Fly rugs: For and against

I just can't get my head around putting a rug on in the heat of summer, however light, so don't use them.

Instead I bring mine in when the flies are at the worst, keeps them cool, fly free and gives their stomachs a rest!
 
I'm interested in following this post, I've never used a fly rug before, as repellant has always been enough, but I don't know if its due to the weather or what, but regardless of what repellant we use, the horses seem constantly swarmed with flies when we turn them out :(

Also, I'm interested to hear about the ride on fly rugs if anybody has had any experience with them? Do they rub or make the horses really hot? Also, do they measure up the same as a normal rug?
 
My horse gets bitten badly whether she's out or in and I'd rather have a horse that might be a bit warm that isn't covered in huge, weeping bites :)
 
We have a huge amount of natural shelter in our fields and my horse doesn't seem to get badly bitten (he doesn't wear a fly rug). The horses that do wear them do seem really hot under them though - but as the previous post says - maybe that's preferable to being bitten all over if you don't have shelter.
 
One of our boys is black, and he is most definitely cooler with the fly rug on than without it. Also without it he gets badly bitten and each bite gets a big swelling, he kicks at the flies on his tummy and has occasionally made himself bleed by kicking at the flies so hard – all solved with a fly rug.

Our other boy is not black and doesn't seem to get as hot, and also he doesn’t react to the flies, (no lumps or swellings), so I wipe a bit of stuff in his ears where they do bother him, and leave him to it - he’s happier naked.

Maybe is just how they are individually, but when we've not put it our black boy, we've found him charging around very agitated and distressed by the flies, and when we go out with the fly rug he has been known to practically put himself into it! :D
 
I use a fly rug with a neck piece on especially "fly-y" days, as my poor horse doesn't have a tail (long story involving an over-tight tail bandage and a cross-continental lorry journey before I owned him). I don't like having to swaddle him up, but he is defenceless against any nasty biting thing and he is a lot less bothered when in his rug. Sprays, IME are just not enough.
 
I'm all for them providing they fit properly and are lightweight. Both my horses wear fly rugs as one is a thin skinned TB with zero tolerance for anything buzzing plus they bite him to bits. I keep the rugs clean with regular washing and have never had sweaty horses because of them.

IMO it's not a question of being for or against fly rugs, I do what's necessary to keep my horses comfortable and a fly rug gives far more long lasting protection than any fly repellent I've come accross!
 
My current horse has a massively thick mane which is fairly long and a huge thick, long forelock - it's doing a good job of keeping his eyes from going sore with the normal little flies (I mean rather than the horse flies).
 
A fly rug has made a huge difference to two of ours- one has bad sweet itch and all the repellants and potions in the world weren't helping, a fly rug with ears and problem solved- we no longer have to wash him once a week and spend hundreds on lotions. Having him a bit hot is preferable to a bleeding mane and tail all summer. Our other boy was just being eaten alive, whether he was in or out, he was covered in huge bites all over, and it got so bad I couldn't ride him- a fly rug stops him form getting bitten and he is so much happier. I don't think I'd put a fly rug on unless there was a good reason though. Our shetland goes without and he gets the odd bite but he's fine usually, so not worth a rug in my opinion.
 
I have been using them for several years, and find the horses don't get hot in them. They are also much happier than they were when I just used fly sprays. I don't bring my horses in, as they dislike being stabled.
 
I didn't really favour them in the past but I use one all the time now. We have a lot of flies around here, regardless of how much fly spray we use. My horse also reacts badly to bites. Before I put his rug on this year I found 10 big lumps on him where he'd been bitten. I use a thin one as my horse would probably get a bit warm in some of the thicker ones you can buy.
 
I use one on Ruby well its a weatherbeeta Kool Coat so i suppose not technically a fly rug but does the job too, she stays cooler in hers than naked as shes black and the material is such that even in the lightest breeze it 'flaps' keeping the breeze moving over her and because its white obviously it keeps her cool too. Shes smothered in fly spray every day too and she does really well like that. Wouldnt put her out on a hot day without her Kool Coat
 
Much more effective than the sprays imo- but would now only use if horse really bothered by the flys as we had a pony get completely and utterly tangled in a finer mesh one, it had shredded all along the binding and been ripped, twisted and knotted. Wish I had a photo as was truly horrendous. Don't know how pony got away with just a sore back.

I'm sure they're the perfect solution for many (esp darker horses as the white would reflect heat better than their black coats) but I'm quite wary of them now as they rip much more easily than normal rugs!
 
Really? This is a thread? Some horses suffer from sweet itch and need to be rugged up when outside. Some horses just react badly to fly bites and fly spray isn't enough. Some horses aren't that bothered by flies and don't need rugging. Some horses can be stabled in the worst of the heat/flies, some horses can't. Some horses can be turned out overnight and some horses can't.

FWIW, the GD doesn't need a fly rug except when the fly rugs are at their worst . . . if he needed one, he would wear one. When he doesn't need one, guess what . . . he doesn't wear one.

But really, how can anyone be for or against fly rugs . . . or any rugs for that matter. Surely, it's up to the needs of the horse YOU own?

P
 
Absolutely depends on the horse as Polarskye says. My last lad had the Rambo Sweetitch Combo, he had mild sweet itch that was controlled using the rug but would have been eaten to death without it. My current lad doesn't have one on, I bring him in before work at 7.30am and he goes out at 6pm with fly spray and lots of natural shelter.
 
I don't think there is an against really.

I bring mine in during the day and turn out at night. But I turn out in a fly rug because at 6pm it is still hot and the horseflies are out big time. I also use a flymask. He gets eye infections and because he is a fewspot appy, his eyes get infected and the sun makes them run.

I think they are fabulous inventions, and if you have a dark coloured horse, they are far cooler with a white fly rug on then bare. Bit like us. You will always be cooler with a long sleeved linen or cotton shirt on than you will with a tight fitting strappy top with bare arms and neck.
 
I've use the Mark Todd Ultra Combo fly rug even on the hottest days on my geldings as he suffers from terrible sweet itch, I find if I put my hand under his rug he is much cooler then any of the horses without a rug on, so now I don't worry about him getting to hot in it. It must reflect the sun a bit or something.
 
I use fly rugs and masks on all my horses, leave the rugs on 24/7 at the moment, horse flies are terrible and if you go out at 9.30ish pm there are loads of mossies. I have never had a horse too hot in one.
 
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