The #1 Mistake Horse Owners Make In Fall

The #1 Mistake Horse Owners Make in Fall, And Why the Bloodsuckers Don’t Want You to Notice

Years of caring for horses can make this fall decision feel automatic. Here’s why it deserves a second thought.

By Angel Marshall

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October 4, 2026

"What every horse owner ought to know before calling bug season over."

There’s a moment every fall when you finally breathe a little easier.

You’re grooming your horse without swatting flies away from your face.

He’s standing quietly instead of stamping through the whole thing. For once, you can enjoy being at the barn without fighting something that bites.

After months of spraying, sweating, and swatting, it feels like you’ve both earned a break.

So you skip the spray that morning.

Then the next.

Before long, the bottle gets pushed behind the brushes, where it’ll probably stay until spring.

It’s an easy decision to understand.

All summer, you had reminders. Flies around his eyes. A constantly swishing tail. That impatient stomp just as you bent down to pick a hoof.

When those reminders fade, reaching for the bottle stops feeling necessary.

But think about what actually changed: you’re seeing fewer flies.

That tells you something about the flies.

It doesn’t tell you everything about what could still be attacking your horse.

And that gap is where most horse owners, have a huge oversight.

The Quietest Threat in the Pasture Doesn’t Buzz.

Spend enough autumns around horses and you know: cooler weather changes the routine. It doesn’t end it.

Summer coats thicken. Blankets come back out. The things you prepare for change with the season.

So why assume everything that bites your horse follows a single summer schedule?

We call it “bug season,” as though every pest arrives together—and leaves together.

They don’t.

Adult blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, take blood meals in fall. Horses are among their hosts. And these ticks can remain active in temperatures as low as the mid-to-upper 30s.

What feels like the end of pest season to you can still be feeding season for them.

That’s the overlooked distinction behind Merck Animal Health’s report, “Why Horse Owners Need to Rethink Bug Season in 2026.” Cornell veterinarian Dr. Toby Pinn-Woodcock explains that colder months reduce tick activity without eliminating it.

The mistake?

Assuming just because fly season is slowing down that the ticks aren't still after your horse.

The flies didn’t give you an all-clear.

They just stopped reminding you.

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
62.5% of horses had ticks during cold-season examinations.
Researchers found ticks on 55 of 88 enrolled Oklahoma horses during October–March sampling.

UC DAVIS
23 of 39 confirmed cases presented in fall or winter.
A review of equine anaplasmosis cases documented illness well beyond summer.

The Fall Routine That Gives Ticks the Perfect Opportunity

1. The flies disappear. You assume the other bugs are slowing down too. The spray bottle goes on the shelf.

2. You check occasionally. Pull off a tick. Figure it’s handled. But that's after it's already been sucking for who knows how long. And removing that tick does nothing to stop the next one from climbing aboard.

Now you’re discovering the bites instead of helping prevent them. Leaving your horse exposed to painful irritation, tick-borne disease, and bloodsuckers that may go unnoticed beneath his coat.

But There’s a Second Problem Making Horse Owners Fight an Uphill Battle.

Even when horse owners decide to keep protecting their horses from these parasitic bloodsuckers through fall, they’re faced with a frustrating tradeoff.

Most equine fly sprays are harmful and ineffective. The spray mist that makes them step back coughing. A horse’s skin reacting to a formula. The precautions on the back of the bottle.

And for owners already disappointed by the results, one frustrating question:

All that—and the protection is still lackluster?

More and more research comes out, seemingly everyday, exposing harmful fly spray ingredients.

Here are just a few...

An 11-state investigation identified 4,974 acute illnesses associated with exposure to pyrethrins and pyrethroids, insecticide families used in pest-control products.

A five-year review in Washington and Oregon found respiratory symptoms in 52% of reported pyrethrin and pyrethroid illness cases.

These studies examined human pesticide-exposure incidents, so just image what it's doing to the horses.

So most horse owners are left with this lose-lose scenario:

1. Stop protecting—and leave their horse exposed to blood-feeding ticks and serious disease.

2. Keep using a spray they’re uncomfortable with, despite results that have already let them down.

Protecting a horse shouldn’t feel like choosing which concern to live with.

One man understood this dilemma, and decided to make a difference.

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

Tim Cable Founder Of Charlee's Fly Spray

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 enough 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, natural formula that repels flies, ticks, 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 15,000 horse owners say it’s the most effective fly spray they’ve ever used—and it gives the best bang for their buck, since it needs far fewer applications than common sprays. The all-natural ingredients make the results even more impressive.

But Here's What Horse Owners Started To Notice...

They bought it for the flies. But most started noticing how effective the spray is for ticks.

That gave the bottle a whole new meaning.

The spray they’d reached for during miserable summer afternoons suddenly had a reason to stay within reach after those flies were gone.

Because while the name says Charlee’s Fly Spray, ticks are also among the pests it repels.

The flies brought it into their grooming routine. Tick protection gave them a reason to keep it there.

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

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

Most natural sprays are watered down cheap essential oils. Without a formulation that slows evaporation, those volatile ingredients can fade quickly. Taking their repellent effect with them. And if the oils are in the wrong ratios, horses will be breaking out left and right.

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. Think “armor without poison”. Practical protection that buys you calmer rides and longer, happier turnout.

With over 50,000 bottles sold nationwide, Charlee’s Fly Spray isn’t just another fly spray—it’s a movement among horse owners. More and more barns are making the switch to safe, plant-based protection that actually works.

| Over 15,000 Happy Horse Owners

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

Act Now And Receive 10% Off Your First Order

CHECK AVAILABILITY

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

From World-Class Riders to Local Barn Aisles, The Results Speak for Themselves

Discover what Olympians, barn managers, and everyday riders are saying about Charlee's Fly Spray:

Beezie Madden

FEI Show Jumper and USA Olympic Medalist

"John Madden Sales depends on high quality products and equipment that we can rely on right down to the fly spray. Charlee's Fly Spray works on the variety of bugs we see from Florida to Central NY to Canada and makes a real difference in comfort and focus of our horses."

Ericka Cecere

FEI Dressage Rider & USDF Silver Medalist

“We use this spray for turnout, training, and daily use… our horses stay in the paddock longer with less stomping. The longevity is outstanding.”

Marie Varvaro

(Barn Manager, GallopNYC) PATH Intl. therapeutic horsemanship program

“The horses literally relax and sigh after an application… an all-natural product that actually works is ideal for our riders with allergies.”

Verified Reviews

It blew me away! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I saw a post on Facebook for Charlee's Fly Spray and thought I'd give it a try. I've used many fly sprays and none of them worked. I sprayed my horses and within minutes the flies were gone and stayed gone for hours. This is the best spray I have ever used.”

Barbara | Verified Buyer

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No ticks! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Last fall my gelding was treated for Lyme disease and seems to be doing well. This spring the ticks are everywhere! Since I started using this spray on my horses I haven’t seen a single tick on them, so it’s getting all the stars from me!”

Mary Beth Puryear | Verified Buyer

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Fly Spray and Wipes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I love, love, love the fly spray. So comforting knowing it’s all natural — less harm to horses, humans, and the environment. It even works safely on their face and ears. Better than any chemical spray I’ve used.”

Yvette Moniot | Verified Buyer

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Ticks Gone! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"We had a very bad tick problem when we started using the pastures this spring. Nothing worked until we started using this product. Can’t wait to see how it does with the flies this summer!"

Anne Adair | Verified Buyer

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Horse Owners Are Raving About Charlee's On Social Media (Real Facebook Comments)

What Options Do Horse Owners Have This Fall?

Option 1: Put the Spray Away and Leave the Horse Exposed

Assume the bloodsuckers disappeared with the flies.
Leave ticks another opportunity to attach and feed.
Risk bites that can transmit serious disease.

Option 2: Keep Using a Mediocre Spray That Creates Its Own Risks

Keep dealing with irritating mist, skin reactions, or disappointing results.
Extend that frustrating routine into fall.
Wonder whether the product meant to protect their horse is causing problems of its own.

Option 3: Switch to Charlee’s Fly Spray

Choose a plant-based formula that fights ticks without the toxic chemicals.
Made by a 3rd generation farrier, not faceless corporations.
Buy with the confidence of a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

The Smart Choice for Serious Horse Owners

By now, it’s clear: fewer flies doesn’t mean the bloodsuckers are gone. Every fall ride and turnout can still bring tick exposure while ticks remain active.

That’s where Charlee’s Fly Spray Bundles become the obvious choice.

- Stay Stocked While Ticks Stay Active
Keep a bottle ready and a refill within reach. Cooler mornings shouldn’t mean forgotten protection—and an empty bottle shouldn’t interrupt the routine.

- Serious Value for Serious Horse Owners
Bundle savings make stocking up more affordable than buying the same products individually. Keep tick repellency in the grooming kit without paying more than necessary.

- More Than a Summer Staple
The name says fly spray. The pests it repels include ticks. That gives Charlee’s a place in the fall routine, alongside regular tick checks—even when the buzzing fades.

Every Charlee’s Fly Spray product comes with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: if it doesn’t live up to expectations, it’s made right—or refunded.

For horse owners ready to stop treating disappearing flies as the all-clear, a bundle makes the next step simple: keep the bottle stocked, keep the routine going, and keep tick protection on the agenda.

Thanks for reading. To check available bundles and see whether Charlee’s Fly Spray is in stock, follow the link below.

| Over 15,000 Happy Horse Owners

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

Act Now And Receive 10% Off Your First Order

CHECK AVAILABILITY

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

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