Fly rugs - do you or don't you?

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tye_bo

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Just wondered if you used fly rugs or not? I'm the only one on our yard that doesn't have my horse in a fly rug. I personally don't particually like them - from what I've seem they always seem to twist round and I think in this heat it must be horrible having a layer on. It seems that horses are now rugged up 27/7 365 days a year!!
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Maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age and I guess if your horse has a really bad reaction to bites then mayeb but generally speaking are they a necessity or a way of getting us to spend more money on our horses?
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Just wondered what the general consensous was on here?
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I voted yes because my boy has thin thoroughbred skin and comes up in big lumps. Every so often when the flies aren't bad I will take it off to let him get fresh air to his skin. When he's in the stable he's completely naked!
 
I put other, as I generally agree with you, BUT one of my horses just cannot function without one - it's a combination of fly bites and sunshine that causes problems to my white creature, therefore it goes out fully clad - fly mask, fly rug with hood, the lot.
I must admit I feel a bit embarrassed leading her about in such an attire
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I voted other because only occassionally if the flies are abundant as he got bitten earlier in the year and had to have injections as he had a bad reaction. I like you do not like to see them. Although to be fair when he has this one on it keeps him cooler than if he didn't have one on lol. But I do not put one on unless the flies are loads.
 
I voted other as one does coz she has sweetitch and the other doesnt only use one coz my lady suffers so badly other wise would love to leave her naked in the sunshine
 
I voted yes, but only use it later in summer when the midges are at their worst- we get them pretty thick up here and so he has a mask then too, but I don't bother for everyday flies.
That's what his tail's for!!!
 
I have just bought one under duress really, I don't like to see a horse rugged up in the summer, but my lad was bitten really badly despite lashings of fly spray, so when they are very bad he will have to have it on.

It will be left off as much as possible though.
 
I would never use one unless horse had a skin issue or had bad reactions to bites etc, my 3 thin skinned TB's are out 24/7, they get fly sprayed everyday and it's enough to keep them happy. i have no issues with folk using them if they need them, but i think a lot of people use them because they think they should.
 
Answered other -

Never used them before and used loads of spray as I feel its nice to have few months when she can get around naked and really get down and roll etc

However recently had 3 bites surgically removed, when she got bitten last year, then they hardened off and due to the position started to cause a problem when saddled. Ended up nearly 3 months out of work
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She got some new bites last week despite loads of spray so I gave in and ordered a funky silver mark todd thing and am waiting for it to arrive.

Not what I wanted to do, but I don't want to lose any more precious riding time due to the damn bugs!
 
Yes
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bought one at the weekend after I brought ponio in from the field and his chest and neck were so covered in bites he looked like he had mumps. He's never reacted to bites that badly.
 
I voted other - mine wear them when they are next to the cows who attract lots of horrid bugs. My mare wears a mask even without the rug when there are ANY flies after an eye infection.

Right now though they aren't wearing anything - the cows have moved and the breeze is keeping the flies away.
 
If we didn't have such a problem with horseflies where we are I wouldn't bother, but one of mine has really thin skin and comes in bleeding and lumpy and the other charges round to try and escape them. They've only just started wearing them though - the flies weren't too bad earlier in the year.
 
I have one that has sweet itch that obviously has to wear one but he doesn't wear a winter rug so he's not rugged all year. My TB unfortunately has to wear one atm as he comes up with big lumps if not...wuss!!! but it will come off as soon as is possible because I don't like to see them in rugs all the time. However, it doesn't slip or move and certainly doesn't make him hot..in fact they reflect the heat so can help to keep them cooler
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One of my ponies at home occasionally wears one too as its very midgey here and it winds her up but none of my ponies wears rugs in winter as a rule.
 
Other - I would if I had to. We are very lucky as our horses (where I keep my own) don't get bothered by the likes of bot flies or horse flies. They all wear fly masks and get sprayed wih fly spray, and Maiden has fly boots as she stomps her legs (fly-related not mites) and they are all fine.
At work, we are absolutely plagued by horse flies this year (and we usually get loads of bot flies). Unless they are fly rugged, they end up going nuts. Of course we'd all prefer our horses out naked, but it's just not possible if they come in covered in blood and sweat.
If we had horse or bot flies at home, or anything of the sort, my horse would be fly rugged.
 
I can't use one on my sweetitch pony because he gets hot around the edges and seams and loses his fur. I think it ended up irritating his sweetitch instead of helping. He can't even wear a Fieldsafe headcollar with a fly fringe because he will lose fur on his nose and behind his ears.
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Yes unfortunately I do use fly rugs on my horses but only because they both suffer bad reactions to fly bites and I do think they are better protected from the flies wearing them especially in our area.

I do agree though that we do seem to rug our horses 24/7 365 days of the year thease days. But then a good fly rug lasts a few years rather than wasting money on sweet smelling fly repellent that does absolutely no good whatsoever.
 
I use one if need be. My pony is fine without one and has never had a reaction to a flies but my previous horse used to come out in big lumps so she wore one. My new mare wears a kool coat rug as she is black and it seems to help her stay cool (also stops her coat getting bleached and keeps flies off) I do like her to have naked days when possible though.
 
I said other, as much as I don't like them, my arab gelding itches like mad if he gets bitten, so has a boett. (Not sweet itch, but very similar sort of reaction).

My arab mare has a rambo protector on without the neck, as she was starting to rub her backend where the flys were biting, and this has really helped.

On the other hand, my elderly New Forest Mare never has and never will wear a fly rug, as she just doesn't seem that bothered about them.

All 3 do, however have face masks, as I can think of nothing worse than flys in their eyes.
 
QR - like OP don't really see the point unless for sweet-itch or other 'medical' reasons. My boy came with a Rambo fly rug it had a full neck and went up over his poll and ears popped through ear holes. Only used it once or twice after baths and didn't bother using it after someone said it looked like a pair of underpants on his head!
 
Never used them before this year, as I too thought it was nice to let them have a few months 'au naturel'.

However my old mare seems to be less tolerant of flies etc so started off with a face mask with ears, but then the horse flies descended and the poor thing was going frantic. So bought her a rug and she is so much happier! My big lad has a dustbuster rug for when there's a lot of sunshine to stop his coat bleaching.

They both seem to be cooler, as the rugs are thin.

Our YM did some research on horse flies and discovered that they are more attracted to dark moving objects, which explains why my mare (who's black!) was so plagued by them.
 
it was lovely on Tueday, so popped to the yard, covered her in fly spray and popped her out.

Had only got a few miles up the road when i got a call to say she was gong mad with the horse flies and they had to put her fly rug on her! Would prefer not to, but she seems happier with it on.
 
Have a chestnut horse that gets plagued terribly by flies so have him in the horseware fly rug with the fly stuff in the rug, can't remember the name sorry.
 
Both mine wear their fly rugs in the summer, they get bitten terribley and our marshly land seems to attrack the miges
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For the first time this year, we get the gigantic horse fly around here (over 3cm long!
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) and this year they are very prevelant. Hopefully by the end of July it can come off as they seem to stop biting by them.
 
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