Fly rug for big shoulders/chest

Pikachu

Pikachu

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Hey all

I’m dragging myself out of my lurker cupboard after many years as I am losing the will to live trying to find a fly rug to fit my horse. He is only 16.1hh ID x TB but everything is too tight across the chest. Currently using a gallop with a homemade chest extender which kinda works but I find the rug is slipping back too much.

I have just tried a JHL ultra combo with the stretchy bit but couldn’t get the straps to meet and also a MT combo, which I successfully used on my old Pre who was built like a tank but that didn’t do up either.

A friend brought her PE over which I didn’t think would fit as not much adjustment, fitted better than others but still too tight to leave on. Someone has recommended https://www.thebighorseshop.co.uk/ but not sure what they are like.

His turnouts are JHL which fit fine, although top strap can be bit tight with head down as neck starts rather low but whatever horse I’ve had, found that same make turnouts and fly rugs just never match which I don’t get as surely use same template/pattern.

Any other ideas?
 
Rambo summer sheet fits mine. Shes only 5ft6/9 in rugs but 5xw in saddles with a huge bulldog chest. The only thing that fits properly is a rambo optimo turnout. The rambo summer series fly rug fits as well, just not quite as well as the optimo
 
Leo Walker said:
Rambo summer sheet fits mine. Shes only 5ft6/9 in rugs but 5xw in saddles with a huge bulldog chest. The only thing that fits properly is a rambo optimo turnout. The rambo summer series fly rug fits as well, just not quite as well as the optimo
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Thanks for the suggestion Leo, I’ll take a look. He’s only a wide saddle fit, to look at him he doesn’t look huge, my pre’s chest was much bigger. I think it’s the depth of the base of his neck that’s causing the actual issue. I was trying to find an up-to-date picture to show neck/shoulders as he only turned 7 this year so still growing but I haven’t got one.
 
Not an Amigo for sure! (Although never tried the XL) I bought one that’s too narrow for my TB??!
Masta are quite roomy, have you tried them?
 
I had a horse that needed Amigo XL rugs due to his massive neck and shoulders, but the Kool Coat Airstream fitted him beautifully. It keep him cooler than his other fly rugs. Unless they've changed the fit with the newer models, it should be generous enough for most horses.
 
Thank you all for the suggestions, might have to blitz the credit card and order one of each to see. I’m getting a dab hand at folding them back into their bags to return!
 
I have my sweet-itcher in an Amigo Aussie all-rounder at the mo, and he has previously been in the Rambo sweet itch hoody. Both fit his huge chest and shoulders well, I think this is because the rugs are cut quite high, in the sense that they sit well forward of the withers and therefore don't pull back like some rugs I have tried. The reason he's not in his hoody is because I hate the "hoody" part of the rug - his ears never stay in the holes and the thing can flop right down over his eyes, so I bought the all-rounder to see what it's like.

I would warn you off the Bucas zebra fly or sweet itch rug (and I imagine all Bucas rugs). I bought one last year and although it was a lovely rug it was so badly fitting around Henry's chest, shoulders and throat I had to give up with it. The breast strap was positioned really high up so it dug into his throat when he had his head down. The Mark Todd silver coloured rug with velcro belly straps is also no good for wide-fronted horses.
 
I have a huge friesian chap.. most rugs don't come near his neck and shoulders. Have recently brought him a made to measure fly rug (ebay!) Was about £95. Prob can find a pic of him wearing it!!
 
If you can find one ..
Weatherbeeta Comfitec Essential Mesh Combo Neck WIDE
But they seem not to be widely available this year.
 
Amigo Xl was a good fit on my broad 18hh+ horse but it wasn't strong enough for his antics so switched to the Rambo fly buster. I was worried it wouldn't be big enough on the check given that it wasn't in XL range but it fits really well
 
Thanks guys for all the additional options, will do some looking (shopping) tonight and see what I can find.

These aren’t the most flattering pics from earlier in year as make him look fat and frumpy, but give you an idea on neck/shoulder/chest. We have the top strap issue with a lot of his turnout rugs but I can at least get them to do up.

B2E84A1F-8914-4E0A-92ED-CE41D9420E6F.jpeg73436A00-5969-456F-B9E2-7C9A23FEF512.jpeg
 
Gusbear said:
Try www.thebighorseshop.co.uk
Their rugs have masses of shoulder and chest room. Their rugs fit my tank of a horse no problem.
I can thoroughly recommend them.

Sorry just realised someone else has already mentioned them.
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A friend of a friend had said about them but didn’t know of them so good to hear a 2nd recommendation. I was a bit worried they’ll swamp him everywhere else as he’s not big on the rest of him. He was really weedy when I got him as a just turned 5 year old but the 50% ID has now made itself known.
 
Mine too looked like a weedy/gangly TB when I bought him at 4 1/2 years old. He was in 6’9” rugs at the time.
He now takes 7’3 to 7’6” rugs after years of growing in all directions. 😳
BTW he just turned 12 a few weeks ago (he’s a WB x Cleveland Bay) and he only stopped growing and filling out around 6 months ago. At least I hope he has 🤞
Mine was around 17.2hh when I bought him. He was only supposed to make 16.2hh max based on his sire and dam. He’s just been measured at 18.3hh!
Good luck Pikachu!
 
Gusbear said:
Mine too looked like a weedy/gangly TB when I bought him at 4 1/2 years old. He was in 6’9” rugs at the time.
He now takes 7’3 to 7’6” rugs after years of growing in all directions. 😳
BTW he just turned 12 a few weeks ago (he’s a WB x Cleveland Bay) and he only stopped growing and filling out around 6 months ago. At least I hope he has 🤞
Mine was around 17.2hh when I bought him. He was only supposed to make 16.2hh max based on his sire and dam. He’s just been measured at 18.3hh!
Good luck Pikachu!
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Thanks, the one thing on my list when I bought him was that he wasn’t 16.2hh+ so I won’t complain if grows some more as I’m 5’9” so can take it. I was just looking to sell my 6’9” rugs as don’t need them.......maybe I’ll hang onto them a bit longer 😉
 
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