Fly rug for busty native pony!

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Scottynewbie

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Can you tell me what fly rugs/sweet itch rugs you use for native ponies? At 14hh my one has 'quite' a large chest and I'm struggling to find a rug to fit the chest but not be down to the hooves and baggy elsewhere! It needs fully belly protection too. Any thoughts please?!
 
Mine has a rambo, the v-neck really suits him, it does look a bit long as it is designed to cover to knee and belly kind of meets (he's 14.2 welsh cob, not the most massive of shoulders though, 5'9)
 
I've been on a similar hunt for a 15hh cob.

The Amigo XL was too tight across her shoulders. The Ruggles wouldn't fasten over her neck. Maxima's turnout rugs fit her perfectly but the fly rugs are a weird cut and too tight across the chest.

I ended up going for a Big Horse Shop sweet itch one, but made the mistake of ordering up one from her usual size, so it's a bit maxi-skirt-ish. (She doesn't have sweet itch, but it was the only one with a belly flap, and the flies really go for her undercarriage.) Unfortunately, the smallest they do is a 5'9", which I suspect might be too big for a 14hh.
 
Hi and thanks. I've had a look at the Big Horse Shop ones as I'd actually be afer a 6ft rug so that's OK. But the only one with a belly flap hooks over the ears and I'm not sure my pony would tolerate that... Do you find it quite easy to get over the ears? Does it seem decent quality?
I've heard that Rambo's might be OK, but am dealing with a pony with a BIG chest so want to be as sure as possible it'll fit before I go ahead and buy!
 
Scottynewbie said:
Hi and thanks. I've had a look at the Big Horse Shop ones as I'd actually be afer a 6ft rug so that's OK. But the only one with a belly flap hooks over the ears and I'm not sure my pony would tolerate that... Do you find it quite easy to get over the ears? Does it seem decent quality?
I've heard that Rambo's might be OK, but am dealing with a pony with a BIG chest so want to be as sure as possible it'll fit before I go ahead and buy!
Click to expand...

Mine has an automatic reaction of, "No, don't want!" to anything new, but it only took it going over her ears once for her to be completely nonchalant about it. That said, it only stays over her ears if she has her fly mask on top! Otherwise, she puts her ears back, has a shake, and it's gone.
 
Oh no - that's not the best design is it!! Really need the neck to keep being covered as that's an area with lots of insect bites...
Hmmm - does anybody else have any suggestions please?
 
I use the shires highlander plus sweet itch rug for my chunky shetland. They ears never stay in place but the neck always stays where it's supposed to be. They're relatively cheap too which is a bonus when you tend to go through one a year
 
I had difficulty finding fly rugs for my Dales so I know exactly what your issues are. The Amigo XL was the only one that fit but it was seriously cheap and nasty in it‘s construction, not it’s price, and wouldn’t last a week. I’ve bought Weatherbeeta Comfitec Ripshields for my two youngsters this year and although they don’t meet your brief I am impressed with the quality and design. They are very generously proportioned (I’ve had to fold back the neck cover a fair way and buckle them up as tight as they will go), have good leg gussets which is important for a big moving native, deep enough without being too deep and have elasticated leg straps so no getting the busy tail over the fillet string. The shape over the back is good and the neck cover is plenty generous for the not so swan-like proportions of natives too. They do one with a belly cover but I don’t know if the proportions are the same on that model. Derby House has an own brand fly sheet with hoody and belly cover and show it on a cobby type on their website and it is quite a good price and you get a free fly mask. It looks a bit clingy to me but worth a look?
 
Thank you both :). I might contact Weatherbeeta and see if they can help with sizing as what you describe for the Comfitec Ripshield sounds ideal - if it had the belly cover! I've just had a look on Derby House and you're right, it's a definite cobby sort they're showing the rug on but you're also right that it looks like it clings a lot, maybe a bit stretched over the shoulders...
Thanks for the info on the Shires rug too! Interesting that it stays up even when it slips off the ears - but look at the Big Horse ones again if that's the case.
 
Sorry, I wasn't clear! The neck still stays up on the Big Horse one, even though it comes off her ears. And, to be fair, if it was the right size, I think it would stay up a lot better. Now, I generally go down a size on Big Horse stuff!
 
Oh that's great to know! I actually think I might try athe BGS one, if pony really doesn't like the ear loops I guess I don't have to use them if it stays up anyway! It would just be so nice to have a rug that doen't constrict the chest and neck. Thanks all for the advice. Will keep fingers crossed x
 
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