Whisper and I recently had the opportunity to put Ecovet's Fly Repellent Spray to the test. A new product, Ecovet is said to repel stable flies, horn flies, ticks, and cattle lice. But it's not just any old fly repellent. According to the Ecovet website, "Ecovet uses a proprietary mixture of naturally occurring fatty acids that confuses and overwhelms the insect’s normal directional ability, so the insect is unable to locate your horse as its next victim. It’s like having a GPS system that is shouting confusing and conflicting directions at you … until you finally give up." Sounds good to me, plus Ecovet is marketed as being a less toxic alternative to traditional fly sprays.

I received the 18 ounce bottle of Ecovet and put it to the test on Whisper. Flies are rampant in our area, and I traditionally use sprays such as Supershield Green and Repel-X. However, I was intrigued by Ecovet's use of fatty acids to confuse and repel insects.

From the first spray, it's evident that Ecovet is a very different product from the other fly sprays on the market. Ecovet has a very unusual smell - it is not at all what you would expect from a fly spray. Smelling similar to a men's body spray with hints of sage and other herbs, Ecovet smells powerful.

Unfortunately, I found that smell to be troublesome - no matter how much I held my breath and tried to stay out of the line of fire, I found myself going into strong coughing fits whenever I applied the product. My advice would be to apply Ecovet in an open area, not in a stall, to allow for maximum ventilation. Other horse owners at the barn agreed with me - the smell is powerful and irritating to some.

However, don't rule Ecovet out because of the smell alone. The product proved to be quite effective - I would say that it's more effective than the other fly sprays that I had been using. There were noticeably fewer flies on Whisper when I used Ecovet, and I was impressed by this spray's performance. A little goes a long way with this spray - the Ecovet website recommends reapplying only every two or three days - and the product smells so strongly that I found myself using it sparingly during each application. 

I should also note that Whisper, being the thin-skinned Thoroughbred that she is, is highly sensitive to products. Ecovet didn't irritate her skin at all, which is always a concern. The product does seem to attract dirt once applied, but I've found this to be true with other fly sprays. It doesn't bother me enough to make me stop using the product, but if you applied it before a horse show, I'd recommend wiping your horse down with a rag afterward to pick up any extra dirt.

All in all, I was impressed by Ecovet. If I could change a single thing about it, I would make its smell less irritating, but that very characteristic may be what makes this product effective. An 18-ounce bottle of Ecovet retails for $25.00 on their website - while it's pricier than other fly sprays, I would say it's also more effective.

Whisper recently gave me the opportunity to put GreenSalve to the test; she came in from the pasture having gotten into a fight with a buddy and decorated with some hoofprint-shaped wounds on her hind end.

So, I broke out my GreenSalve. GreenSalve is advertised as being anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-parisitic, and anti-inflammatory. It is recommended  for use on cuts, abrasions, burns, rain rot, mud fever, hot spots, ringworm, and dry, cracked skin. The salve is all natural and is safe to be ingested by "all four-legged friends."

GreenSalve has a thicker consistency than some of the other ointments available on the market, which proved to be an advantage during the hot, humid summer we're experiencing. The salve is thick, allowing me to layer it over the wounds to create a waterproof and bug-proof barrier. It didn't "melt" off of the wounds - a common issue with thinner ointments, I've found - and was still in place and protecting the wounds when I came to reapply it the next day.

The two-ounce can of salve was more than enough to treat the wounds; I still have more than half of the can left. I really liked that the can featured a screw-on top; it cuts down on the risk of the can opening or leaking inside my First-Aid kit, while meaning that the can is still easy enough for my arthritic hands to open.

All in all, I was impressed with GreenSalve. The wounds healed up seamlessly (silly me forgot to get before and after pictures), and it felt good knowing that I was treating my horse with an all natural product. The consistency of the GreenSalve is excellent - easy enough to dig your finger down into for application, but thick enough so that it will stay in place on wounds. I was impressed with this product and plan to use it again.

GreenSalve is available from Smart Barn.

Are you still on the hunt for the ideal fly mask for your horse? I may have found it. I've been thoroughly impressed by the Horze Fly Mask with Ears, and I think that Whisper would say the same. Here's why.

This fly mask is truly designed with a horse's comfort and safety in mind. I love the fact that there is a soft foam padding at the edges of the poll and the noseband to help prevent rubbing and irritation. The mask features two strips of strong, adjustable Velcro which keep it securely fastened - I've had it on Whisper for almost two months now, and the mask hasn't come off once. Additionally, the mask provides great coverage - it comes down well under the chin, and the underside is elastic, so your horse can still chew and flex comfortably.

Throughout daily use, this mask has continued to hold up well. It hasn't ever collapsed down onto Whisper's eyes, as other masks do, and it's definitely made of durable material. My guess is that this mask will likely last the entire season, at least at the rate that it's going.

If I had one criticism of the mask, it would be that it's not quite as visible as some of the other masks out there. This mask has a tight weave, which is advantageous in that it keeps even the tiniest bugs out. You can still see through it (yes, I tried), but I think I would like it even more if the visibility were improved just a tiny bit. Still, I have no qualms about turning Whisper out with the mask on in the daytime, and she doesn't seem at all bothered by it.

The Horze Fly Mask with Ears retails for $19.95 and is well worth the investment.