Fly Rugs…. Advice

[Darcey22]

Hi All,
I am about to embark on my first (hopefully, we will see it soon) summer with my horse.
I bought her in October and prior to this havent owned a horse for 20 years! 20 years ago, I swear I had never heard of a fly rug (or many other things we have now, but that is by the by).
Anyway, do I need to purchase a fly rug for my horse? What is the pros and cons for and against verses good old fashioned fly spray?

 

[Barton Bounty]

BB has a couple of them, we are in a particular fly populated area. I hate to see lots of flies round their face or winky especially… we get july horseflies. So he is doused in spray and top to toe in rug mask and fly boots if required

 

[visa_bot]

The problem with fly rugs is that if they get underneath then the horse can’t swat it off. Good points is they stop the sun from fading the coat. One of mine is not happy being naked when it’s warm and there are flies about. He is also black and I think it keeps him cooler (I prefer the white cotton ones). The other is happy without one. It isn’t necessary if the horse is happy without. They will get bitten to a degree either way, and I would still use fly spray with a fly rug anyway. For me, a fly mask is essential, but not necessarily a rug.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Depends on the horse and where you are. I love to see my guys naked. Everyone I know has fly sheets on already but I only use them when I feel they need one.
My horse is rugless tonight but I will have one on when the flies are bad.

 

[TheMule]

I use fly rugs when biting things are out- horse flies and bad midges. I tend to use the sweet itch types as I find they offer better coverage and are less likely to rip

 

[asmp]

One of ours prefers to wear one but the other doesn’t. Some of the cheaper ones I’ve bought in the past have been of a very thin material that slips back plus tears easily so I’d recommend buying a decent one.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My boys have the aussie all rounders. Both mine are very thin skinned so they practically live in their rugs all fly season. They are shower proof as well. My fields have no shelter so I also find them useful for keeping the chilly winds off.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Some horses are more bothered by flies and midges than others.

Fly hoods are great. For fly rugs, I've found that spending the extra on a Rambo fly buster impregnated with vamoose (insecticide) are the best and the toughest. You can clip a waterproof liner underneath in dodgy weather.

The bay mare is very wonky in her pelvis, but her fly rug doesn't slip at all. She unfortunately despises fly hoods so doesn't wear one, but the other two do.

I've tried with and without fly rugs, and mine are happier with.

 

[Squeak]

I think it does massively depend on what the flies are like in your area. At the moment the midges here are horrendous. I like the horses to be able to be naked when they can but they were being eaten alive when I left them without a rug on at the weekend, fly spray helped but wore off too quickly.

If you're not sure if you need one then I'd wait and see how you get on. If the flies are bad and irritating your horse you'll soon know and can get one then.

 

[Jambarissa]

I had never owned one until I bought a mare who must taste especially nice, poor bugger gets so badly bitten, never seen anything like it.

So she wears hers April - October and a ride on most of the time too. Plus tons of proper spray.

My other horse just needs a spray, I did buy her a rug but only really use it when I can see them being properly bothered.

May as well wait and see.

 

[Landcruiser]

My bay wears his March - Oct otherwise he rubs himself raw and also gets urticaria from bites. Youngster (roan) is bothered by the flies and has had a few itchy bites swell up so she's in one now too. Old guy, dun, rarely seems bothered except by flies round his eyes - I do think colour can be a factor, and also flies just seem to prefer some horses over others - and some horses react worse than others too.

 

[eggs]

Just bear in mind if you get the Rambo with vamoose (I have these ones but tend to only use them when the flies are really bad. Mine are out at night and in during the day and currently not needing them) that permethrin is poisonous for cats so if you have a yard cat it would not be a good choice.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We do have a cat, and I make sure that the fly rugs with vamoose are not left lying around on the floor or folded on a lower rug room shelf. They're put up away from where the cat goes when not on the horse.

 

[SDMabel]

I've always used them - its a must with current horse as she has a paralysed tail so not able to swat flies away !

I think its more me putting my human emotions onto the previous ones as i cant stand to see them covered in flies

There's no harm in having them on .

 

[Quigleyandme]

If you’re going to invest in a fly sheet I would recommend you buy one with generous leg gussets. I have a heavyweight ID and a sporty ID and any fly sheet without leg gussets, even Rambo, are like straight jackets on them. My preference is for Premier Equine because they are generously cut and allow plenty of freedom of movement.

 

[claret09]

My boy has both a rambo fly rug an amigo aussie rug - personally both he and i prefer the aussie rug. it's better coverage for the flies - he has a touch of sweet itch and he also finds it's cooler if it hot. it also has some degree of shower proofing so win win as far as we are concerned

 

[Bobthecob15]

I had a 20yr break too...the things people do now compared to then still baffles me

It does really depend on the area and how bad the flies are. At our current yard we don't bother but they go out at night over summer (in during the day) and flies are really not bad at all. Previous yard was absolutely horrible for them...every horse had one but the fields were near a Brook so the midges were bad. Really depends on your horse I'd say too x

 

[doodle]

I bought one thinking I should. He had only worn it a couple of times when a wasp got caught under it. Horse going metal and stung numerous times. He then would have a panic attack going on the field.

Since then I havnt bothered. I like them to have some time properly naked as there is so much more time with rugs on. Our yard is up a hill and always windy tho so the flies are minimal. He does wear a fly mask tho.