Are flysheets necessary for the majority of horses? Discuss

[Ludi-doodi]

Over recent years I've noticed on our yard (so not scientific research) that more and more people are using flysheets. I'm beginning to think its a bit of a fashion item, so apart from horses who

1. Suffer from sweetitch
2. White/Pink skinned and could suffer from sunburn
3. Allergic to fly bites
4. To prevent sunbleach of hair on show horses

Is there any other major reason why horses should wear flysheet? What is it, if anything, I'm missing. I'm seeing all types wearing them from hardy natives to dark bay TBs.

I can't help but feeling that no matter how thin the material on hot days in particular, it's a layer of material on the horse that will make them warmer than they need be like me wearing a vest under my suntop

What do others think

 

[Dizzykizzy]

I used them on 2 of ours for the first time ever last summer and I have to say they were a lot more comfortable with the flies off them. Bit of a pain when it rained though!
I agree with you to a large extent that it is another layer and I would prefer them to be nekkid but I felt the benefit outweighed that.
(The youngsters just had to suffer as usual as neither had worn a rug at the time LOL!)

 

[abbieandfiona]

Well as mine has sweet-itch she has to have one on all times plus youngster has one on to keep coat colour for shows.

 

[TGM]

I've never used a flysheet in my life, although I would if I had one with sweet itch. I think a lot of people just like buying rugs and it makes them feel like "good owners" to put one on.

 

[air78]

Agree with TGM

 

[quirky]

I can see the merits of them if the horse has sweet itch, apart from that, I feel quite sorry for the horses that are trussed up practically the whole year in rugs of one sort or another.

 

[competitiondiva]

I don't agree that it's a fashion statement. I love to see horses out naked, they spend all winter rugged up, I love them to have a chance of not wearing a rug. BUT whether that is possible or not really depends on the horse and the yard. We have several ponds and a forest right by our yard so flies are a BIG problem. My mare is the most beautifully natured animal there is, yet the only time she's ever bitten was when she was out all day naked and got seriously hacked off with the flies bothering her. She doesn't get sweetitch etc, but does usually wear a rambo sweetitch hoody and a mask as it offers the most coverage, she's just happier out in it. If you watch her naked she's constantly nodding her head and swishing her tail from the flies but with the rug she doesn't do it half as much and grazes alot more. Plus she gets serious welts from horse fly bites, and if they occur under the saddle area then I can't ride until they have gone down. The fly rug prevents this happening. I still try to give her some days off from wearing it if I can.

 

[Arabelle]

I only pop a fly sheet on in summer if I am trying to keep her vaguely clean before we go somewhere - it is entirely for my benefit, not my horses.

Apart from that, I much prefer for my horses to be naked in summer - they spend enough months of the year in rugs over the course of a Scottish winter.

 

[NeedNewHorse]

It depends really, as my mare doesn't suffer with sweetitch but in the hot weather (when we get some, lol) I always put her in a fly rug and mask. To come down the field and see loads of flies all around her face, literally covering her eyes etc is horrible and she will only keep shaking her head etc to remove them.

Some yards suffer far more with the amount, type and density of flies, so I have been to places where you don't really notice it and some where the horses are covered in them.

It definitely makes her more comfortable having her rug on - you can see when she is grazing with and without the rug. I don't put it on all the time as i do like her to have the sun on her back... But I think you can tel they are more comfortable as their manner is more relaxed when grazing, as opossed to stamping their feet and swishing their tails and biting their sides all the time to remove the flies.

 

[Weezy]

I think they are hideous things, but a necessary evil I used one for the first time last year as mine got sweetitch and he was certainly more comfortable in it. This year I am trying to manage it through diet and Deet - so far so good, no rubbing or scratching, but if it starts then the poor sod will have to be trussed up again, and he hates ALL rugs!

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Also to add, I have seen some horses in the field and felt sorry for them, as they have looked so uncomfortable in the field always trying to get rid of the flies that surround them, not relaxing and grazing but getting really annoyed with the flies, so I think a fly rug is the lesser of two evils.

x

 

[pottamus]

Well I dont use one and never have done as I prefer my horse to get sun and air to him and be rugless as much as is possible. My lad does have access to a field stable so he can at least get away from the flies and have a doze in peace if he wishes...I feel it is more important to have a field shelter than put rugs on but not everyone is in that position I appreciate.

 

[4leggedfurries]

I dont use anything on the two little natives except for a little fly spray when the flys are at their worst, they dont seem too bothered otherwise. D however tends to get a fly rug and mask on as he comes up in huge lumps (one last year was the size of a dinner plate on his belly) and rubs his face raw. Blooming thin skinned TB's!

 

[Dogbetty141]

When I got my TB he came with lots of fly rugs which I was told he needed to wear. He has to have a fly mask on as he has sarcoids around his left eye and i also worry about how much flies in his ears irrate him. I never really put the rug on as he is only out through the day and in at night so i dont think his amount of time out warrants wearing a rug! He has no open sarcoids and I can only see a rug would add to the amount of heat too if you get what I mean!

Liz

 

[Halfstep]

I don't like to put one on unless really necessary. This year it went from bloody freezing to quite warm so quickly. I wanted my horse to have some time with nothing on to enjoy in the field. However, after about a week naked he got bitten badly and was looking unhappy, so the fly sheet went on.

Some horses at my yard seemed to go straight from heavyweight turnouts into fly sheets, with no time at all to enjoy being naked. If it is cooler and the flies are not really out, give the horse a chance to let its coat breath!

 

[MyBoyChe]

I tried one on my TB for the first time last year, he does get bitten on his neck and tum and I felt sorry for him. He is dark bay and I thought a white rug would help him to stay cool as well. Wrong.. he came in absolutely dripping which he doesnt usually so now I just spray him well, mane, tail, tum and both sides and back. He does wear a full face fly mask with ears which he seems really grateful for and I wash his eyes and ears every day as well as washing off under his neck and tum and he is much happier.

 

[stencilface]

I don't own a fly sheet or mask etc, and try to manage flies with spray etc. They are not too bad near us, and when they are worse the horses retreat to the top of the hill where there is generally a breeze so less flies. In the summer months they have a fields shelter which they use more in the summer than in the winter!

At the moment I brush the flies from their ears (yuck!) and regularly wash their nose/eyes/sheath area with a damp sponge.

None of ours seem particularly stressed with flies, yes they head nod etc, but in a 'herd' of four they can groom and stand head to tail if they are very bothered by them. And with ours, time spent head nodding and less time eating would only be a bonus for my fattie anyhow!

 

[The_snoopster]

I do own some fly sheets and did have to use them them one summer in a new field which seemed to have a high population of horse flies, and out of all the horses in the field she seemed to have the lions share on her.

She is in a different field this year which seems to have a breeze all the time, and I hope she will not need the fly sheet, but she does have to wear her mask when the sun is very bright as she has one pink skinned eye with a large 3rd eye lid. If she stands out in the sun even though shelter is there her eye starts to run so the vet advised the mask.

 

[Theresa_F]

I love my horses out naked, however, they do get SI though to look at them you would never know as I do manage it with snuggy bodies. At the moment, the midges are not too bad, so they are in rambo fly sheets which being mesh allow more air to the skin.

My TB had to have a fly sheet, her skin was very delicate and bites came up very nasty on her. She was far happier out with protection.

I do try to give them some time naked each day, I take off rugs whilst poo picking and doing field jobs so they can have a groom and enjoy a bit of air time.

If I had natives with thick skins and no SI, I would still use a mask and fly spray but not rugs.

Some mid - end September, mine do get naked and stay that way until the end of October when they come in at night and get clipped. I would love to do the same in the spring, but either they don't have enough coat through to keep warm, or if it is very warm, the midges are out and munching.

 

[Spottyappy]

We are in an area that seems to be "festooned" with flies, mideges and even bees.
All our horses are affected the problem in different ways. One gets really swollen eyes and infections, if flies even vaguely get near her eyes so HAS to wear a fly veil or preferably mask. Another doesn;t seem bothered or concerned in any way, although does wear a veil to try and stop too much activity round his eyes. And the third goes mental kicking and bolting if a midge so much looks at him.In the past he has flung shoes off, lamed himself and cut himself going mental at the nuisance, so now he is rugged to the hilt, whole body, neck, head when the problem is really bad the Cashel crusader leg guards. Even have to ride him in "bug armour", i.e ride on fly rug, and face mask or he will have you off with the flies driving him nuts.
So, think it is mostly down to how much an ndividual horse is affected.Do try to get the badly affected one out naked for a few days if possible, managed it last week, and yesterday but today he is rugged.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

I agree that its nice for them to have days of total nakedness, and when its warm but with a nice breeze so minimal flies, mine do go naked (the bay has a special uV filter spray to stop him being bleached!!!).

however, as soon as it gets properly sunny mums horse has to wear one of the face and nose fly masks as he is a headshaker and if his nostrils and ears aren't covered, will just stand and flip his head ALL day.this is more a sunlight and breeze issue, rather than flies but as you tend to only get flies with sun, the two go hand in hand!he also wears a rug as can be a bit itchy rubby scratchy. (his snuggy hood keeps his ears covered in winter, or else he would headshake them too, there are only a few days he can be totally naked sadly )

My boy hates the heat and flies and comes up in massive welts if bitten so wears a mask more or less as soon as its sunny, and a rug soon after-i cant afford to have him out of work for weeks at a time with bites under his saddle or leg injuries from running around trying to lose them (he will fence gallop rather than walk, if stressed by them!)

shetland goes mask and rugless for the longest as has a forelock of excellent fly swatting proportions, is not bothered by them really, does not headshake or come up in lumps.

he is wearing a mask today as its very sunny so more flies, and no breeze, but on cloudy or windy days wont have it on, and only wears a rug in the very hot, very fly ridden, months. he is well 'ard lol!!!!

 

[Nocturnal]

Shh! The flies don't seem to have noticed us yet! Last year we had an absolute plague of them, though, and there's no way I'd be able to put my horse out without a fly rug if they're as bad this year. He almost had a heart attack the first time he saw a fly this year, + took the side of my little finger off in his panic!

I've started him on an anti-fly supplement called flyfree, though, so hopefully he might get off lightly when the little b*ggers finally do show up.

 

[marmalade76]

I've never used a flysheet in my life, although I would if I had one with sweet itch. I think a lot of people just like buying rugs and it makes them feel like "good owners" to put one on.

Same here.

I used to share a yard (but thankfully not a field) with someone who's horse had sweet itch. He was turned out in a Boett (sp?) rug even in roasting hot weather. What made it worse was that the owner had fenced off all the trees with electric fencing to stop him scratching on them which meant the poor horse had no shade.

 

[Kenzo]

I must admit I have use one in the past for Mackenzie's to keep him...errr *coughs* clean rather than for fly protection.

He's doesnt get bothered with flys like some do, I must admit if I was fly the last thing I'd want to land on is Mackenzie although if it helps to prevent him being bitten/pestered, so be it.

Certainly not a fashion item, I can't afford to clad my nags with rugs just beacuse everyone else does or because I wanted the lastet hi-tec fly sheet.

 

[abbieandfiona]

Same here.

I used to share a yard (but thankfully not a field) with someone who's horse had sweet itch. He was turned out in a Boett (sp?) rug even in roasting hot weather. What made it worse was that the owner had fenced off all the trees with electric fencing to stop him scratching on them which meant the poor horse had no shade.

Actually the boett acts in a way that it keeps the horse cool as well with the special material its made of in the summer my girl lives in her boett and yes i have to fence everything of as well or she will itch until she is covered in blood!

 

[Spudlet]

One other issue is that some people (hopefully no one on here!) think that sticking a fly rug on is all that is needed to manage SI

I used to share a horse that wore a Boett 24/7 - and I mean 24/7, it was never taken off at all, except when I was riding him (no one else rode him). So whenever I took it off, it was full of prickly hair sticking into the weave and clumped into matts - it must have been so itchy and uncomfortable for him

He used to look so relieved when I took it off to groom him, and if I'd let him he would have rubbed himself silly.

I think they can be great for horses that need them if they are used properly, but people also need to be aware that they can cause problems.

TBH I'm not even convinced he needed it, as there was a huge hole ripped in the bum which I tried to repair, but couldn't - his owner was always saying it would be repaired but never did anything about it - and that big exposed bum section never came to any harm. I half suspect the rug was doing more harm than good, and a good fly spray and being brought in morning and evening would have been far better for him! Poor sod Wish I could have bought him - offered to take him on full loan but nothing doing

 

[nicnag]

My two both have them but for different reasons, my mare goes absolutely mad if a fly so much as lands on her, she used to spend her day bucking and galloping about the field so it was stable her all day or a rug, she hates stable and rug has been amazing. Gelding reacts badly to bites and as we are in Scotland Midges are a major problem for him so he also has a rug. I'd rather go without as I think they spend too much time in rugs but they are more comfortable with so as long as they are happy I'll continue to use them.

 

[Dizzle]

Do you know I’ve been thinking about this (a lot).

Horse is currently out naked with fly spray, I hate the idea of a fly rug, my old share used to wear one and it was so static and horrible, horse was fine last summer so he should be okay this year.

Considering getting him a fly mask but will see. Just using normal fly spray at the moment but will probably upgrade to NAF Deet as it’s ace!

The problem now being getting sun tan lotion on his pink nose! Any ideas??

 

[JessPickle]

I do have one for Pickle purely because last year he was bitten alive with lumps all over him including where his saddle went which made it unfair to even put a saddle on him. However I will only start using it when he really needs it as so far there doesn't seem to be loads of flies around.

Boett you definetly have to ensure it comes off and they get a good brush often, a shetland at my yard has one and we took it off him and got enough hair off him to make a rug!! he would have been so uncomfortable if his wasnt regularly taken off.

 

[Ludi-doodi]

mmh, lots of interesting views. I do use a fly mask with ears for Ludo - he does get bothered around the eyes mostly - along with a liberal dose of Mark Todd Fly Spray - fanastic stuff - a few sprays at 7 in the morning and I can still smell it at 5pm! But as far as flies are concerned, the field he's in has little shelter and on top of a hill so fairly fly free. Not so great when it's windy and wet, however!

As said in the opening, flysheets do have a place, particularly where the horse is bothered by and reacts badly to flies, I'm just not convinced that most of the folks who use them really, really need them, although I do suspect most fall into the 'good owner' category rather than a fashion statement.

Thanks for the good responses this morning!