Do you bother with fly rugs/masks?

[JackDaniels1]

As title really. In summer, do you bother with putting fly rugs and/or masks on? and if so, which do you have?

Thanks

 

[Mabel98]

Are you dreaming of summer at the mo?! I have tried most of them and my favourite is the Rambo Flybuster. I use that and the mask when the horse flies are at their worst. I always take them off at night though

 

[tinkerbell88]

My mum's horse suffers really badly with sweetitch so he is always out in his Boet blanket, the other two are out in fly sheets, mine has a weathabeeta one and the tb has a coolcoat sheet which is great as it stops her coat bleaching too. I tend not to buy them expensive fly sheets though as you can get cheaper ones that do exactly the same job. (However all horses in during day and out at night)

If they are going to rip it, they will no matter how expensive it is!

 

[Charmaine18]

Scoobs has a fly rug for summer because he gets sweet itch and rubs himself raw.

I don't know the exact name of the rug, but it's a Rambo one.

 

[Enfys]

One of my horses wears a visor now on sunny or windy days.

I don't use fly rugs as having seen the consequences of a deer fly (evil creatures - big teeth) going up under one I am reluctant to repeat the experience, I can see the benefits though. Visors, yes, fringes no, more trouble than they are worth, the tie on ones never stay on and I don't do halters on loose horses.

 

[Theresa_F]

My two have mild SI and very large pink noses. They live out 24 x 7 from start May to end October so they are out in Snuggy bodies and crusader fly masks, the ones with the ears and long nose covers - result is they don't rub their bellies raw or get sun burn.

I do like to give them from the third week of September to when they come in, time without rugs on if I can, then I cover them in lots of spray against midges and normally they are ok without masks as I do like them to have some natural as possible horse time each year.

 

[DiamondSR]

I never used to bother with fly rugs until last summer. The yard I kept Fin at was terrible for horseflies, I came up to ride one evening (they were stabled in the day and turned out at night) and he literally had a swarm of them on him and was standing sweating under the shade of the trees covered in bleeding bites

It was horrific and I felt like a terrible mother - needless to say I immediately invested in a fly rug and mask!

 

[Double_choc_lab]

Use fly sheets (cheapie rhinegold) but don't bother with masks - last pony could get them off within two minutes usually by rolling and then scratching with his hoof - even the ones with two thick pieces of velcro.

 

[Digger123]

Yes I probably will turn out my new one in a rug and a mask ,if I can get it on him, if we have a summer.Mainly because of the flies but also because he has had sarcoids.Can't see any new ones at the moment so I am hoping we have got rid of them.

 

[Persephone]

I use a Mark Todd fly mask. I haven't found the need for a sheet though.

 

[suzyseymour]

My old appy wears a mask as the has no forelock and struggles with her eyes.

I did get one for my other mare, but stopped using it. As soon as I put it on, she would put her head over the hedge to her mate on the next door field who grabed it between the ears and pulled it straight off. Little git!!

 

[251libby]

Neither, the area of the yard doesn't really have many flies, I do own both and she wore both at the old yard I was at which was further out into the country, but now just spray her with some fly spray. Never gets fly bites or has the on her when I got to get her in.

 

[ecrozier]

My two older ones have always had masks (or for last few years anyway) but never bothered with fly rugs. Youngster we did buy a fly rug for as he actually reacts much more to the fly bites than the other two, just came up in lumps but looked nasty so will be using fly rug for him. Planning to use during day and take of at dusk as much as possible altho depending on grass levels may bring in for few hours during day in which case would take off in stable and leave on overnight in field.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

mine both have fly sheets, 1 has the amigo one and the other has a weatherbeeta. The amigo is the better rug. Both have full fly masks that cover their noses. Both are prone to sunburn there.
I am thinking about getting a ride on fly sheet for next summer as the horse flies drove us mad.
at least with the snow, we don't have to worry about insects lol
off now to dream of spring sunshine and riding in vest top

 

[Echo Bravo]

My old mare has too, as she suffers from sweet-itch and it's the boett rug and mask, which stays beautifully in place, seriously thinking of buying the other 3 one each if summer is going to be as hot as they say. Then the only thing I will be worrying about is the hay crop.

 

[alsxx]

I have to use a fly mask on my appaloosa mare, for some reason the flies love her eyes (not sure if its because of the sclera, maybe easier to get to?) and make her eyes very weepy and sore. It also helps as she has pink bits around her eyes and so it helps stop her sunburning there!

 

[Gooby]

I never used to bother but I moved farms in the summer and Gil would come in from the field constantly shaking his head and trying to itch his ears. One day I obliged and scratched his ears and pulled my hand out to find it covered in blood and squashed flies! So he now wears a shires face mask with ears. I have turned up to find him in the field minus mask so now has to wear it with his headcollar to keep it on as it has a little look you can attach it through.

 

[miss_c]

Well I did put one on Genie.... and I never saw it again...

Needless to say I haven't bothered since

 

[posie_honey]

i felt i should buy a rug and mask as all the horses round us wear them...
but she sweated under the rug and hated it...
and also kept pulling the mask off...
so i just does her up with coopers and she seems fine with just that

 

[Kenzo]

Depends on the horse and the area/amount of flys, some horse get bitten to death, or those that get all itchy and come out in lumps etc then yes I'd stick one on, we don't get many flys down at our yard so never really had the need to put one on even though I have bought and used one....helped to keep him clean if anything

.

 

[Taffyhorse]

Use a mask with a nose bit on it as he has a pink nose and the flies irritate his eyes but haven't used a rug as he's not really fussed about flies on his body.

 

[Black_Horse_White]

Mine always wears a mask summer and winter, he has an eye problem. If the flies are really bad i put his fly sheet on. He is also black so it might reflect the heat alittle.

 

[charlie55]

Yes, he has a full neck fly rug, but im still trying to get him to keep a fly mask/fly fringe on, he obviously doesnt like them and pulls them straight off. But, flys around the eyes are horrid, pass on so many infections, so he will have to get used to it. x

 

[Swift08]

Mine wears a fly mask with UV protection all year (except dark,damp days) because of his eye condition. Because the yard has a stream running through 2 of the fields, there are alot of flies so most people have masks & rugs on their horses when the flies are bad.

 

[Solstar]

I used too- both boys had Rambo Protector Rugs- but didnt last summer, just used their Equilibrium masks through the day and put Coopers FLy repellent on them -they were still ok.

 

[freckles22uk]

All mine wear fly masks in the summer.... as we get a lot of flies in Spain, and the sun is SO bright, I like to protect their eyes, though one of my mares goes without as she has them off within 10 mins..

 

[Ziggy_]

Mine gets swollen, runny eyes from the flies in summer so wears a mask but I've never felt the need for a fly sheet, flies don't seem to like her much!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I use repellent, no fly rugs, I will often put on a fly fringe though as my girl does get affected by the flies in her eyes.