I have a love-hate relationship with summer. While I love the constant sunshine and the longer days, I dread the arrival of fly season. It is not uncommon to see me hosing down my horses with fly spray in the mornings when I come home for lunch and late in the afternoon.
Enter Whole Horse Equine, LLC. Based out of Lexington, Kentucky, Whole Horse Equine is focused on bringing holistic, alternative products to a tack store near you. Designed by an equestrian, Whole Horse Equine’s products are made with the horse in mind. I connected with the owner, Erin Murphy, and we began talking about several of Whole Horse Equine’s specially blended products, and I knew I had to give them a try.
Photo by Meagan DeLisle
Their innovative fly spray is formulated to be not only safe but effective when it comes to keeping those nasty summer bugs at bay. Comprised of a blend of essential oils and natural surfactants in a PH balanced solution, this product is not only long-lasting, but it smells AMAZING. It’s a fly spray you can feel good about using on your horse and yourself.
And I put that thought process to the test one muggy Missouri afternoon. A colossal rain had just passed through the night before and not only were the flies feasting on my horses, my dogs and me, but the buffalo gnats were out in full swarm. For those of you who have never had to deal with buffalo gnats—I envy you. Buffalo gnats are tiny annoying little buggers that are always on the hunt for a quick snack and leave horribly itchy, swollen and red welts all over your skin. I was covered in buffalo gnat bites and I was miserable.
So, I grabbed my bottle of Whole Horse Equine fly spray. First things first, when you order a bottle of Whole Horse Equine’s Fly Spray you are getting a massive 32oz bottle that will last you quite some time. I immediately was impressed with the scent of the fly spray; its essential oil components give it a very appealing aroma that was quite a relief from the sharp smell of chemicals I typically associate with fly sprays.
From the first squirt of the bottle, flies began dropping off my horse’s legs instantly. I was shocked. As much as I wanted a natural fly spray in my life, I had never imagined it would be effective. I decided to move to my dogs and spray them down as many of the flies had taken to chewing at the ears of my poor German Shepherd. Again, same great results.
As we continued to work that day, the presence of the buffalo gnats grew, and it was becoming unbearable to be outside. In a final attempt to find comfort, I sprayed myself down with Whole Horse Equine’s Fly Spray as well. The product isn’t sticky and felt natural on my skin (plus it also served as free perfume which is never a bad thing when you have been working outside in the summer heat all day). I was very impressed with the way it deterred those nasty little pests from swarming around me as I kept on for the duration of the day. Several hours went by and my horses, my dogs, and I were all still comfortable. I could chalk this investment up as a win!
Like most fly sprays, as the heat cranked up I did find myself reapplying a bit more often as my horses began to sweat a bit more throughout the day, but overall this product is pretty long lasting. And at $24.99 for a 32oz bottle, it is very competitively priced. Whole Horse Equine also offers a variety of other chemical-free products for the discerning horse owner such as shampoo and fungicide. Their products are not only carried on the shelves of tack rooms worldwide, but they are also promoted by veterinarians, farriers, and professional riders and trainers.
After having such success with the fly spray, I decided to also give their fungicide lotion a try. After bringing home two Belgian draft mares that belonged to a dear friend who had passed away I noticed that the older mare, Dolly, was pretty underweight and was suffering from a horrible case of rain rot. Her coat was literally sloughing off with each swipe of the brush exposing her poor, pink skin to the elements.
Whole Horse Equine’s fungicide lotion is made up of a blend of colloidal sulfur and essential oils that not only bring relief to the skin but also prevents infection and promotes hair regrowth. This is a topical, leave-in product that you apply after washing the affected area with a mild soap. Once the area is dry, you apply a thin layer of the product across the area and allow it to soak into the skin. Dolly loved her daily “massage” session and I loved that I knew the products I was using on her were all-natural.
Top photo: Dolly the day of her arrival at my farm. Bottom left: Dolly after one month on the farm and three weeks using WHE’s fungicide. Bottom right: Dolly after two months on our farm. Photo by Meagan DeLisle
Within just a few weeks, I noticed a vast difference in Dolly’s hair coat. New growth was coming back in and her skin was no longer dry and flaking. Now, a month later, Dolly’s coat has completely regenerated itself and looks healthier than ever. I am very excited about her journey back to health and definitely think that Whole Horse Equine’s fungicide helped us to get back on track. At $21.99, this product is a great value to stock on your tack room shelves.
All in all, I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of the products created by Whole Horse Equine. You can find a wide variety of products on their website such as fly spray wipes or their vitamin-enriched shampoo or check out their list of retailers near you and stop by in person to get a whiff of all of their all-natural products. And if you shop online you can use the code “JumperNation20” for 20% off through July 31st.