived super fast. Thank you!"

Jodi Butler | Verified Buyer

Final Thoughts

Chemical fly sprays may kill a few bugs, but at what cost? Pyrethrins, synthetic pyrethroids, and DEET bring proven risks — irritation, toxicity, and short-lived protection that leaves your horse exposed.

That’s why thousands of horse owners across the USA have switched to Charlee’s Fly Spray. Backed by plant-based ingredients, trusted by barns nationwide, and supported by hundreds of 5-star reviews. It delivers real protection without the toxic trade-offs.

Your horse deserves better. Don’t wait until pests strike again — I recommend you explore Charlee's Fly Spray for yourself. I will leave a link below. Check availability and choose your bundle to start protecting your horse without the worries.

| Over 10,000 Happy Horse Owners

Complete Fly Protection, Without Harsh Chemicals — Backed by a 100% Guarantee.

Act Now And Receive 10% Off Your Order

CHECK AVAILABILITY

HIGH risk of Sell-out