Field mate destroying my rugs

[poiuytrewq]

My horse is with my friend. He and hers get on like a house on fire but he’s trashing my horses rugs and fly hoods. I’ve only used cheapo fly sheets because his are too nice be be wrecked on day one.
He’s had to have the neck cut off because friend (who, bless her is stitching them up daily!) couldn’t keep up with the repairs on that part.
So I’d leave him naked, but for the fact he is so bothered by flies. He really is super sensitive and hates them. His neck currently is covered in lumps.
He needs decent coverage, this week he’s really mullered both front legs from stamping continuously near the trough.
Any ideas?
I’m going to try my other horses old sweet itch rug in the hope that being a bit stronger it may last longer, maybe coated in crib box ?‍
It’s so annoying that the most fly hating horse who owns such decent rugs can’t use them!
Has anyone managed to stop a serial rug ripper?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

YO up the lane borrowed a grazing muzzle off me, stopped her boisterous rug ripper in his tracks. He even ripped his own out in the field (not when stabled tho)...... eejit. A few weeks in - and he got on with eating rather than ripping.
Cant help with stampy legs doing ripping tho.

 

[poiuytrewq]

YO up the lane borrowed a grazing muzzle off me, stopped her boisterous rug ripper in his tracks. He even ripped his own out in the field (not when stabled tho)...... eejit. A few weeks in - and he got on with eating rather than ripping.
Cant help with stampy legs doing ripping tho.

I’d love to suggest that! He is a young TB though and the grazing pretty dire so a muzzle would really be suitable in this situation.
I’ve just dug out some old Shires fly socks from my old horse. Hoping they might help.

 

[Carrottom]

I used nettex anti crib gel on one of mine. The only problem was the rain washed the gel onto the horse so I got a horrid taste in my mouth when grooming. I was careful not to put the gel on parts of the rug where the horse was likely to itch himself with his teeth.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I used nettex anti crib gel on one of mine. The only problem was the rain washed the gel onto the horse so I got a horrid taste in my mouth when grooming. I was careful not to put the gel on parts of the rug where the horse was likely to itch himself with his teeth.

Thank you, good suggestion and good point about the poor horse itching himself!

 

[Palindrome]

horsefly and/or fly traps plus fly spray?

 

[poiuytrewq]

horsefly and/or fly traps plus fly spray?

I can honestly say I’ve only seen one or two horseflies this year!
He’s sprayed often. I could maybe look at fly traps dotted round though, thank you.

 

[Highmileagecob]

We have managed to discourage a rug and tail ripper on our yard by liberally slathering target areas in a mixture of vaseline and pure neem oil. It stinks, it makes a greasy mess of rugs and tails, but it has worked for us. Spraying with hot chilli oil had a limited effect - we wonder whether horses have a better smell response than taste.

 

[Red-1]

The only problem was the rain washed the gel onto the horse so I got a horrid taste in my mouth when grooming.

You groom with your mouth???

Could you wear a scarf over your face when grooming, as it is so short a time?

 

[Surbie]

I have used anti-crib spray in the past, but it doesn't seem to work for long. For the last one, I had to give up rugging for the summer and that was horrendous given he has sweetitch. Thankfully that horse left. Is there no way to separate them?

 

[smolmaus]

You groom with your mouth???

? sorry carrottom this was my first thought too. Have you outed yourself as a cat that has horses?

We have a serial bum biter in with mine and my friends horses so a lot of rug repairs going on. Ours are in the Shires Highlanders (for sweet itch) and they do pretty well but the main thing is the material is easy to sew and patch. I've handed my poor OH an actual fly sheet (with mesh) and I can already tell hes going to have a terrible time with it.

 

[Nasicus]

I’d love to suggest that! He is a young TB though and the grazing pretty dire so a muzzle would really be suitable in this situation.
I’ve just dug out some old Shires fly socks from my old horse. Hoping they might help.

Could you not try an old plastic bottomed grazing muzzle with the hole at the bottom widened out? Big enough that his grazing isn't all that restricted, but still stopping him from getting his teeth around the rug?

 

[Carrottom]

You groom with your mouth???

Could you wear a scarf over your face when grooming, as it is so short a time?

Doesn't everyone
After it happened once I was careful to keep my mouth shut.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Doesn't everyone
After it happened once I was careful to keep my mouth shut.

I’ve just had a mouthful ? wind blew mid spray.

So I’ve put my other horses old sweetitch rug on him, fits surprisingly well, sprayed it well with the cribbox. He has poultices on each leg, covered over with fly socks (he looks wonderful?)
Hoping this will all help him out a bit and be a bit tougher than a regular mesh fly rug so withstand the playful one a big better.
I can split them, mines only there as a companion, I could bring him home but he’s so chilled there and and the horses get on so well. He’s was always grumpy at home with mine so it would be a shame to split them.